Once in a while, I crave chocolate. It is weird, I know, but I am one of those people who rarely craves chocolate. There is plenty of chocolate in the house, some of it belongs to the LAM and the rest belongs to the little boy. And I like none of their chocolate.
I would usually buy a cheap bar of chocolate when the craving hits me, and I would eat maybe a row or two of the chocolate, and the rest of it will go into the fridge, where it will stay until the LAM finds (and eats) it.
So when the craving hit me this time, I thought I would bake a bread-cake instead of buying another bar of chocolate that I would neglect to eat. I still wonder why they call this “bread” when it tastes like a cake? Anyway..
I made Nigella’s Banana Bread, but adapted the recipe so I could make it into a chocolate version of the same cake.
And it turned out to be so good, I think I ate half the loaf by myself (over a few days, not all at once!!).
It is such a moist cake, and the chocolate flavour is so rich and distinct. It really pays to use a really good chocolate when you make this cake. Worth. Every. Cent.
Sift the dry ingredients into a bowl. Whisk to combine. Set this aside.
Mash half the bananas and leave the other half of the bananas in slices.
Using a whisk, mix the melted butter and sugar until blended.
Add the eggs (one at a time) into the butter mixture. Whisk well after each addition.
Add the bananas and vanilla extract. Stir to combine.
Finally, add the dry ingredients and stir until the flour has just been incorporated. Do not over mix.
If you are adding walnuts and/or sultanas, add them at this stage and stir to combine evenly.
Pour the batter into a greased and lined 9×5-inch loaf tin. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the thickest part of the cake emerges cleanly.
Cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before transferring onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Want to take a bite?
- 2 large eggs
- 4 large bananas, mashed - I used 6 bananas (3 mashed and 3 sliced)
- 125g unsalted butter, melted
- 125g plain flour
- 50g cocoa - I used Valrhona cocoa powder
- 150g sugar - I used brown sugar
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 100g sultanas, soaked in 75ml bourbon or dark rum
- 60g chopped walnuts
- Preheat oven to 170C. Prepare an 9x5-inch loaf pan by greasing it or lining it with baking paper.
- Whisk melted butter and sugar in a large bowl until thoroughly blended. Beat in eggs, on by one, then the bananas. Stir in vanilla extract, and walnuts and sultanas (if using).
- Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt.
- Add the flour mixture to the banana mixture in 3 parts and mix.
- Bake for 60-75 minutes, until toothpick inserted into the centre emerges clean.
- Cool in baking tin for 15 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
I am submitting this recipe for Cook like a Star hosted by Bake for Happy Kids, Kitchen Flavours and Simple Baking.
Hi Diana,
I have made Nigella’s banana bread, and I love it that you’ve tweaked the recipe, making it your own. This bread is really good, and I can just imagine how much more delicious it is with the addition of cocoa powder.
Thank you for linking to CLAS!
Hope you have a wonderful weekend!
Hi there! Thanks for leaving a comment! I am so excited about CLAS, and hope to contribute more in the future! Thanks for the encouragement!! 🙂
Hi Diana,
Greeting from Australia! And nice to hear from you via email!
Welcome to blogging!!! Your chocolate banana bread look great and no doubt at all that your boy must be enjoying this delicious treat.
Zoe
Hi Zoe, many thanks! Actually Aden did not have any of the cake in the end cas greedy mommy ate most of it haha. Looking forward to joining more CLAS events in the future!!
Hei! I’m baking this recipe now (with some adjustments) and I’m excited to see/taste the final result 🙂
How did it go? I hope it was good!!
Hi Diana. I made the cake but thought it wasn’t sweet enough. Would it be possible to dust it with icing sugar ?
Hi of course!
Hey Diana! Can I substitute melted butter with canola/sunflower oil? If yes, will the amount be 125ml? Thanks! 🙂
Hi Emily yep and yep!! 🙂
Hi Diana
What is the weight of yr big egg you had mentioned? our common weight of each egg here is 55g. Many thanks, Kris
Hi pls see here: http://thedomesticgoddesswannabe.com/tell-me-why/
Dear Diana,
I am thinking of doubling this recipe & bake it in an 8 inch cake mould for a friend’s birthday. Should I increase the oven temperature & duration ?
Warmest regard,
Your faithful follower,
Angela
Hi Angela for baking (cakes/cookies), you always maintain same temperature and adjust the baking time. 🙂
Dear Diana, I’d juz baked this Chocolate Banana Cake and it is really good!! This is the first time I’d sliced some of the banana into the cake and it does make the cake more tasty. Thanks for sharing your recipes and some of the tips.
You are so welcome Catherine! I am glad you liked the cake 🙂
Oops! I prepared the batter and realised i do not have time to bake it. I’m leaving it in the fridge. Can i sti uae the batter?