Banana Layer Cake with Caramel Cream and Pecans

Ingredients

• 2.5 cups all purpose flour 
• 1 tablespoon double-acting baking powder 
• 1 small banana ripe peeled cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 small bananas ripe peeled cut into 1/4-inch cubes ( 1 1/2 cups)
• 1 cup buttermilk 
• 4.5 teaspoons rum dark divided
• 6 large eggs 
• 1.5 cups brown sugar packed ()
• 3.8 cups heavy whipping cream chilled divided
• 4.5 teaspoons juice of lime fresh divided
• 0.5 teaspoon sea salt generous fine ()
• 12 servings sea salt-roasted pecans 
• 2.5 cups sugar divided
• 3 tablespoons butter unsalted room temperature

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• sauce pan
• oven
• whisk
• aluminum foil
• candy thermometer

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-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.
2. Add 2 eggs; beat until blended.
3. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture in 4 additions alternately with buttermilk in 3 additions. Beat remaining 4 eggs and remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar in medium bowl until mixture is thick and pale in color, about 4 minutes. Fold egg mixture into batter. Fold in bananas. Divide batter between prepared pans (about 3 1/2 cups for each).
4. Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes.
5. Transfer to rack; cool 15 minutes. Invert cakes onto racks; cool completely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Wrap in foil; store at room temperature.)
6. Combine brown sugar, banana, and 3 tablespoons butter in processor; blend until smooth.
7. Add 1 1/2 cups whipping cream; blend.
8. Transfer to heavy medium saucepan.
9. 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 registers 218°F, about 10 minutes.
10. Pour caramel into bowl. Cool to room temperature, whisking occasionally.
11. Whisk remaining 2 1/4 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.
12. Cut each cake horizontally into 2 layers.
13. Place 1 layer, cut side up, on platter.
14. Drizzle 1 1/2 teaspoons lime juice and 1 1/2 teaspoons rum over.
15. Spread 1 1/4 cups banana cream over. Top with second cake layer.
16. Drizzle 1 1/2 teaspoons lime juice and 1 1/2 teaspoons rum over.
17. Spread 1 1/2 cups cream over. Repeat with third cake layer, lime juice, rum, and cream. Top with fourth cake layer, cut side down; spread remaining cream over top.
18. Scatter roasted pecans over top of cake. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and refrigerate.)