Banana Cake with Bittersweet Chips
Moist banana cake, scented with vanilla and a hint of cinnamon, studded with banana slices and dark chocolate. Like a commingling of banana bread and vanilla cake, this is the most scrumptious treat ever.
The warm hint of cinnamon partners perfectly with the sweet bananas and bittersweet chocolate. You can’t detect a strong cinnamon presence; there’s just enough to enhance the cake while adding warmth. So delicious.
This cake is healthy too! There’s no butter or oil; just 1/4 cup of heavy cream. The rest of the moisture needed to keep the cake moist comes from the mashed bananas! For a gluten-free version of this cake, use your favorite gluten-free flour.
I love the addition of banana slices on top of the cake. The slices add an extra kick of banana flavor in every addictive bite.
Can you bake this banana cake in a different pan? Absolutely, you can bake this cake in a round cake pan or a loaf pan instead of a square cake pan. If you’re using a loaf pan, add a few minutes to the cooking time.
I used bittersweet chocolate, but you can use semisweet or milk chocolate instead. Choose your favorite chocolate variety and enjoy!
Banana Cake with Bittersweet Chips
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas, about 3 large or 4 medium, over-ripe bananas, plus a few banana slices for the top of the cake
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, or gluten-free flour of choice
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- 1-2 tablespoons bittersweet chocolate chips
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Coat an 8-inch square baking pan with cooking spray.
- In a food processor or large mixing bowl, combine the bananas, heavy cream, egg, and vanilla.
- Add the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt and process or mix until just blended (don’t over-mix, mix just until the flour is incorporated).
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Top the batter with the banana slices and bittersweet chips.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a wooden pick inserted near the center comes out with little moist bits clinging to it.
- Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes before serving. Store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 3 days.