Strawberry Filled Banana Cream Cake

This is a fabulous cake, great for spring and summer months! :) Should be eaten within a day or so as bananas will turn.

• Ready In: 1 hr 25 mins
• Serves: 12-16
• Yields: 1 cake

Ingredients

• 3  cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1  tablespoon baking powder
• 1  teaspoon kosher salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  almond extract
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1⁄2 teaspoon  banana extract
• 1 1⁄2 cups raw sugar
• 2  cups heavy cream
• 1⁄3 cup raw sugar
• 1⁄3 cup water
• 4 1⁄2 tablespoons  creme de banane
• 1 1⁄2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 3⁄4 cup fresh strawberries, mashed
• 1  teaspoon Grand Marnier
• 3  tablespoons confectioners' sugar
• 1  banana, sliced

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. For the cake Sift together flour, baking powder and salt.
3. In another bowl, beat eggs until light and fluffy, then add all flavorings.
4. Add sugar gradually, and continue by adding flour mixture alternately with cream, beating after each addition until just.
5. smooth.
6. Pour batter into two 9" greased round cake pans and bake in your preheated oven for approximately 40 minutes or until done.
7. While cake is cooking, make your syrup.
8. Do so by combining sugar and water in a heavy small saucepan.
9. Bring mixture to a boil over moderate heat, stirring constantly until sugar is dissolved.
10. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Stir in creme de banana.
11. Once cake has finished baking, remove from oven and cool on racks.
12. After they have cooled, brush cakes with syrup.
13. For the filling, whip cream in large chilled bowl on low speed until soft peaks form.
14. Add Grand Marnier and sugar and beat on high speed until it becomes smooth and spreadable.
15. Fold in mashed strawberries.
16. Spread the filling between the cake layers and add sliced banana on top of bottom layer.
17. Spread remaining mixture on top and sides of cake.