Banana Cake with Salted Caramel Frosting

Ingredients

• Banana Cake recipe
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 3/4 tsp Morton Fine Sea Salt
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, diced into 1 Tbsp pieces
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 2 pinches Morton Coarse Sea Salt, for topping
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup caramel sauce, from above
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts, for garnish, optional
• 2 bananas, diced, for topping, optional
• Semi-sweet chocolate shavings, for garnish, optional

Directions

1. Make the banana cake according to its instructions, then set it aside until it is fully cool. While it cools, start the caramel sauce.
2. For the caramel sauce, gather everything before you begin. Add the sugar, water, and sea salt to a medium saucepan. Place the pan over medium-high heat and whisk steadily until the mixture comes to a boil. Once it is boiling, stop whisking and let it cook until the color turns deep amber, gently swirling the pan now and then.
3. Whisk in the butter right away, then take the pan off the heat and whisk in the cream. It will steam vigorously, so use care and a long-handled whisk if you have one. Stir until the sauce is smooth. Let it cool for several minutes, then transfer it to a glass bowl or jar and refrigerate until completely cooled.
4. For the frosting, beat the butter until it looks pale and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar, 1/2 cup of the cooled caramel sauce, sea salt, and vanilla, then mix until everything is blended and the frosting is lightly fluffy. If it seems too soft to spread neatly, chill it until it firms up a bit.
5. To assemble the cake, cover the first cake layer with about half of the frosting, then spoon on a generous amount of caramel sauce and spread it over the top. Set the second cake layer in place and frost with the remaining frosting. Right before serving, add the bananas and nuts, drizzle with the rest of the caramel sauce, and finish with shaved chocolate and coarse sea salt.