Lila ThompOh, This Banana Chocolate Chip Cake? It’s a Lifesaver!
Okay, you guys, I HAVE to share this recipe. It’s my absolute, hands down, go to banana chocolate chip cake. Honestly, it all started because I am a serial banana over-buyer. You know the story – grand ambitions of healthy smoothies, and then reality hits, and I’ve got a bunch of sad, spotty bananas judging me from the fruit bowl. But hey, that’s when the magic happens and this cake gets its moment to shine! So maybe it’s not such a terrible habit after all? This recipe has saved more bananas from the compost bin than I can count, and it’s so ridiculously easy, you’ll wonder where it’s been all your life.
Why You’ll Be Obsessed Too
I make this when I need a quick dessert that I know everyone will love. My family goes completely bonkers for this banana chocolate chip cake because it’s incredibly moist (nobody likes a dry cake, right?) and just packed with flavour. It’s also my secret weapon for bake sales or when friends pop over unexpectedly. And the smell while it’s baking? Oh my gosh, your house will smell like pure comfort. I used to get so frustrated with banana breads that would turn out a bit… meh. But this cake? It’s a winner every single time. (Plus, it’s a great way to sneak some fruit into the kids, wink wink).
What You’ll Need (The Ingredients Bit)
- Flour: About 1 ½ cups (200g) of all purpose flour. My nan swore by King Arthur Baking flour, but honestly, any brand works fine.
- Baking Soda: 1 teaspoon. Essential for the fluffiness!
- Salt: ½ teaspoon. A good pinch of salt (don’t skip this, it really brings out the chocolate flavour form the chips!)
- Ripe Bananas: 3 large, very ripe ones, mashed up. The spottier, the better! This should be about 1 to 1 ½ cups of mashed banana. If you need to ripen them quickly, this guide from Food Network has some neat tricks.
- Melted Butter: ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled. You can use salted, just maybe reduce the added salt a smidge.
- Sugar: ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar. I sometimes use light brown sugar if I want a deeper, more molassesy flavour, it’s lovely.
- Egg: 1 large egg, lightly beaten.
- Vanilla Extract: 1 teaspoon. The good stuff if you have it!
- Chocolate Chips: 1 cup (or, you know, a very generous handful!) of semi sweet chocolate chips. Milk chocolate, dark chocolate, even those mini ones – go wild! I’m a big fan of Ghirardelli chips, but use your favorite.
Alright, Let’s Bake This Thing! (The How To)
- Get Ready: First things first, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×5 inch loaf pan. Or use parchment paper, even easier for cleanup.
- Dry Stuff: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Just give it a quick mix to combine everything.
- Wet Stuff: In a larger bowl, combine the mashed bananas, melted butter (make sure it’s not too hot!), sugar, beaten egg, and vanilla extract. Mix it all up. I used to cream the butter and sugar with a mixer, but actually, I find melting the butter first makes it even easier, less arm work! So, yeah, let’s go with melted butter for this one. It makes the cake super moist too.
- Combine: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix until *just* combined. Please, please don’t overmix! A few lumps are perfectly fine, even desirable. Overmixing makes it tough, and nobody wants that.
- Chocolate Time!: Gently fold in the chocolate chips. This is where I usually sneak a few chips for myself… quality control, obviously.
- Bake It: Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and spread it out evenly. Pop it in the preheated oven and bake for 50-60 minutes. It’s done when a skewer or toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs attached (but no wet batter!). Ovens can be a bit quirky, so start checking around the 50 minute mark.
- Cool Down: This is important! Let the banana chocolate chip cake cool in the pan for about 10-15 minutes before you even think about taking it out. Then, carefully invert it onto a wire rack to cool completely. Or, mostly completely, if you can’t resist a warm slice.
My Little Notes and Nudges
I’ve found that if your bananas aren’t quite as ripe as you’d like, the cake might be a tiny bit less sweet and moist. Still good, but super ripe is the goal!
And seriously, don’t skip greasing the pan or using parchment. I learned that lesson the hard way once, spent ages trying to chisel cake out. What a palaver.
Sometimes, if I’m feeling fancy, I sprinkle a few extra chocolate chips on top before baking. Looks pretty!
Fancy Some Changes? (Variations)
Oh, I love a good experiment! I’ve thrown in a ½ cup of chopped walnuts or pecans before, and that’s a really nice crunchy addition. A dash of cinnamon or nutmeg (like ½ teaspoon) in with the dry ingredients also warms it up beautifully, especially in the autumn.
One time, I tried swirling in some peanut butter before baking. Let’s just say it was… interesting. Very dense. My son still ate it, bless him, but I think it was a bit too much of a good thing. Maybe less peanut butter next time? Or perhaps it just wasn’t meant to be for this particular banana chocolate chip cake recipe. Still, fun to try!
What Gadgets Do You Need?
You don’t need anything too fancy for this banana chocolate chip cake. A couple of mixing bowls, a whisk, a spatula, and a loaf pan (a 9×5 inch is ideal, but an 8×4 inch works too, just might need a few extra minutes baking). A stand mixer is lovely, makes life a breeze for some recipes. But honestly, for this one, since we’re using melted butter, a sturdy whisk and a bit of elbow grease, or even just a good old wooden spoon for the wet ingredients, will get you there. Easy peasy.
How to Keep it Fresh (If It Lasts!)
Okay, so *technically* this banana chocolate chip cake should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. It’s best stored in an airtight container at room temperature… if it lasts that long. The cake holds it’s moisture surprisingly well for a couple of days. Maybe three. Though honestly, in my house, it rarely sees day two! I actually think it tastes even better the next day, once the flavours have had a proper chance to mingle.
How We Like to Eat It
My absolute favorite way to enjoy this is a slightly warm slice, maybe with a tiny pat of butter melting into it. Or, if I’m feeling truly decadent, a scoop of vanilla ice cream alongside. Heaven! The kids just love a plain slice in their lunchboxes or for an after school snack. It’s pretty versatile.
Learn From My Mistakes! (Pro Tips)
- Don’t rush the cooling: I once tried to slice it when it was too warm because I was impatient. Big mistake. It just sort of… disintegrated. Let it cool in the pan for those crucial 10-15 minutes, then cool more on a wire rack. Patience, young grasshopper!
- Banana ripeness is key: I can’t stress this enough. Use those bananas that are almost black, super soft, and intensely fragrant. That’s where all the natural sweetness and amazing moisture comes form. Underripe bananas will make a sad, bland cake.
- Measure your flour correctly: Scooping flour straight from the bag with your measuring cup can pack it in, giving you too much flour and a dry cake. The best way is to fluff the flour, spoon it into your measuring cup, and then level it off. Or use a kitchen scale, even better!
Your Questions Answered (Probably!)
Can I use frozen bananas?
Yep, absolutely! Just make sure to thaw them completely and drain off any excess liquid before mashing. Sometimes they let out a surprising amount of water.
My cake turned out dry, what did I do wrong?
Oh no, that’s the worst! It could be a few things. Maybe it was in the oven a smidge too long? Ovens can be so temperamental. Or perhaps not quite enough mashed banana, or the flour was a bit over measured. Double check those things next time!
Can I make these into muffins?
Totally! This recipe makes great banana chocolate chip muffins. Just divide the batter into a lined muffin tin (you’ll probably get 12). They’ll bake much quicker, though – start checking them around 18-20 minutes.
What if I don’t have all purpose flour?
On second thought, all purpose is best. Bread flour would make it too tough, cake flour might make it too tender to hold all those chips. If you only have self rising flour, you’d need to omit the baking soda and probably some salt, but I haven’t tested that with this specific recipe, so proceed with caution!
Is it okay if my batter is lumpy?
Yes! Perfectly okay. Actually, it’s better that way. Those lumps are probably bits of banana, and overmixing to get rid of them will develop the gluten in the flour too much, leading to a tough cake. Embrace the lumps!
Lila Thomp
