Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 eggs
- 4 medium very ripe bananas, mashed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 12 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
- 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
- 2/3 cup strawberry preserves
- 2/3 cup pineapple preserves
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 3 maraschino cherries
Preparation
Step 1
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees . Butter and flour two 8-inch cake pans; line
bottom of pans with parchment paper.
2. Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, beat sugar
and butter until fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggs to butter mixture one
at a time, beating after each. Stir in mashed bananas and vanilla. Beat
in half of the flour mixture, followed by the buttermilk and then
remaining flour mixture. Pour batter evenly into cake pans. Bake at 350
degrees for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle
of the cake comes out clean. Cool in pans for 15 minutes, then turn onto
wire racks and cool.
3. Place chopped chocolate in the bowl of a stand mixer. Bring cream to a
low boil, then pour over chocolate; stir until smooth. Place bowl onto
stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed
until fluffy, 5 to 7 minutes; let stand 10 minutes.
4. Trim cakes to flatten tops. Carefully slice each cake in half
horizontally, creating 4 layers. Place one layer on stand; spread on
strawberry preserves. Top with another layer. Spread 2/3 cup of the
ganache on top. Stack on another layer. Spread on pineapple preserves.
Top with final layer. Ice cake with remaining ganache. Scatter walnuts
over the top and place cherries in the center of the cake. (Cake may be
easier to slice if refrigerated for 1 hour before serving.)