Sticky Toffee Banana Pudding

Ingredients

• 1.5 teaspoons double-acting baking powder 
• 1 cup bananas very ripe mashed (2 to 3)
• 0.7 cup brown sugar dark packed ()
• 0.5 cup plus dark
• 1 tablespoon rum dark
• 2 large eggs 
• 0.5 cup brown sugar packed ()
• 1.3 cups heavy whipping cream ()
• 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour 
• 0.8 cup butter unsalted room temperature ()
• 1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract 

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• sauce pan
• oven
• whisk
• baking pan
• hand mixer

Directions

1. Bring 1 1/4 cups cream, brown sugar, corn syrup, butter, and 1/8 teaspoon salt to boil in heavy small saucepan over medium heat, whisking until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook at gentle boil until sauce coats spoon thickly and is reduced to 11/2 cups, whisking occasionally, about 15 minutes.
2. Remove from heat and cool.
3. Whisk in 3 tablespoons or more cream to thin sauce to desired consistency. DO AHEAD: can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm slightly before using.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 8 x 8 x 2-inch nonstick metal baking pan. Dust baking pan with flour, tapping out excess.
5. 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).
6. Add dry ingredients in 4 additions, beating just to blend after each addition.
7. Spread batter evenly in prepared baking pan.
8. Bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, 35 to 38 minutes.
9. 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.
10. Cut around cake in pan.
11. Cut cake into 9 squares or 12 rectangles.
12. Serve cake slightly warm or at room temperature with toffee sauce and top with sliced bananas, if desired.