Banana & Chocolate Cake

Banana & Chocolate Cake features two layers of wonderfully moist, banana-flavoured sponge studded with chunks of chocolate. The layers are sandwiched together with a simple vanilla-flavoured buttercream. Easy to make, but such a treat!

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I’ve been making this gorgeous cake for years. I don’t know where I first saw it, as I’ve just a few handwritten notes that I usually follow. It’s basically a variation of a Victoria sponge. But the addition of mashed, ripe bananas and pieces of chocolate turn it into something completely wonderful. The two layers of sweet, super-moist cake have contrasting, lightly bitter dark chocolate (although you could replace with milk chocolate if preferred) and are joined together with rich vanilla buttercream.

After tweaking it here and there over the years, I thought it was about time I shared the wonder that is Banana & Chocolate Cake. Perfect as an indulgent snack with a cuppa or part of an afternoon tea, it really is special enough for get-togethers like birthdays too.

BANANA & CHOCOLATE CAKE

I was prompted to make the Banana & Chocolate Cake pictured in this post when I found three very ripe bananas languishing in the fruit bowl. I’m afraid I’m rather fussy about eating bananas. I can’t stand them underripe, but I find them almost as bad when overripe. As well as the loss of texture, I think it’s that slightly fermented smell of older bananas that puts me off.

Happily though, three of those sweeter, browner bananas are perfect for this cake. Just mash the flesh with a fork. If your bananas are particularly large then you could get away with just two.

The other ingredients you’ll need are as follows.

• Self-raising flour.
• Baking powder. Gives an extra boost to the raising agents already in the flour.
• Cinnamon. This isn’t a noticeably spicy cake, but I like the subtle hint of cinnamon. Feel free to leave it out if you prefer.
• Salt. I always add a pinch to cakes to enhance the flavours.
• Butter. Salted or unsalted is fine. Make sure it’s soft rather than straight from the fridge.
• Sugar. I’ve used ordinary white caster sugar.
• Vanilla extract. Gives another subtle flavour dimension.
• Eggs. For binding and helping the cake to rise. Either medium or large is fine.
• Chocolate. Avoid cooking chocolate as this will give a poor result. I prefer dark but have successfully made this cake with milk chocolate instead. I think roughly chopped, with some finer and some chunkier pieces, is nicest.

For the vanilla buttercream filling you’ll need extra butter, some icing sugar, more vanilla extract, plus a splash of milk.

You’ll find amounts for all the ingredients, plus full instructions in the recipe card at the end. You can go there nowhere: Jump to Recipe. Or read on for tips and step-by-step photos.

EASY BANANA & CHOCOLATE CAKE

Even if you’re relatively new to cake making, I don’t think you’ll have any difficulty with this Banana & Chocolate Cake. The important thing is to get organised by first weighing out and preparing all your ingredients. This makes things much easier and quicker.

I start by sifting together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt, then setting them aside. Next, I beat together the soft butter, the sugar and vanilla extract until they’re light and fluffy. Using electric beaters makes this a doddle.

Now I beat the eggs in, one at a time, along with a tablespoon of the sifted flour mixture. This makes it less likely that they’ll curdle or split. After the eggs, I beat in the mashed banana, again with some flour. I do this in two batches.

Finally, I gently fold in (rather than beat in) the chopped chocolate and the remaining flour mixture.

As part of the preparation stage, as well as preheating your oven, you should butter and line the bottom of two non-stick cake tins. Loose bottomed or springform will make it easier to remove the cakes later. I use deep, 18cm round tins.

Divide the cake batter equally between the tins (I use scales for accuracy) and smooth down the tops before placing in the oven.

The cakes should take approximately 20 – 25 minutes to get risen and golden brown. The edges should be slightly pulling away from the sides of the tins and the tops should be set and springy if you gently press them.

When the cakes are done leave them, still in their tins, on a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Then you can carefully remove them, peel off the baking paper and put them back on the rack until completely cold.

VANILLA BUTTERCREAM FILLING

While the cakes are cooling, make the simple but delicious buttercream filling. All you do is beat the butter until very soft, then gradually beat in half the icing sugar, followed by the vanilla extract. Finally, beat in the remaining icing sugar, plus a splash of milk for extra lightness.

Take one of the cold cakes and turn it over so the underside is now uppermost. Spread the buttercream all over the surface, making sure you go right to the edge. Now place the second cake on top, right side up, and press down lightly to secure it. A light dusting of more sifted icing sugar and your Banana & Chocolate Cake is ready to enjoy.

SERVING & STORING

I think this lovely Banana & Chocolate Cake is great as a dessert, indulgent snack with a cuppa, or as part of an afternoon tea. As it’s so beautifully moist, I always serve it with cake forks.

Serving at least eight people generously, for those of us in smaller households the fact that it keeps for several days is a real boon. Stored in an airtight tin in a cool place you should be able to enjoy it for at least 3 – 4 days.

Not only does this cake taste gorgeous and have a wonderful texture, but the aroma (including while it’s baking) is incredible!

If you’ve made Banana & Chocolate Cake, I’d love to know what you thought. Please leave a comment and rating.

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Banana & Chocolate Cake

This easy but delicious cake features two layers of wonderfully moist, banana-flavoured sponge studded with chunks of dark or milk chocolate. The layers are sandwiched together with a simple vanilla-flavoured buttercream.

Use really ripe bananas for the best taste. A little cinnamon enhances the flavour without dominating, but leave out if preferred.

Course Dessert, Snack, Cake

Cuisine European, World

Keyword homemade cake, home baking

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 8

Author Moorlands Eater

Ingredients

• 225 g self-raising flour
• 1 level tsp baking powder
• 1 level tsp cinnamon optional
• 1 large pinch salt
• 110 g soft butter plus extra for greasing
• 175 g caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs medium or large
• 3 medium very ripe bananas mashed well with a fork
• 100 g dark or milk chocolate roughly chopped

For the vanilla buttercream

• 100 g soft butter
• 150 g icing sugar, sifted plus a little extra for dusting
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• splash of milk

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C / 160°C Fan / Gas 4 / 350°F.

   You will need two deep, 18 cm round, non-stick cake or sandwich tins, ideally springform or loose-bottomed. Line the bases with baking paper and grease the bases and sides with butter.

2. Stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon if using, and the salt.

   Sift into another bowl then set aside.

3. In a large bowl and preferably using electric beaters, beat together the butter, sugar, and vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary during this and subsequent steps.

   Beat in the eggs one at a time along with 1 rounded tablespoon of the sifted flour mixture each time.

   Beat in half the mashed banana with another rounded tablespoon of the flour, then the remaining mashed banana and another tablespoon of flour.

   Gently but thoroughly fold in the chopped chocolate and the rest of the flour.

4. Divide the mixture between the two prepared tins, ideally weighing for accuracy, and smooth the tops.

   Put in the oven and bake until risen, set and golden brown: when done the edges should be pulling away from the sides of the tin and the tops springy when lightly pressed (approximately 20 - 25 min).

5. When done, transfer the tins to a wire rack and leave to cool for 10 minutes.

   Carefully remove the cakes from the tins and put on the rack until completely cold.

6. While the cakes are cooling: make the vanilla buttercream

   Beat the butter until very soft.

   Gradually beat in half the sifted icing sugar, followed by the vanilla extract, then the rest of the icing sugar and the milk.

   Set aside until the cakes are completely cold.

7. Assemble the cake

   Turn one of the cakes over so the underside is now uppermost and spread it with the vanilla buttercream, making sure it goes right to the edges.

   Place the second cake on top, right side up, and very gently press down to secure it.

   Dust the top of the cake with a little sifted icing sugar.

8. Stored in an airtight container the cake should keep at least 3 - 4 days.

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