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This banana cake is probably the moistest cake we have ever made - short of outright flops. It walks the edge between a cake and an old-fashioned English pudding, absolutely silky with banana and gooey streaks of caramel that create strata of even moister cake layered with that burnt, brown sugary richness.

It's perfectly fine served on its own, with no topping other than a light dusting of confectioner's sugar. Or you can fold leftover caramel sauce into whipped cream for an even richer treat.

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Caramel Banana Cake
2 9-inch layers

3/4 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
1 cup brown sugar
3 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas
1 1/2 cups caramel sauce

Heat oven to 325ºF. Grease two 9" cake pans.

Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy then add the eggs and beat until silky and lightened. Sift the flour with the baking soda and salt. Whisk the milk and mashed bananas in a separate measuring cup and add to the eggs and butter, alternating with the flour. Beat just until smooth.

Pour batter into the prepared pans. Pour half the caramel sauce into each pan, and swirl with a knife. The pans will be quite full. Put in the oven carefully and bake for about 60 minutes, or until the centers are set and a knife comes out clean.

Cool completely before serving.