This recipe perfectly used up the amount of cocoa powder I had left, so…phew that it didn’t need any more! There’s a good amount of banana flavor in the cake, and this only-some-cream-cheese frosting is quite nice. Definitely worth making again!
Ingredients:
Cake:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs, slightly beaten
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 bananas)
Frosting:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 pinch salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×9″ pan and set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt, then set aside.
In a large bowl, beat together the butter and both sugars until smooth and fluffy, 2-3 minutes on medium, then beat in the eggs, another minute. With the speed reduced to low, beat in 1/3 of the flour mixture, half the mashed banana, another 1/3 of the flour, the remaining banana, then the remaining flour mixture, beating until just combined.
Transfer to the prepared pan and bake 20-25 minutes, until it passes the toothpick test. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool.
When the cake has cooled, combine all the frosting ingredients and beat on low until combined (ie until the powdered sugar is not going to explode out of your mixer), then increase to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy.
Spread on the cake. slice, and serve.
Chocolate Banana Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
Slightly Adapted from Brown Eyed Baker.
Cake:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs, slightly beaten
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 bananas)
Frosting:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 pinch salt
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×9″ pan and set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt, then set aside.
In a large bowl, beat together the butter and both sugars until smooth and fluffy, 2-3 minutes on medium, then beat in the eggs, another minute. With the speed reduced to low, beat in 1/3 of the flour mixture, half the mashed banana, another 1/3 of the flour, the remaining banana, then the remaining flour mixture, beating until just combined. Transfer to the prepared pan and bake 20-25 minutes, until it passes the toothpick test. Place the pan on a wire rack to cool.
When the cake has cooled, combine all the frosting ingredients and beat on low until combined, then increase to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy. Spread on the cake. slice, and serve.
sparecake 