A wedge of this delicious banana cake is an irresistible breakfast treat with morning coffee. It is a delectable dessert as well, accompanied by ice cream or sweetened whipped cream. I enjoy making layer cakes filled with sliced bananas and whipped cream, but this is so much easier (and just as delicious). The original recipe called for a coarsely chopped 3 1/2- to 4-ounce bittersweet chocolate bar. I use semisweet chocolate chips instead, to speed up the process without sacrificing flavor or appearance.
Easy Banana Nut Chocolate Cake
Yield: 8 servings
INGREDIENTS
Butter for greasing pan
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened, plus 2 tablespoons melted butter, cooled
1 cup sugar, divided use
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cups mashed very ripe bananas (about 3 medium)
2/3 cup plain whole-milk yogurt (not Greek style)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup walnuts (3 ounces), toasted, cooled, and coarsely chopped, see cook’s notes
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Cook’s notes: To toast nuts, place in single layer on rimmed baking sheet in 350-degree oven for about 6 minutes, or until very lightly browned. Keep an eye on them because nuts burn easily; they may require less time or more time.
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees with rack in middle. Generously butter a 9-inch square cake pan.
2. Stir together flour, baking soda, and salt.
3. In separate large bowl of electric mixer beat together softened butter (1 stick) and 3/4 cup sugar at medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in eggs 1 at a time until blended. Add bananas, yogurt, and vanilla; beat until blended (mixture will look curdled).
4. With mixer at low speed, add flour mixture and mix until just incorporated.
5. In medium-small bowl, toss together chocolate, nuts, cinnamon, melted 2 tablespoons butter, and remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Spread half of banana batter in cake pan and sprinkle with half of chocolate mixture. Spread remaining batter evenly over filling (I drop half of it in scoopfuls in single layer and then smooth it out with a spatula) and sprinkle remaining chocolate mixture on top).
6. Bake until cake is golden and a wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool cake in pan on a cooling rack for 30 minutes. It is easier to cut if you turn it out of the pan – the choice is yours. If you want to turn it out, cut around edge with a dinner knife and invert on cooling rack — it may take a gentle tap to make it release. Then, immediately invert onto a second cooling rack to turn it right side up to cool thoroughly. Cake can be made 2 days ahead and kept in an airtight container at room temperature.
Source: Adapted from epicurious.com
Award-winning food writer Cathy Thomas has written three cookbooks, including “Melissa’s 50 Best Plants on the Planet.” Follow her at CathyThomasCooks.com.