This incredible illusion cake reaches milky heights with four layers of banana and cinnamon sponge. Topped with realistic-looking whipped cream, chocolate and sprinkles you won’t know whether to slice it, or stick a straw in it!
Makes:
1 x cake
Difficulty:
Challenging
Hands-On Time:
35 mins
Baking Time:
25 mins
- Ingredients
- Method
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Method
Step 1
Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/Gas 4.
Step 2
For the sponge, in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl with an electric whisk, beat together the butter and both sugars until light in fluffy.
Step 3
In a separate bowl, mix the self-raising flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg.
Step 4
Add the eggs to the butter and sugar, one at a time, beating between each addition. If the mixture begins to curdle, add in a spoonful of flour mixture
Step 5
Once all the eggs have been incorporated, add the flour mixture and beat together.
Step 6
Mash the banana, then add to the cake batter with the milk and vanilla extract.
Step 7
Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and level the top with a palette knife or spatula.
Step 8
Bake for 22-24 minutes, or until risen and golden brown.
Step 9
Once the sponge is baked remove from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before removing from the tin and leave to cool fully.
Step 10
For the buttercream, in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl with an electric whisk, beat the butter, icing sugar and vanilla extract until pale in colour and increased in volume. Add the milk and continue to beat together until silky smooth.
Step 11
Remove 3 tbsps. of buttercream and transfer to a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle. This is for the whipped topping. Set aside.
Step 12
Add the cinnamon and food colouring to the remaining buttercream, mix to combine and set aside.
Step 13
To assemble the cake, cut out 2x 8cm rounds, 2x 9cm rounds and 1x 10cm rounds of the banana cake.
Step 14
With a small blob of buttercream, secure one of the 8cm sponges to the cake card. Add the second 8cm sponge, sandwiching with buttercream.
Step 15
Build up the layers of sponge with a layer of buttercream between each one, working up from the smallest to largest. You should have a stack of sponges with 2x 8cm sponges at the bottom, 2x 9cm sponges in the middle and topped with the 10cm sponge.
Step 16
Push a plastic straw through the middle of the cake stack to support it and stop it from falling over.
Step 17
Crumb coat the whole stack in a thin layer of buttercream and put into the fridge or freezer to set.
Step 18
Once the crumb coat has set, cover with a thick, smooth layer of buttercream. Using a small palette knife, starting from the bottom, drag the palette knife up the cake to create straight ridges in the buttercream. This gives the illusion of a fluted glass.
Step 19
For the chocolate drip, put the chocolate into a heatproof bowl.
Step 20
In a small pan, heat the cream until just below boiling point. Pour over the chocolate and let stand for a few minutes to melt. Stir together until smooth and the chocolate has fully melted. Pour the chocolate drip into a plastic squeezy bottle and set aside to cool.
Step 21
Drizzle the cake with the chocolate drip, allowing it to go over the sides of the ‘glass’
Step 22
Finally, pipe a large swirl of the white buttercream on top of the chocolate drizzle to create ‘whipped cream’.
Step 23
Top with sprinkles and a straw.
