Banana Chocolate Cake

Have you ever paid attention to recipes on boxes of flour and sugar?  On the containers of cocoa powder?   On the cartons of cream?  No?  Yes?  My answer?  I usually don't.  I usually just throw the box and not even glance on whatever was printed on the back.

I can be such a real recipe snob.

But it's never too late to change all that!

So this cocoa powder I've been using since I started baking?  I have no idea if they ever switch up the recipes they put on the back but a huge thanks to the person working at Goya who decided to print this one.

I'll be honest though; if I only didn't have bananas threatening to be left unused, I wouldn't have given the back of the cocoa powder container a second look.

You and I should be grateful to those spotty, mega ripened bananas then!  Define just the right amount of sweetness, tender, moist cake with the classic combo of bananas and chocolate flavor in every bite!

To the Goya person or whoever thought up this recipe and handed it to Goya, bless you.

So with that said: let's make this delish banana chocolate cake!

Banana Chocolate Cake*

*recipe found on the back of a Goya unsweetened cocoa powder container and I am in no means taking any ownership of this recipe.

What you'll be needing:

2 cups light brown sugar**, loosely packed

1 and 3/4 cups plain flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs, at room temperature

1 cup bananas, ripened and mashed

1 cup water**

1/2 cup Greek yogurt**

1/2 cup canola oil

1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

What you'll be doing:

Preheat oven to 180ºC.  You can bake this cake in a 13x9 pan or in three 7x2 loaf pans** like I did.  If you decide to bake in the 13x9 pan, grease the entire pan and set aside.  If using the 7x2 loaf pans, grease, line with parchment paper or aluminum foil and grease again; set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, place all the dry ingredients: sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  With a whisk, mix until the cocoa powder is evenly distributed.  Make a well in the center of the mixed dry ingredients and in goes all the wet ingredients: eggs, bananas, water, yogurt, oil and vanilla.  Whisk gently.  Pour batter onto your choice of pan; divide the batter as evenly as you can if using loaf pans.

Baking time for the 13x9 pan is 25-30minutes.

Baking time for the 7x2 loaf pans is 32-37 minutes.

You can check for the doneness around 25 minutes for the 13x9 and around 32 minutes for the loaf pans.  Insert a toothpick in the center of the cake and if it comes out with wet batter, bake for 5 more minutes or until done.  But if the toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs, it's done.  Just let it cool in the pan/s for a while.

Best enjoyed a day or two after!

** Those with asterisks are some changes I made.  The recipe asked for granulated sugar, warm water, milk and a 13x9 pan.

Yes.  You absolutely read that correctly.  There is no typo.  Did I trick you?  Hmm... Maybe.  But I won't stop you from eating this cake the day you make it.  I'll let you be.  But try to save some for the following day and taste the difference.

Why do I sound like those beverage commercials?  Please, we all know it's just flavored water you're trying to sell.  Stahp.

If I stayed true to the recipe, this cake would have been covered in chocolate ganache.  You could do that but I opted not to.  There are just some cakes in life one should enjoy unadorned, with no ganache.  This one included.

Though the ganache would be a delightful addition!  I'll have to make this banana cake again and not leave that bit out!  I'll let you know of course!

If by any chance you do end up with leftovers, cover tightly with aluminum foil.  You can keep it in the fridge and enjoy it cold or warm it up in the micro!  However you want to eat cake!  I hope you enjoy this one also!

Leave me a comment!

Til the next post!