CHRISTMAS SHOWSTOPPERS!

Take the cake this festive season with sweets to impress

- Kim Coverdale

STICKY CARAMEL BANANA BREAD ICE-CREAM CAKE 

SERVES 20 PREP 30 MINS + OVERNIGHT FREEZING

• 500g homemade or store-bought banana bread

• 1 litre caramel and macadamia ice cream

• 2 litres vanilla ice cream

• ¼ cup caramel sauce or spread, plus extra to serve

• 300ml thickened cream

• 2 tsp vanilla bean paste

• white chocolate curls, gold star sprinkles, to decorate

1 Grease a 20cm square cake pan. Line base and sides with baking paper, extending paper 5cm above edges of pan.

2 Cut banana bread into 10 thin slices. Set aside 5 pieces, then roughly chop remaining. 

3 Place ice cream in a large bowl and soften slightly. Add chopped banana bread and fold through. Swirl caramel through ice cream. Spoon mixture into prepared pan, smoothing the top and pushing ice cream into corners. Arrange reserved whole bread slices on top of ice cream, trimming if needed and pressing gently into ice cream. Cover with cling film. Freeze until firm.

4 Using an electric mixer, beat cream and vanilla until soft peaks form.

5 Turn ice-cream cake onto a serving platter, cake-side down. Dollop with cream. Serve drizzled with extra caramel, plus chocolate curls and sprinkles.