Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease a 9-inch cake pan, line with parchment paper rounds

Sift the cake flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the butter, vanilla, and 1/4 cup milk. Mix on medium speed until the dry ingredients are moistened, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl.

Whisk the remaining milk, the egg, and oil together. With the mixer running on medium speed, add the egg mixture in 2 additions, mixing for about 15 seconds between. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl if needed, then mix for about 15 more seconds or until batter is completely combined. Avoid over-mixing. Some small lumps are OK.

Pour batter into cake pan. Bake for around 20-22 minutes or until the cake is baked through. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, it’s done. Cool cake completely in the pan set on a wire rack.

Purée the bananas in a food processor with sweetened condensed milk,.

Pour this smooth mixture into a large bowl and add in the whipped topping. Fold together to combine using a non stick spatula. In a freezer safe container (I used a pie pan) pour the mixture in layers, adding nilla wafers in between.

Place ice cream in freezer for at least 3 hours to harden

In a large pot, add the heavy cream and the corn syrup. Turn heat to medium high until the cream begins to simmer. Stir with a nonstick spatula making sure that the glucose dissolves. Remove from heat and set aside

In a clean heavy bottomed saucepan add the sugar and water and stir gently with a nonstick spatula

Turn heat to medium high, and let sugar caramelize WITHOUT STIRRING when the caramel is turning a deeper amber, lightly swirl the pan to ensure even cooking

When the caramel turns a deep amber, immediately remove the pot from heat, and stir in the butter to stop the cooking.

Next, add the warm cream and glucose mixture, be careful because this will steam and sputter!

Add the vanilla and stir

Continue cooking the caramel at a low simmer until smooth and even, stirring with a nonstick spatula. Remove from heat and set aside until cool. Then refrigerate until ready to use in the cake

Preheat the oven to 275F.

In a medium bowl, add the wafer crumbs, flour, sugar, and butter. Stir to combine.

Spread the crumbs onto a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes. Using a nonstick spatula to break up the clusters into smaller pieces about halfway through cooking

The crumbs will look slightly browned when you remove them and will become crunchy as they cool

Set aside until ready to use

If you are building this in a loaf pan, cut the recipe in half. Line a loaf pan with cling wrap to make sure you can easily lift the cake from the pan.

If using a cake ring and acetate strips, start by placing a 6 inch cake board on a clean work surface. Place the cake ring around the board and then add the acetate strips inside to create a barrier as you build

Cut the vanilla cake in half horizontally so you have two 9 inch layers

Add one the vanilla cake layers inside the cake ring, feel free to cut the cake into pieces so it fits and enjoy eating the cake scraps!

Spread 1/2 the no churn banana ice cream on top of the vanilla cake, making sure to smooth the top with an offset spatula.

Add 1 cup of the caramel, smooth again and let these layers sit in the freezer for 15 minutes. At this point, return the banana pudding ice cream to the freezer as well, so it does not get too soft.

Remove cake from freezer and add a layer of crunchies, followed by the last layer of vanilla cake

Then add thenrest of the banana pudding ice cream. Top with additional crunchies and let set for at least 3 hours in the freezer.