This banana chocolate coffee cake is the perfect way to use up bananas that are slightly past their prime. This moist cake is amped up with cinnamon, brown sugar, and melty, gooey, chocolate. It is the perfect accompaniment to your afternoon tea or coffee!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
A classic sweet treat: Banana bread and cake are classic sweet dessert treats, and there are hundreds of ways to make them. This recipe is a spin on those nostalgic snacks you want to add to your recipe rotation.
Great for beginners: This cake is very forgiving, which makes it perfect for beginner bakers. This recipe is hard to mess up!
Good for overripe bananas: This recipe is the best way to use up bananas that are too ripe to eat as is. In fact, the mushier the bananas, the better!
Ingredient Notes
- Mashed bananas: The best bananas to use for this cake are the ones that have started to brown on the outside. You want a good amount of browning on the skin, which shows that the bananas are very soft on the inside.
- Salted butter: I like to use salted butter as it adds a balance of flavor to the cake batter, just like if you add a pinch of salt to the dry ingredients. You want your butter to be softened.
- Brown sugar: This recipe uses dark brown sugar, which means it has a higher molasses content.
- Sour cream: It is important to use full-fat sour cream for this recipe. Low-fat sour cream has a watery texture, which will also make the cake batter too thin.
- Baking powder & soda: Baking powder and soda are used for leavening the cake.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips: Semi-sweet chocolate chips work best for this cake, as they are not overpoweringly sweet like milk chocolate chips would be.
A full list of ingredients with measurements is located on the recipe card, below.
Substitutions
- Salted butter: Feel free to use unsalted butter instead. If you use unsalted butter, add a pinch of salt to the dry ingredients.
- Dark brown sugar: Substitute with light brown sugar if that is what you have on hand.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips: You can use dark chocolate chips, or milk chocolate chips if you prefer. Milk chocolate is sweeter, so you will want to be mindful of that.
Variations
- Nuts: Add some chopped walnuts to the cake batter for a pop of texture and nutty flavor.
- Caramel: Add chopped caramels in the center of the cake, and pops of caramel on the top of the cake, for an extra decadent touch.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Prep Work Before Cooking
Collecting all ingredients: This will make cooking so much easier. Gather all the spices you will need, and keep them nearby.
Preheat oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F.
Whisk dry ingredients: Whisk the flour, baking soda, and baking powder together.
Mix cinnamon sugar: Add the brown sugar and cinnamon to a small mixing bowl, and combine.
Mash the Bananas
Peel the bananas into a large mixing bowl.
Using a potato masher, mash the bananas until the mixture is mostly smooth. Some lumps are fine.
Cream the Sugar and Butter
Add the softened butter and granulated sugar to a stand mixer bowl.
Using the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar for 1-2 minutes until combined.
Add the eggs, and continue to mix with the paddle attachment until combined.
Mix the Remaining Wet Ingredients
Add the sour cream, mashed bananas, and vanilla extract to the stand mixer bowl, and mix on low until combined.
Finish the Batter
Add the dry ingredients to the mixer, and mix on low until the batter has come together.
Remove the bowl from the stand mixer, and fold in half the semi-sweet chocolate chips using a rubber spatula.
Assemble the Cake
Grease a 9x13 baking pan with butter.
Pour half the batter into the pan, and sprinkle half the cinnamon sugar mixture in a layer on top of the cake batter.
Finish and Bake
Pour the remaining cake batter over the cinnamon sugar layer. Sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon sugar and chocolate chips.
Bake the cake for 45-50 minutes until the middle of the cake is firm.
Expert Tips
Toothpick test: An easy way to check your cake for doneness is by inserting a toothpick into the middle of the cake. If the toothpick comes out clean, your cake is fully cooked.
Cover with foil: The sugar topping is easy to burn. If the top of the cake is browning quickly, cover it with foil after 20-25 minutes of baking.
Let the cake cool: Once fully baked, let the cake cool for 25-30 minutes before cutting into it. This will ensure nice, clean slices.
Make Ahead & Storage
- Store this cake in an airtight container at room temperature, for 1-2 days.
- If you are storing this cake for longer, store it covered in the fridge for up to one week.
- This cake can be frozen in a freezer-safe container or bag. Thaw the cake before serving.
More Dessert Recipes
Banana Chocolate Coffee Cake
Ingredients
- 6 Bananas - extra ripe, mashed (appx. 3 cups)
- 1 cup Butter - softened (2 sticks)
- 2 cups Granulated sugar
- 2 large Eggs
- 1 cup Sour cream
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla bean paste
- 3 cups All purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon Baking soda
- 2 teaspoon Baking powder
- 1 cup Semi-sweet chocolate chips
Cinnamon Sugar
- ½ cup Dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, and baking powder together, and set aside.3 cups All purpose flour, 2 teaspoon Baking soda, 2 teaspoon Baking powder
- Add the brown sugar and cinnamon to a small mixing bowl, and combine.½ cup Dark brown sugar, 2 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- Add the softened butter and granulated sugar to a stand mixer bowl. Using the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar for 1-2 minutes until combined.1 cup Butter, 2 cups Granulated sugar
- Add the eggs, and continue to mix with the paddle attachment until combined.2 large Eggs
- Add the sour cream, mashed bananas, and vanilla extract to the stand mixer bowl, and mix on low until combined.6 Bananas, 1 cup Sour cream, 2 teaspoon Vanilla bean paste
- Add the dry ingredients to the mixer, and mix on low until the batter has come together.
- Remove the bowl from the stand mixer, and fold in half the semi-sweet chocolate chips using a rubber spatula.1 cup Semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Grease a 9x13 baking pan with butter. Pour half the batter into the pan, and sprinkle half the cinnamon sugar mixture in a layer on top of the cake batter.
- Pour the remaining cake batter over the cinnamon sugar layer. Sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon sugar and chocolate chips.
- Bake the cake for 45-50 minutes until the middle of the cake is firm.
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