Banana Cake

Preheat oven to 325°F

Prepare three 6″ cake pans – spray with non-stick spray, line bottoms with parchment paper, spray again

Add the butter, brown sugar and white sugar to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with blade attachment, beat on high for 2 minutes

Use a plastic spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl

Add eggs 1 at a time, mixing in between

Add the vanilla extract, mix

Scrape down the sides of the bowl

Add in the banana and whole milk, mix

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda

Slowly add the dry mixture to the mixer

Mix until the flour mixture is just fully combined

Divide the batter evenly into the 3 cake pans

Put the cake pans in the oven on the middle rack

Bake for 28-32 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted in the middle*

Cool cakes completely, let cool in the pans for about 10 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack

Nutella Ganache**

Add the heavy cream to a small, heavy bottomed sauce pan

Heat over medium heat

When cream starts to simmer, remove from heat and immediately mix in the Nutella to melt

Add the mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with blade attachment

Mix in the powdered sugar and salt

Transfer the ganache to a bowl and put in the refrigerator to cool and thicken, at least 30 minutes

Nutella Buttercream Frosting**

Add the butter and Nutella to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with blade attachment

Beat on high until smooth

Add in the slat and vanilla extract, mix

Slowly add in half of the powdered sugar, mix

Add in the heavy cream, mix

Add remaining powdered sugar, mix

Beat frosting on high at least 5 minutes until it’s light and fluffy

Cake Assembly

When the cake is completely cool, decide on the bottom layer

Place the bottom layer on your cake plate or stand***

Spread a thick layer of buttercream (about 1/2″ high and 1/2″ thick) around the top of the cake, this will serve as a wall to hold the ganache

Spoon the ganache into hole formed by the frosting wall on top of the cake

Add the 2nd layer on top and repeat with the frosting and ganache****

Add the 3rd layer on top of that

Use the remainder of the buttercream to frost the outside of the cake

If you are going to be serving the cake move on to Decoration now, if not refrigerate the cake until you are ready to decorate and serve

Decorate

Decorate the bottom of the cake with hazelnut halves (optional)

Crush up any remaining hazelnut halves and sprinkle the crushed hazelnuts on top of the cake (optional)

Decorate the top of the cake with fresh flowers (optional). Wash flowers well, cut the flowers so only about 1″ of steam remains, wrap the steam of the flour in plastic wrap then stick them into the top of the cake. Remove flowers before cutting the cake, do not eat the flowers.