Toffee Banana Family Tree Cake

1-  Grease sides of 13- x 9-inch (3.5 L) metal cake pan; line bottom with parchment paper. In large bowl, beat butter with sugar until fluffy; beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating well and scraping down side of bowl after each. Beat in bananas and vanilla.

In separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and sa< stir into butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, making 3 additions of dry ingredients and 2 of buttermilk. Scrape into prepared pan; smooth top.

Bake in centre of 350°F (180°C) oven until cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean, about 1 hour. Let cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes. Place rack on cake; turn over and lift off pan. Peel off paper; let cool. (Make-ahead: Wrap in plastic wrap and store for up to 24 hours or overwrap with heavy-duty foil and freeze for up to 2 weeks.)

2-  Butter Icing: In large bowl, beat butter until fluffy; beat in icing sugar, 1/2 cup (125 mL) at a time. Add cream and vanilla; beat until fluffy, about 1 minute. Tint 3-1/2 cups (875 mL) yellow; 1/2 cup (125 mL) brown, adding dab of red; 1/4 cup (50 mL) blue; and remaining icing green.

3-  Place cake on tray. With serrated knife, cut in half horizontally. Spread cut side of bottom with 1-1/2 cups (300 mL) yellow icing; sprinkle with toffee bits. Replace top; spread remaining yellow on top and sides.

4-  With toothpick, outline leafy area of tree; spread with 1/3 cup (75 mL) of the green icing. With toothpick, outline trunk and branches. Using piping bag fitted with plain tip (#4 or 5), pipe horizon of brown icing. Pipe remaining brown inside tree, moving in lines that resemble bark.

5-  Using piping bag fitted with #1 plain tip, pipe blue names on branches. Using piping bag fitted with #67 leaf tip, pipe green leaves by placing tip on branches and squeezing bag to fan out icing from branch. Stop squeezing; pull tip up to a point. Change to plain tip; pipe grass along horizon line.