Banana Chocolate Chip Snack Cake

I love shopping at the large restaurant supply houses because you can pick up so many great deals. On one particular day, I happened to come across a huge case of semi ripe bananas for $3…and as a baker, that price is truly a gift, especially since we go through a lot of bananas for our banana cakes.

I don’t know about you, but I prefer to use fresh bananas instead of buying the banana puree in a can on the commercial side, because I can control the amount of fermentation…and for those of you that bake you know that fermentation equals flavor. When you complement this cake with a really great quality chocolate, the chocolate elevates the flavor to another level. It almost tastes as though you have added a good quality brandy to the batter…a truly exceptional smell and taste.

I am also always asked to share recipes that don’t have any dairy products in them like sour cream, milk or buttermilk and I’m glad to say that this one does not. The recipe was originally a pumpkin cake recipe that I had come across and fell in love with, and with just a little adjustment in the quantity of flour and the substitution of the banana puree and chocolate, we now have a whole new cake with just a few minor changes and very little effort.

This weekend in particular, many people are getting together to enjoy the Super Bowl and focusing on whether there will be enough of the usual favorites like chicken wings, pizza, nachos and sandwiches of all kinds.

But…have you decided what to serve for dessert?

Well, you may have been thinking of making some fudgy brownies which is also a great and easy treat, but I think that this great snacking cake will impress your guests and you can throw it together in minutes. It’s truly delicious the day it’s made but just seems to get better and better with each passing day…that is if there’s any left over.

Knowing that, make sure to make a double batch…if you would rather not use chocolate chips but would prefer to use a frosting, then you must definitely try my wicked chocolate frosting to go with this cake. Either way, you can’t go wrong. It’s all about using what is easiest for you and what you have on hand…so go for it and make something delicious out of something that you would have otherwise tossed out…

Banana Chocolate Chip Snack Cake

4 large eggs (7.2 oz)

4 teaspoons good quality banana extract

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 ½ cups sugar (12 oz)

1 cup vegetable oil (3.5 oz)

2 cups banana puree (15 oz)

2 cups plus 1 large tablespoon flour (11 oz)

8 oz bittersweet chocolate chips **use weight on the bag as a guide

(mini chips would be great if you do not have, then chop in food processor so they do not sink to the bottom) **I used Guittard

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

First make sure that your bananas are very ripe. Peel and mash them with a fork or use a food processor to create a puree. Add the puree to a medium sized bowl then add the eggs, oil, both extracts and sugar and mix well. In a separate bowl, add all of the dry ingredients together and then sift them into the wet ingredients. Use a wire whisk to incorporate the batter together until there are no lumps visible in the batter. Lastly, fold in the chocolate chips making sure that they are evenly dispersed in the batter. Pour this into a 10”x10” greased and paper lined cake pan and bake at 350°F for approximately 30-40 minutes until the cake springs back to the touch and tests clean with a knife or a toothpick. The top will start to get a little dark, but it is not burned…just make sure not to overcook it. If this makes you nervous, you can add a piece of foil loosely over the cake as it finishes baking. Remove immediately from the oven and allow to cool completely before frosting, that is if you chose not to add the chocolate chips…adding both the chocolate chips AND the frosting would definitely be overkill…so do one or the other.