Dulce De Leche Banana Cake

Banana Cake: Preheat your oven to 350 F. Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl of an electric mixer. Mix on medium-low speed for one minute until no lumps remain. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and in the eggs, oil, water, milk, mashed bananas and orange juice. Mix on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until combined. Pour the batter into 4 six inch cake pans, 2 nine or eight inch cake pans, or one nine by thirteen pan. Bake the smaller cakes for about 25-35 minutes and the 8 inch, 9 inch or 9x13 pan for about 45 minutes to one hour. Once baked, cool on a wire rack until it reaches room temperature. This cake can be stored in a ziplock bag sitting on the counter or in the fridge for up to one week. You can also freeze it for 2-3 months. Cream Cheese Buttercream: In a bowl of an electric mixer, mix the butter and shortening on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add in the cream cheese and vanilla extract and beat on medium high speed for 4-5 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl every few minutes. Then, add in the confectionary sugar one cup at a time beating on medium low speed in between each addition. Once all the confectionary sugar is incorporated, mix the frosting for another 4-5 minutes until thick and creamy. This can be stores in a sealed container in the fridge for up to one week. Make sure to rewhip the cream before using. Homemade Dulce De leche: Remove the paper wrapping from around the can. Place the can in a pot and cover with water making sure that the water covers the can by an inch over the top. Bring to a boil, and simmer on medium heat for 3 hours. Let the cans cool for 30 minutes in the pot and then remove with tongs and place on a towel or wire cooling rack for 2-3 hours until room temperature. DONT OPEN WHEN HOT, IT CAN SPLATTER AND BURN YOU! Assemble the Cake: Step 1: Level the Cake Remove the top “dome” of the cakes by following the tutorial in the video. Step 2: Filling the Cake Fill the cake with frosting, Dulce De leche, and chopped bananas. Step 3: Crumb Coat Ice the cake with a very thin layer of frosting to lock in any loose crumbs. Then place the cake in the fridge for a half hour or freeze for ten minutes. Step 4: Final Coat of Icing Ice the cake with frosting (neatly this time!) Step 5: Decorate the Cake Decorate the sides of the cake with chopped pecans. Then decorate the top of the cake with shredded coconut, a drizzle of Dulce de Leche and a sprink