Banana Foster Rum Cake

New Years Day was so gorgeous out, I decided to make this cake for a tropical treat..anything island style has rum in it and this with a banana cake with rum, was perfect for all our guests ...it was light and rich with flavor to start the New Year off with a kick ( a good one at that!)

1/3 cup unsalted butter
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
 2 1/4 cups mashed ripe banana (about 5 large) you will need three for the bottom and the rest for later
1/4 cup dark rum
1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup milk
3 large eggs, room temperature and lightly beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/3 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

3 Tablespoons banana rum ( Cruzan makes this rum if you can't find it mix banana schnapps or banana flavoring with 1 teaspoon flavorings and 3 tablespoons white rum.)
1/3 cup dark rum

Whipped Cream
1 cup heavy cream 
1 Tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons banana rum or banana flavoring

Put 1/3 cup unsalted butter in a 13x9-inch pan; place in a 350-degree oven for 5 minutes until melted.
Remove from oven, and coat sides of pan with cooking spray.
Add brown sugar and stir well.
Spread mixture completely in pan. Take 3 of the mashed bananas adding the 1/4 cup dark rum mix together. Arrange mashed bananas on brown sugar mixture to cover the surface of the pan and set aside.
Combine the rest of the bananas (2 left) and mash add the next 4 ingredients in a large bowl; beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended.
In a medium bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Add to the mashed banana mixture slowly, beating on low speed just until blended.
Pour batter evenly over bananas in a buttery pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Cool in pan for 1 minute.
Loosen cake from sides of pan with a knife, and invert onto a large rectangular serving platter.
Drizzle banana rum over the cake.
Heat dark rum in a small saucepan just until simmering; carefully ignite with a long match to burn off liqueur.
Once flames die down, spoon rum over the cake.

For Banana Whipped Cream, whip heavy cream until peaks form, adding sugar and flavoring while whipping.


Alternate Fast Method:
1 regular size packaged yellow cake mix
3 eggs
1/4 cup oil
1 cup water
2 mashed banana's
Mix with an industrial mixer until thick and well blended. Proceed with the above instructions.