Shredded Chocolate Banana Cake
Submitted by pinochil
Moist banana loaf cake studded with grated bittersweet chocolate, dusted with powdered sugar. Uses ripe bananas, half-and-half, and real butter for a rich, tender crumb.
YIELD
1 cakePREP
20 minCOOK
20 minREADY
40 minThink of this as banana bread’s fancy cousin who studied pastry in Paris.
Ripe bananas and half-and-half create an incredibly moist crumb, while grated bittersweet chocolate melts into little pockets of richness throughout every slice. No chocolate chips here. Shredding the chocolate gives you those beautiful, uneven streaks that make each piece look different.
The batter comes together with a classic creaming method (butter, shortening, sugar, eggs) and bakes into a golden loaf dusted simply with powdered sugar. No fussy frosting needed.
Baking Tips
- Use fully ripe bananas. The more brown spots, the sweeter and more fragrant they’ll be. Green bananas won’t give you the flavor or moisture this cake needs.
- Grate the chocolate on a box grater. The coarse side works best. Toss the shreds with a spoonful of flour to keep them from sinking to the bottom.
- Don’t overmix after adding flour. Stir just until the flour disappears. Overworking the batter develops gluten and makes the cake tough instead of tender.
- Test early. Start checking with a toothpick at the one-hour mark. Every oven runs a little differently.
Ingredients
Directions
Butter or spray with non-stick cooking spray a 9×5×3-inch loaf pan; set aside.
Preheat oven to 325℉ (160℃).
Sift flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt onto a sheet of wax paper.
Place the grated chocolate in a bowl and stir 1 teaspoon of the sifted mixture; set aside.
Mash bananas in a bowl and stir in half-and-half and vanilla; set aside.
In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and shortening on moderate speed for 3 to 4 minutes.
Raise speed to moderately high, add half of sugar and beat for 1 minute; add remaining sugar and beat 1 minute longer, scraping down sides and bottom of the bowl.
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Blend in banana mixture on low speed.
On low speed, blend in flour mixture in 2 additions, beating just until particles of flour have been absorbed.
Stir in chocolate by hand.
Pour and scrape the batter into the prepared pan.
Bake for 1 hour or slightly longer - until risen, golden brown on top, and a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean and dry.
Cool on a rack for 3 to 4 minutes.
Carefully invert onto a second rack, remove pan and invert the cake again to cool right side up.
Sift confectioner’s sugar on the top.
Comments
