Sticky Toffee Banana Pudding

Banana cake: 

2 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2/3 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup mashed very ripe bananas (2 to 3)
1 tablespoon dark rum
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Sliced bananas (optional)
Special equipment: 8 x 8 x 2-inch nonstick metal baking pan

For Toffee Sauce (adapted from a food network recipe):

3/4 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup heavy cream
1 - 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar 

1-2 teaspoons brandy

1-2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup heavy cream, whipped

Toffee sauce:

Combine the butter, heavy cream and brown sugar in a small heavy saucepan; heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil gently over medium low heat until mixture is thickened, about 8 minutes. 

Preheat broiler. Spoon about 1/3 cup of the sauce over the pudding. Spread evenly on top. Place pudding under the broiler until the topping is bubbly, about 1 minute. Serve immediately spooned into dessert bowls. Drizzle with toffee sauce and top with a spoonful of whipped cream

For banana cake:

Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 8 x 8 x 2-inch nonstick metal baking pan. Dust baking pan with flour, tapping out excess.

Whisk flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter and sugar in large bowl until well blended. Beat in eggs 1 at a time. Beat in mashed bananas, rum, and vanilla (batter may look curdled). Add dry ingredients in 4 additions, beating just to blend after each addition. Spread batter evenly in prepared baking pan.

Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, 35 to 38 minutes. Spread 1/2 cup toffee sauce evenly over cake. Return cake to oven and bake until sauce is bubbling thickly, about 6 minutes. Cool cake in pan on rack 30 minutes. Cut around cake in pan. Cut cake into 9 squares or 12 rectangles. Serve cake slightly warm or at room temperature with toffee sauce and top with sliced bananas, if desired.

Serves 9-12

Notes:  If you don't have over ripe bananas on hand, simply put them in the oven at 350 for about 20 minutes or so until black. Cool, then peel and allow be sure to keep the juices that flow out of the banana peel.

epicurious.com