BANANA ROULADE with Cheesecake Filling

Moist, crumbly-tender, indulgently-banana flavoured cake hugging a creamy, decadent cheesecake filling.  Cake and filling bake together!   Total cake making grooviness. 

I can't wait to make this again!

We like roulades at our house, so I've made quite a few roulade style cakes.  But, never one where you bake the filling along with the cake.  How flippin' cool is that?

This cake was fun to make, turned out just as it should have, was so tasty-good and keeps well in the fridge for up to 3 days.  It's easy enough to throw together for an anytime treat, but it would also be a perfect dinner party dessert. 

This time around we happily munched our cake down with just a dollop of sweetened whipped cream and a few stray fresh banana slices.  Big, silly, sugar-coated, monkey-like grins everywhere.

But as we munched and critqued, Forest Grump and I both agreed a warm, rich, buttery caramel sauce, with or without a few fresh banana slices, would take this roulade over the top in all the right ways.  Next time, for sure!! 

Man oh man, I so wish I had a couple of bananas right now!

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Thanks to Eat Cake for Dinner food blog where I found this gem of a keeper recipe,
who adapted the recipe from Better Homes and Gardens.  Couldn't have done it without you!
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BANANA ROULADE with Cheesecake Filling - 6-8 servings

Cheesecake filling:
1 (8oz) + 1 (3oz) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
3 tablespoons milk or cream
1 teaspoon good vanilla extract

Banana roulade:
1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch sea or Kosher salt
4 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon good vanilla extract
1/3 cup + 1/2 cup sugar, divided
2/3 cup (2 small, or 1 large) ripe banana
4 large egg whites
1/4 cup sugar, for spinkling on towel

Preheat oven to 375F degrees.  Lightly grease 15x10x1-inch jelly roll pan.  Line with parchment paper and lightly butter parchment, making sure to coat the entire surface and sides of pan; set aside. 

For filling:  In a small bowl, combine cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar and beat with an electric mixer until smooth.  Add the egg, milk (or cream) and vanilla and beat until combined and lovely and smooth.  Spread evenly in prepared pan; set aside.

For roulade: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.  In a medium bowl, beat egg yolks and vanilla on medium speed until thick and lemon coloured.  Gradually add 1/3 cup sugar and beat well.  Stir in mashed banana. 

In a large, clean bowl with clean beaters, beat the egg white on medium until stiff peaks form.  Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar, beating on high speed until stiff peaks form. 

Gently fold yolk mixture into whites.  Gradually sprinkle flour mixture evenly over egg mixture and fold together, just until blended. 

Carefully spread the batter evenly over the filling in pan.  Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until the top springs back when lightly touched.

Immediately loosen cake from sides of pan.  Carefully turn cake out clean kitchen towel that has been evenly sprinkled with 1/4 cup sugar (cake side down).  Carefully peel off parchment paper.  Starting with the short side, roll up cake as tightly as possible (don't roll up the towel with it!).  Allow to cool completely.  Slice and serve.  Good at room temperature or chilled. 

Wrap any leftover cake in saran and keep in fridge, up to 3 days.