This is honestly the best cake I've eaten in a while and that's saying a lot! It came about by chance as I couldn't decide what to bake but I knew I wanted to bake with bananas. I didnt want to bake another banana muffin so I thought a cake would be better. I had a discussion with one of my work colleagues who loves cake as much as I do and we 'created' this cake together by discussing what ingredients she wanted in the cake!! I said I wanted to use bananas and she wanted chocolate, walnuts, honey and maple syrup. I thought about it and decided that I could make it work so I gave it a go! The results were truly amazing. I incorporated everything she wanted in the cake and added a cream cheese frosting as well. The cake was really moist and full of banana flavour. You can taste the walnuts and the chocolate chips in there which also added a depth of texture to the cake. Unfortunately you can't really taste the honey but you can clearly taste the maple syrup cream cheese frosting.
The following week, my colleague who helped me create the cake told me what happened when she took a slice home for her house mate. She described the cake to her housemate who did not look impressed particularly as she does not like bananas. However, she decided to have a taste and after a few bites said "if I'd known it was going to be so good, I'd have taken it to bed with me!!" That's honestly how I feel about this cake as well and I'm definitely going to have to bake it again.
I'm sending it to a few blog challenges this month...
Love Cake hosted by Ness from Jibber JabberUK. This month is the anniversary of the challenge and the theme is For The Love of Cake. This is not a typical Valentine bake but it came about through our love of cake and it's definitely one of my favourite cakes ever.
No Waste Food Challenge hosted by Elizabeth from Elizabeth's Kitchen Diary. This recipe uses up old bananas and ingredients from my cupboard.
Cook Blog Share hosted by Lucy from Supergolden Bakes
Recipe of the Week hosted by Emily from A Mummy Too
An original recipe by bakingaddict
For the cake
250g plain flour
100g brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
3 or 4 ripe bananas
250mls milk
80mls vegetable oil
2 eggs
100g chocolate chips
150g walnuts ( I left them whole for extra crunch but you can chop them up but not too finely!)
60ml honey
For the frosting
100g butter
100g light muscovado sugar
85mls maple syrup
220g cream cheese
To decorate
20-25g toasted walnuts, roughly chopped
- Preheat oven to 180C.
- Grease and line 2 x 18cm round baking tins.
- Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda in a medium sized bowl and set aside.
- In a large bowl, roughly mash the bananas with a fork.
- Add in the milk, vegetable oil, honey and milk and mix well.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix.
- Finally stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts.
- Divide the batter evenly into the cake tins and bake for approximately 35-40 minutes or until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Place the remaining walnuts for the topping in the hot oven and roast for about 5-7 minutes making sure that they don't burn.
- Allow the cakes to cool completely before decorating.
- To make the frosting, beat the butter and sugar until smooth.
- Add in the cream cheese and maple syrup and continue beating until very smooth.
- Place a generous layer of frosting on top of the first layer of cake. Place the second layer on top and spread the remaining frosting on top of the cake.
- Sprinkle with the toasted, roughly chopped walnuts.
Oh this looks super! I love it - pass us over a giant slice, will you? :) Thank you for sharing with the #nowastefoodchallenge - such a great way to use up bananas and spare bits of storecupboard ingredients!
ReplyDeleteThanks it was a really, really good cake and I loved that I could use up leftovers.
DeleteI love the sound of the maple syrup frosting. Something a bit different and I will always say 'yes' to chocolate chips in a cake!
ReplyDeleteme too :)
DeleteThis cake looks so beautiful, especially when cut. Your work colleagues are very lucky :-) x
ReplyDeleteThey are very lucky indeed! x
DeleteLooks and sounds delicious - I'm salivating!
ReplyDeleteThanks :)
DeleteI love a layer cake that squidges out its filling when cut - a good sign that there's enough filling!
ReplyDeleteHa ha I was worried that I'd overfilled the cake but then again there's probably no such thing! :)
DeleteOOOOOOhhhhh LOVE the oozing cream cheese frosting and squidgy layers......
ReplyDeleteThat was my favourite bit! I could have just eaten the frosting on its own
DeleteI am a huge fan of layered banana cakes : ) This looks glorious... and fantastic combination of flavours and textures. Yum! #CookBlogShare
ReplyDeleteThanks! I need to make layered banana cakes more frequently!
DeleteGreat combination of flavours - especially the maple and banana!!
ReplyDeleteIt was absolutely delicious
DeleteLooks like a perfect tea time treat!! Banana really does suit bakes and especially cakes and you had me at walnuts! Yum!!!
ReplyDeleteI love bananas in baking - so versatile.
DeleteWow, that certainly looks and sounds like a very special cake. Like Caked Crusader, I love a cake with a generous, squidgy filling.
ReplyDeleteThe more filling the better in my book :)
DeleteI love how chunky it looks. All the perfect ingredients for the perfect cake. Simply gorgeous. Banana cake is the best!
ReplyDeleteThanks and yes you just can't beat a good banana cake.
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