Dinner And A Movie Friday

I can't say I was dragged kicking and screaming but it was close. I have never been a Terminator fan in the least. But the choices have been so slim lately to find a good movie to see so, I went along with the crowd. Christian Bale plays John Conner all grown up. He attempts to organize a human resistance force to prove man over machines. Maybe we should let the machines run us they might do a better job. Sorry I didn't mean to say that. I will say the action was none stop and the sets were very realistic. If it were up to me I would sit this one out. It is rated PG. I am looking forward to taking my little grandson to see UP this week.

I made this fun banana cake this week. The picture looks like a leaning tower but it really didn't lean at all. The texture in the cake was moist and flavorful. The added rum flavoring and the lime juice, added a little kick to all the sweetness of the cream and bananas. I set a few hours aside. Whenever I make a cake like this, I do part at night and finish in the morning.
Banana Layer Cake with Caramel Cream

Cake
21/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
21/2 cups sugar, divided
6 large eggs
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons buttermilk
2 small ripe bananas, peeled , cut into 1/4- inch cubes

Banana-Caramel Cream
11/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
1 small ripe banana, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
3 3/4 cup chilled heavy whipping cream, divided
41/2 teaspoon fresh lime juice, divided
41/2 teaspoon dark rum, divided

For Cake: Preheat oven to 350 F Butter and flour two 9-inch diameter cake pans with 11/2-inch -high sides. Sift flour, baking powder, and sea salt into medium bowl . Beat butter and 1 cup sugar in large bowl until well blended. Add 2 eggs; beat until blended. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture in 4 additions alternately with buttermilk in 3 additions. Beat remaining 4 eggs and remaining 11/2 cups sugar in medium bowl until mixture is thick and pale in color, about 4 minutes. Fold egg mixture into batter. Fold in bananas, Divided batter between prepared pan (about 31/2 cups for each).
Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool 15 minutes. Invert cake onto racks; cool completely.

Banana-Caramel Cream

Combine brown sugar, banana, and 3 tablespoons butter in processor; blend until smooth. Add 11/2 cup whipping cream; blend. Transfer to heavy medium saucepan. Whisk over medium heat until sugar dissolves and mixture boils. Attach candy thermometer to inside of pan; cook without stirring or swirling pan until temperature register 218 F about 10 minutes. Pour caramel into bowl. Cool to room temperature, whisking occasionally.

Whisk remaining 21/4 cups whipping cream in large bowl until cream mounds softly. Gradually fold in cool caramel mixture. Chill until cream is firm enough to spread about 3 hours.

Cut each cake horizontally into 2 layers. Place 1 layer, cut side up, on platter. Drizzle 11/2 teaspoon lime juice and 11/2 teaspoons rum or rum flavoring over. Spread 11/4 cup banana cream over. Top with second cake layer. Drizzle 11/2 teaspoon lime juice and 11/2 teaspoon rum over. Spread 11/2 cups cream over. Repeat with third cake layer, lime juice, rum, cream. Top with fourth cake layer, cut side down; spread remaining cream over top.

Scatter salted macadamia nuts over top of cake. Cover and refrigerate.