Spiced pineapple cake with roasted white chocolate

Step 1

Preheat oven to 180˚C. Grease and line the base and sides of two round 15cm x 7cm-deep cake pans with baking paper.

Step 2

Combine flour, bicarb soda, spices, brown sugar and 250g caster sugar in a bowl with 1 tsp salt. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, vanilla and oil until combined. Fold into flour mixture, then fold in pecan, pineapple and banana. Pour into pans, then bake for 1 hour 30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean (cover pans loosely with foil for the final 30 minutes if browning too quickly). Cool in pans, then turn out onto a wire rack.

Step 3

To make praline dust, line a baking tray with baking paper. Melt remaining 1/2 cup (110g) caster sugar in a pan over high heat, swirling pan, for 5 minutes or until a golden caramel forms. Pour onto tray and set aside to cool. Break into shards, then whiz in a food processor to a fine powder.

Step 4

For the icing, beat butter and icing sugar in an electric mixer until pale. Add cream cheese and vanilla. Beat until thick and pale.

Step 5

To make the roasted white chocolate, preheat oven to 130°C and place chocolate in a baking dish. Roast, stirring every 5 minutes, for 45 minutes or until golden.

Step 6

Slice each cake in half horizontally. Place one cake layer on a plate and spread with 1/3 cup icing. Repeat 2 more times, then top with remaining cake layer. Spread remaining icing around cake, then drag icing in an upwards motion to create ridges. Return roasted chocolate to oven for 5 minutes to warm. Pour over cake and sprinkle with praline dust to serve.