Start to finish: 2 hours (45 minutes active)
Serves 12
INGREDIENTS
For the cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of nutmeg
Pinch of allspice
11/4 cups packed light brown sugar
1 cup sour cream
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, very soft
2 eggs
4 very ripe bananas, mashed
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the filling:
One 14-ounce can light coconut milk
2 egg yolks
1 whole egg
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 fresh pineapple, peeled, cored and sliced into 1/4-inch rings
1 cup heavy cream
Toasted coconut, to garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray two 9-inch cake pans with baking spray.
In a small bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, nutmeg and allspice. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine the brown sugar, sour cream and butter. Use an electric mixer to beat until smooth. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, scraping the bowl after each addition. Beat in the bananas and vanilla extract. Sift the flour mixture into the wet ingredients, then stir to combine.
Divide the mixture evenly between the prepared cake pans. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean. Let cool for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
While the cake is baking, start the filling. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring the coconut milk to a simmer.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, whole egg, sugar and cornstarch. Using a ladle, slowly pour a stream of the hot coconut milk into the bowl of eggs while whisking continuously. Repeat with 2 more ladles of hot coconut milk.
Switch to whisking the coconut milk in the pan and slowly pour the warmed egg mixture back into the pan. Continuing whisking and cooking over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil and thickens, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Pour the coconut mixture back into the bowl and cover with plastic wrap, pressing the plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the filling. Refrigerate until completely chilled.
To caramelize the pineapple, heat a sauté pan over medium-high. Working in batches, place a couple of pine-apple rings in the pan and cook until starting to brown, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. Remove the rings to a plate and let cool. Repeat with the remaining pineapple rings until they are all caramelized.
Once all parts of the cake are ready and cooled, assemble the cake.
In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the heavy cream until soft peaks form.
Whisk the chilled coconut filling until smooth. Fold half of the whipped cream into the filling. Once fully incorporated, fold in the remaining half, folding just until incorporated.
Place one of the cakes on a serving platter and spread half of the coconut cream over the top of it. Top with half of the pineapple rings, then set the second cake over that. Top the second cake with the remaining filling, then the remaining pineapple rings. Sprinkle with toasted coconut.
Per serving: 470 calories; 180 calories from fat (38 percent of total calories); 21 g fat (13 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 135 mg cholesterol; 66 g carbohydrate; 7 g protein; 3 g fiber; 230 mg sodium.
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