Banana Bread Bomb Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of sugar
• 110 g (8 tbsp) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 large eggs
• 3 ripe bananas (about 450 g)
• 2 cups premium flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 tbsp. + 1 tbsp. whole milk
• 2 x 90g packages of banana pudding mix
• 4 cups heavy cream
• 1 package (420 g) of vanilla wafer cookies (approximately 95 pcs.)
• Warm caramel sauce to drizzle
• Cooking spray to spray the pan
• Special equipment: a large glass bowl, 25 cm wide at the top and 13 cm at the bottom, 10 cm high.

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (160°C). Spray a 48 x 5 inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the sugar and butter and beat with the paddle attachment on medium speed until light and fluffy, 4-5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
3. Mash the bananas in a small bowl (you should have about 1 cup), add to the bowl of a stand mixer, and beat until fully incorporated. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and 1 tablespoon of milk. Knead the dough.
4. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour and 10 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes, then turn the loaf out onto a wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour.
5. Place the pudding mixture in a large bowl and fold in the cream. Beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. It's okay if a few small lumps remain; they will dissolve as they set.
6. Cut banana bread into 18 slices, each 0.8 cm thick. Set aside.
   
   
   When measuring flour, spoon it into a dry measuring cup and remove any excess. Scooping flour directly from the bag with a measuring cup will compact it, resulting in dry baked goods.
7. Line a large glass bowl (10 inches wide at the top, 5 inches at the bottom, and 4 inches deep) with plastic wrap, leaving at least an inch of overhang on all sides. Quickly dip 1 vanilla wafer cookie into the remaining 1 cup milk, then place the cookie, dove-side up, in the bottom of the prepared glass bowl.
8. Continue dipping cookies in milk and placing them in the bowl until they reach the edges (you should use 55-60 cookies in total). The cookies shouldn't extend beyond the edge of the bowl, so trim them if necessary.
9. Spoon 2 cups of pudding over the cookies in a bowl and gently spread it over the cookies with a wooden spoon, reaching the edges of the bowl. Spoon 1 cup of pudding into the bottom of the bowl and spread it into an even layer. Arrange several slices of banana bread on top of the pudding, covering it completely (you may need to trim some slices to fit).
10. Top with 0.5 cups of pudding and spread evenly to cover the bread. Layer another layer of banana bread in the same manner, then 3/4 cup of pudding. Repeat once more, layering another layer of banana bread and topping it with the remaining pudding (you'll have some bread left over).
11. Dip another 35 cookies in milk and arrange them in an even layer on top of the pudding. Top with the remaining banana bread slices. Cover with the overhanging plastic wrap. Refrigerate until completely cooled and the cookies are soft, at least 6 hours or overnight.
12. When ready to serve, carefully invert the bowl onto a large serving platter or cutting board and, using the plastic wrap, lift the bomb out of the bowl. Cut into wedges before serving and drizzle with caramel sauce.