Yield: 8 servings

Cake ingredients:

2 sticks margarine, softened
1 stick unsalted butter, softened, plus 2 Tbsp. for melting
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
3 cups sugar
dash of salt
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
6 large eggs
3 cups cake flour
whipped cream, candied citrus peel and fresh mint for garnish

Bananas with Chocolate Sauce ingredients:

4 Tbsp. butter
1 cup heavy cream
8-ounce bar semi-sweet chocolate
3 bananas
1/2 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. (plus a dash) fortified wine

Instructions for cake:

1. 
   
2. Preheat oven to 275 degrees.
   
3. Grease and flour a 10-inch tube pan.
   
4. Cream margarine, butter, and cream cheese, with sugar until fluffy and well combined.
   
5. Add salt and vanilla, and mix well.
   
6. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
   
7. Add flour and mix well.
   
8. Pour batter into pan.
   
9. Place in a cold oven and bake at for 1 1/2 hours, or until done. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center; if it comes out clean, it's ready.
   
10. Cool in pan, then turn out and slice into half-inch-thick slices.
    
11. Preheat grill pan to medium heat.
    
12. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter and brush lightly on both sides of cake slices.
    
13. Grill cake slices, turning once, until lightly grill-marked and slightly softened, about 2 minutes total.

Instructions for Bananas with Chocolate Sauce:

1. In a small saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter.
   
2. Pour 1 cup heavy cream into another small saucepan and turn on the burner to medium-high.
   
3. Scald the cream.
   
4. Break up the semi-sweet chocolate bar into a medium mixing bowl.
   
5. When the cream is hot, pour it over the chocolate and sets the bowl aside.
   
6. In a large skillet, melt the other 2 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat.
   
7. Peel 3 bananas, slice them and place in another mixing bowl.
   
8. Add 1/2 cup sugar to the bananas, gently toss them and place them in the buttered skillet.
   
9. When the bananas are golden-brown, add a dash of fortified wine and cook until it evaporates.
   
10. Whisk the chocolate cream mixture until smooth, then add 2 tablespoons fortified wine, mixing well.

Assembly:

1. Put a cake slice on each dessert plate or parfait cup, top with a spoonful of the bananas, and then another cake slice and another spoonful of bananas.
   
2. Drizzle the top of each dessert with the chocolate wine sauce.