Best choc chip banana cake
- 4 ripe bananas (approximately 600g)
- 3 eggs
- 150g white sugar
- 80g brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla essence (extract)
- Zest and juice of 1 lemon
- 180g unsalted butter, melted plus extra to grease baking pan
- 200g Greek yoghurt, vanilla flavour (alternatively use plain Greek yoghurt)
- 240g 00 flour, plus 1 tablespoon to grease baking pan (alternatively use plain, all-purpose flour) – see note in step 5
- 16g Italian baking powder (such as Lievito Bertolini)
- 100g dark chocolate chips (alternatively chop into small pieces)
- 1 pinch salt
Requires: 9 inch round baking pan
Preheat oven to 180°C conventional oven (356° Fahrenheit/Gas 4). Ideally use a 9 inch round Anodized Aluminum cake pan – if you don’t have one, see tip for details. Grease cake pan by lightly buttering the base and sides with margarine or butter. Add a heaped tablespoon of 00 flour, then turn and shake the pan to coat the butter in flour on the sides of the baking pan.
Tip: Anodized Aluminum cake pans are the ideal baking surface for any type of cake as they produce even heating. This creates the best possible rise, making you a confident baker. You can buy an Anodized Aluminum cake pan from Amazon.
Peel the 4 bananas. Slice the bananas lengthways on a small chopping board. Set aside 6 of the nicest looking slices in a plate to place on top of the cake before baking. Pour a small amount of lemon juice over the sliced bananas. Place the remaining banana slices in a small mixing bowl and use a fork to lightly mash. Stir the remaining lemon juice into the mashed banana mixture and set aside.
Using an electric mixer or hand beater, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form. With the mixer (or hand beater) running, add the egg yolks, one at a time. Add the white and brown sugar, one tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition, then add the vanilla essence.
Beat in the butter, pouring a little at a time until all combined. Add one tablespoon of the Greek yoghurt at a time, continually beating until well combined.
Use a wooden spoon to stir in the flour, one tablespoon at a time.
Note: 00 is a powder-fine Italian type of flour. It is made from soft wheat varieties and is frequently used in Italian desserts and pastas. 00 flour is available in most supermarkets, Italian food stores and gourmet delicatessens. You can also buy from Amazon.
Stir in the grated lemon zest and sifted baking powder. Stir in the mashed banana mixture and ¾ of the dark chocolate chips until well combined.
Pour the banana cake mixture into the prepared cake pan. Arrange the banana slices on top of the cake and scatter the remaining chocolate chips. Bake for 45 – 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the cake pan for 10 minutes, then carefully transfer to a serving plate.
Once the banana cake has cooled, dust sifted icing sugar (confectioners’ sugar) around the edges. I can guarantee that this is the best choc chip banana cake you have ever had – buon appetito.
