Method (cake)

1. Preheat your oven to 180ºC fan and line an 8 x 8 inch square cake tin with greaseproof paper. Allow the paper to hang over the tin slightly, this makes it easier to remove the cake when baked.
2. In a bowl, combine the dairy-free milk with the apple cider vinegar and whisk until fully combined. Set aside for 10 minutes to curdle. This creates a vegan ‘buttermilk’.
3. In a small bowl, mash the bananas with a fork until mushy.
4. In a large mixing bowl, sift the sugar, flour, ground spices, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda. Mix well to combine. Add the oil into the ‘buttermilk’ and whisk to combine.
5. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients along with the mashed banana and mix just to combine.
6. Spoon the batter into the lined tin. Level it out with the back of a spoon or offset spatula.
7. Place the cake into the middle of the preheated oven and bake for around 25-30 minutes. You will know it is done when you put a knife or skewer down the middle of the cake and it comes out clean and it’s springy to the touch. If batter comes off on the skewer, it needs more time to bake. To prevent burning, top the cake with some greaseproof paper then return back into the oven.
8. Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes then carefully transfer onto a cooling rack. Allow to cool fully before filling and frosting. You can even place the cake in a sealed container once cool then frost the day after. It’s a very light sponge so be careful with it when removing from the tin.

Method (filling)

1. Make a batch of homemade vegan caramel sauce and allow to chill. Use when its cold (i like to make this the day or night before of assembling the cake).
2. Transfer the caramel into a piping bag and snip off the tip.
3. Poke holes in the cake using the base / handle of a wooden spoon and pipe the caramel in the holes.

Method (buttercream)

1. Add the butter into a medium sized saucepan. Melt over medium heat, stirring occasionally with a heat proof spatula or wooden spoon. 
2. Continue cooking until the butter foams, then turns golden brown and smells toasted and nutty.
3. Once nutty, and a brown colour with little speckles, imediately pour into a heatproof bowl to stop cooking.
4. Allow to cool completely, then chill in the fridge until solid but still soft (like room-temp butter).
5. Once the browned butter is solid but soft, beat until creamy and smooth. You can either do this in a stand mixer with balloon whisk attachment, or electric hand whisk. You want it to be light and fluffy. 
6. Gradually add in the icing / powdered sugar, mixing on low at first, then increasing speed until fully incorporated.
7. Add in the cream and beat for a further 3-4 minutes until creamy.
8. You may may way to adjust the consistency if its too thick or soft. Add more cream to loosen or more sugar to thicken, as needed.
9. Spoon the brown butter buttercream over the top of the chilled cake, and spread out using the back of a spoon or off-set spatula. Make swirls in the buttercream for decoration.
10. Serve immediately, or top with a light dusting of ground cinnamon (only a dash), and some crumbled up gingerbread biscuits. You can use any biscuit (including Biscoff cookies & ginger snaps). 
11. Use a large sharp knife, cut the cake into square’s, serve and enjoy!