Banana Mini Bundts with Salted Caramel Chocolate Sauce

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar (baking sugar is best)
• 2/3 cup brown sugar, densely packed
• 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or 2 tsp vanilla extract)
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 4 over-ripened bananas, mashed to make 1 ½ cups
• 1 cup whole milk, plain Greek Yogurt or full-fat buttermilk
• Salted Caramel Chocolate Sauce:
• ½ cup firmly packed brown sugar
• ¼ cup half & half or heavy cream
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• ½ teaspoon vanilla
• 2 Tablespoons bittersweet or unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• large flake sea salt

Cake:

Preheat oven to 350° F with oven rack in center of oven.  Prepare 75^th Anniversary Braided Mini Bundt Pan with baking spray and use a pastry brush to evenly coat the details of the pan.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream butter for 2 minutes until light colored. Add the sugars and beat until pale and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla bean paste, and eggs, mixing for an additional 2 minutes. Reduce the mixer to its lowest speed and add mashed bananas. Add half of flour mixture, then yogurt/buttermilk, and finally the last of the flour mixture. Mix until just fully combined and smooth. Spoon the batter into cavities of prepared pan, filling only ¾ full.  Tap the pan on a towel-covered counter to release bubbles from the batter. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into each cake comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5-7 minutes, then invert onto a cooling rack. Wash pan, prepare with baking spray, and repeat bake time for remaining batter. Makes about 24 Mini Bundts.

Salted Caramel Chocolate Sauce:

While cakes cool, combine brown sugar, cream, and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 2-3 minutes. Add vanilla and stir to combine. Remove from heat and add chocolate. Let stand 2 minutes, then stir to combine melted chocolate with caramel sauce. Before serving, pour warm sauce over each cake, then sprinkle with large flake salt crystals.