I am old and Mini chocobana gateau

Time goes so fast, I can't believe I'm one year older again. When I was a little, I always imagined 26 years old myself as a settled girl with big house, handsome husband (probably a movie or rock star), lots of money and a walk in closet. 
Ok, a reality check : my life is slightly a mess, I rent 2 bedroom flat with my sister, in the middle of the month I can't wait to get paid and if I'd actually try to walk in to my closet, I'd probably end up having claustrophobia attack. And I don't care. 
I feel like I am in the age now, when I don't have to have exaggerated expectations and I understood life isn't always glittery/unicorny and pink, but I'm really happy. All those beautiful new relationships I made for the past year, all those great moments spent with people I love, travels and new experiences are things I am grateful for. I finally decided to stop putting so much pressure on myself and try to live by my own rules. Because I definitely know, all things which I really want in life, will come with a hard work, a bit of luck and a positive attitude. 

And as it's a birthday we need a cake recipe.

This chocolate and banana gateau's simple, delicious and really rich in flavours. Sponge is nice and soft, middle has a salted caramel filling (I promise it's the last recipe involving salted caramel, I just made a huge quantity and really wanted to eat it in the other way than out of the jar with table spoon) and everything iced with smooth dark chocolate ganache. I wanted this cake to be small, so I used two, 12 cm cake tins.

Mini Chocobana Gateau 

(makes mini 10 portions)

Banana cake 

87 g butter

140 g caster sugar

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla extract 

2 large, ripe bananas mashed 

190 g natural yoghurt   

192 g soft flour 

Half of the tsp baking powder 

Half of the tsp baking soda

Pinch salt 

1 tsp ground cinnamon 

Salted Caramel 

You will find a list of all ingredients and recipe here.

Dark chocolate ganache 

145 g dark, good quality chocolate 

180 ml double cream 

Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line two small, 12 cm cake tins with baking paper. Leave on the side. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter until smooth and really soft. Add sugar and whisk till white and fluffy. Add the egg and mix till incorporated. In a small bowl on the side, mix vanilla, mashed bananas and natural yoghurt. Add to the butter mixture and give it a whisk. Using a spatula, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Sieve in all dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, soda, salt and cinnamon. Mix it all for couple of second more, making sure everything is well incorporated. Divide the batter between the two cake tins and bake for 25 minutes. Let it cool for 20 minutes.

When cake is cooling, chop the chocolate and place it into large bowl. Bring the double cream to simmer over the medium heat and pour over the chocolate. Whisk together until smooth. Leave it on the side set, should be ready within ext 30 minutes.

To assemble the cake, spread salted caramel over the top of first layer and then add some ganache. Place the second layer and do exactly the same thing. Spread the thickened  chocolate ganache all over he cake. Serve with salted caramel sauce.