Caramel Cream Cheese Banana Cake

When the theme for my company DnD announced and there is a talent contest open out to all employees, I never think that I will join in the contest cos I can't think of any talent I have. I told the commitee memebers unless asking me to bake cake on the stage, if not I can't think of what I can do.

However, my department girls decided to have a group dance and they submitted my name. I was like huh.... my bones are so stiff and old, how can I dance? But seeing they are so enthusiastic, I do not know how to reject them.

Due to everyone's busy schedule, the trainer didn't come out the dance steps for us to practise and for some of us, we are just hoping this can be cancelled due to insufficient time to practise so no one pushing the trainer to take action.

That is only fat dream for us to think that we will be able to escape from this dancing contest. We were informed that the training will start this week and I was on leave on this Monday so I only got to start the training on Tuesday.

We were only managed to learn and practise the dance steps during lunch time and have to rely on self practising at home. Worst for me, I was not able to open up the video clip that we had recorded during our practised and I can't really recall the dance steps so I only managed to practise those I can remember, old liao memory not to good :P.

There were many times some of us really wanna give up but have to bite our teeth to carry on. Some of us managed to stay back after work to practise additional 1 hour for 1 or 2 days and yesterday, we were practising practically half a day from lunch time till 8pm plus. Luckily our bosses and colleagues are quite supportive that no one making noise on our MIA to practise during office hour :P.

We will be going to the hotel early to practise another round, hope that all of us can remember all the dance steps and the dance performing will be smoothly. Wish us good luck!


Well back to the cake. As we need to stay back during lunch hour to practise and we got other colleagues to packet lunch for us. By the time the packet lunch arrived that was about 1pm plus and all of us were like starving. Thus, I baked this cake to bring office so that at least we have some food to fill our stomach before lunch arriving.



When I 1st saw this cake from Honey Bee Sweet blog and the way she had described, I have decided that I must bake this cake. However the time is not always right, there is always shortage of 1 ingredient when I intend to bake this cake. So I got everything ready and started to bake this cake.


Recipe adapted from HBS. I adjusted the ingredients as I was baking additional for office and home consumption and also made changes to some of the ingredients.

Ingredients : for one 8" x 3.5" x 3" & one 9" x 4" x 3"
For the caramel :
120g caster sugar
2 1/4 tbsp water
2 1/4 tbsp hot water
4 1/2 tbsp whipping cream

For the cake :
360g self-raising flour
1 1/8 tsp baking powder
250g unsalted butter, at room temperature
180g cream cheese, at room temperature
190g caster sugar
150ml fresh milk
6 eggs, separated
3 bananas, cut into thickness of 0.5cm
60g cream cheese, cut into small cubes

Method :
To make the caramel sauce :
1. Add sugar and water in a small saucepan and cook mixture till sugar melted and changes to amber color.
2. Remove from heat and add hot water, follow by heavy cream.
3. Stir well and set aside.

To make the cake batter :
1. In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, butter and half of the sugar till light and fluffy.
2. Add the 4 egg yolks, one at a time till everything is mixed in.
3. Sift in flour and baking powder into egg mixture, stir till incorporated.
4. Add sour cream and milk and mix well.
5. Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line the cake tins with parchment paper.
6. In another large mixing bowl, beat egg white till foamy. Add remaining half of the sugar and beat till stiff peaks.
7. Gently fold the egg whites into the flour mixture, 1/3 at a time till all is blended.
8. Add the caramel, banana chunks and cubed cream cheese and stir gently in. Then pour batter into prepared cake pan.
9. Bake in the oven for 40 minutes till golden brown.

Verdict?
This cake is so soft and moist, full of banana fragant and adding caramel is such good combination. When you bite the cake, you will be able to taste the chuck of cream cheese and banana, superb yummy. Well, another cake that everyone rave about it.