Sad banana layer cake with marshmallow buttercream, coloured grey with activated charcoal

For the marshmallow base, cook corn syrup, sugar and water to 250 degrees Fahrenheit, then let it cool to 212 before adding gelatin and whipping.

Bloom the gelatin in ice water.

At 212, squeeze the liquid out of the gelatin, add it to the syrup and whip with some salt.

Scrape into an oiled bowl and let it cool completely.

Return the cooled marshmallow to the mixer, whip, and add room temperature butter a tablespoon at a time to make buttercream.

For the cake, whip the butter, coconut oil, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda with the measured cake flour.

Measure two cups of the banana buttermilk, leaving the bananas behind.

Keep creaming past the point where it looks creamy, until it is very light and fluffy.

Measure the banana extract and the vanilla into the buttermilk.

Add the clove and three big spoonfuls of activated charcoal.

Add the egg whites one at a time, letting each fully incorporate; the sound changes from wet to creamy as it emulsifies into the butter.

Scrape the bowl down thoroughly.

Sift the flour onto parchment and use the parchment to drop it into the mix.

Add the flour and the liquid mixture in three rounds, a third of the flour, then a third of the liquid, scraping between, until each addition is absorbed.

Bake at 325 for 40 minutes, and repeat the batter twice more.

Cool the layers.

For the second marshmallow, sprinkle packet gelatin evenly over two ounces of cool water so it does not clump and stir until dissolved.

Cook the corn syrup, sugar and water, stirring with a fork until dissolved, then undisturbed until it reaches 250 degrees. Let the syrup cool, add the gelatin and whip.

Scrape the marshmallow out, add butter a tablespoon at a time to turn it into buttercream, and add a little salt and activated charcoal.

Stack and ice the layers, using skewers once three high so the tilted cake does not collapse.