Banana Layer Cake with Caramel Cream & Sea Salt-Roasted Pecans

I'm not sure why, but this household has a super tendency to overstock on bananas.  But as with most banana eaters, we only like them at a certain time in their development, and particularly, when they are still aesthetically pleasing to the eyes.  So when the bananas pass their prime and go all spotty and black, what does one do ?  That's easy - recycle them into super yummy irresistible banana-ey desserts, be it the simple rustic Banana Bread, or the more elaborate and indulgent Banana Layer Cake with Caramel Cream & Sea-Salt Roasted Pecans, which I had stumbled upon in Bon Appetit Desserts by Barbara Fairchild, and adapted slightly.

You will need: 

Cake:

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tsp (generous) fine sea salt

172 g unsalted butter, room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar, divided

6 large eggs

1 cup plus 2 tbsp buttermilk

2 small ripe bananas, peeled, cut into 1/4-inch cubes (about 1 1/2 cups)

Banana-caramel cream:
1 1/2 cups (packed) golden brown sugar

1 small ripe banana, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces

40 g unsalted butter, room temperature

3 3/4 cups chilled heavy whipping cream, divided

  

Sea salt-roasted pecans:

1 cup pecan halves

20 g unsalted butter, melted

1/2 tsp sea salt

Preparation:

To prepare the cake:
Preheat oven to 175 deg C. 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. Add 2 eggs; beat until blended. 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).

Bake cakes until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. 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.)

To prepare the banana-caramel cream:
Combine brown sugar, banana, and 3 tablespoons butter in processor; blend until smooth. Add 1 1/2 cups whipping cream; blend. Transfer to heavy medium saucepan. 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 108 deg C, about 10 minutes. Pour caramel into bowl. Cool to room temperature, whisking occasionally.

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.

To prepare the sea salt-roasted pecans:

Preheat oven to 160 deg C. Toss pecans and melted butter in medium bowl to coat. Add sea salt and toss. Spread pecans in single layer on rimmed baking sheet. Bake until fragrant and slightly darkened in color, about 15 minutes. Cool pecans on baking sheet.

To assemble the cake:

Cut each cake horizontally into 2 layers. Place 1 layer, cut side up, on platter. Spread 1 1/4 cups banana cream over. Top with second cake layer. Spread 1 1/2 cups cream over. Repeat with third cake layer. Top with fourth cake layer, cut side down; spread remaining cream over top.