Skip to main content

Bannana Chocolate Cake

Well I told you I had a lot of cream cheese. There was no other choice but to make another cake. I had already made the baked pierogies. That only used 1/3 c but they were delicious. I must plan better next time when I made homemade cream cheese. Well I had some bananas that were getting a little past their prime...


Banana Chocolate Cake (adapted from JoyofBaking)
(with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting adapted from my brain)

2 c sugar
1 3/4 c flour
3/4 c cocoa powder
1 1/2 t baking powder
1 1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
2 eggs
1 c mashed ripe bananas (about 2)
1 1/2 c milk
1/2 c canola oil
1 1/2 t vanilla
1 t chocolate extract (optional)

Frosting
1 1/2 c cream cheese
1 1/2 c chocolate chips (bittersweet or semi)
1 t vanilla
1 t chocolate extract

Grease a 9x13 pan. Set aside. In a large bowl whisk together all the dry ingredients. In another bowl mash the bananas. Add the eggs, milk, oil, and extracts. Whisk together.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry and whisk until combined. Pour into pan. Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes until toothpick poked in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. Do not attempt to ice the cake until completely cool.

Meanwhile set out the cream cheese to come to room temperature.  Melt the chocolate in the microwave. First putting it in for about 45 seconds on half power. Stir and put back in for about another 15-20 seconds until melted and smooth.  Set aside to cool until it is room temperature.  You need both the cream cheese and chocolate to be the same temperature or it will not mix and will be lumpy. Stir the vanilla and chocolate extract into the cream cheese. Add about a heaping T to of the cream cheese to the chocolate and mix well. Continue adding about a 1/4 cup in at a time and mixing well after each addition.  Ice cake and refrigerate.



Comments

Popular posts from this blog

New Kid on the Block

So here's a picture of the new kid on the block. Ain't she a beauty? It's a Blomberg . They are fairly new to the US. They have been around in Europe for quite a while. I really liked the design. I've been dying to have a freezer on the bottom. With the old refrigerator I would constantly lose brain cells by hitting my head on the freezer will poking around in the refrigerator. It really makes sense to have the refrigerator on top - that is where you spend most of your time. When we bought the old one, it was an emergency situation. The prior one was leaking on the floor and was no longer cooling. Fifteen years ago the freezer on the bottom was just starting to get popular but we were in no situation to wait for delivery. We had to take what they had on hand. Now the freezer on the bottom is by no means unique. What is - is this freezer's design. There are 3 compartments in the freezer. I used to have a chest freezer in the basement and everything would get los

Burnt Cinnamon Simple Syrup

The NY Times Magazine section did a piece on cocktails about two weeks ago and one was calling me- Rhum Agricole Daiquiri . What attracted me here (well besides the cocktail aspect) was the Burnt Cinnamon Simple Syrup. It was easy enough to make, as are most simple syrups, but it was the potential uses.  I started thinking not only daiquiris but why not with Applejack? Apples, burnt cinnamon sounds like a winner to me. Or how about a nice hot cider, with a little rum, and the simple syrup (Guess I'll have to wait until the fall for the cider). On the non-alcohol side-why not use it to moisten a sponge cake - wouldn't that give it an interesting flavor? Or what about a burnt cinnamon ice cream? Now first for the burning of the cinnamon - it felt a little like I was doing a cleanse to ward off evil spirits. I think that is usually done with sage but if cinnamon works too - so be it. The recipe recommended using a small creme brulee torch to burn the cinnamon sticks - like you d

Tomato Risotto

Want to build up those arm muscles.  There is no better way than to do up a good risotto. You will get tired of stirring but it is oh so worth it. Tomato Risotto 1 onion, chopped olive oil 2 clove garlic, minced 1 1/2 c Aborio Rice 1/2 c white wine 4 medium-sized tomatoes, peeled about 1 cup warm vegetable stock (may need additional) 1 t fresh oregano 1 T fresh torn basil 2 T fresh parsley salt/pepper Parmesan cheese In a dutch oven, saute chopped onion in olive oil.  Add a little salt to help the onions along.  Meanwhile prep the tomatoes. Squeeze tomatoes gently just to rid them of the seeds. You do not need to get rid of all the liquid. Chop the tomatoes into large cubes. Cook onions until translucent. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Add rice and saute for a few minutes until the rice smells toasted. Gradually add white wine and stir until almost all of the wine is absorbed. Add tomatoes to the rice. Add the oregano and basil. Stirring constantly until a