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Oct 23, 2012

Chocolate Banana Cake Un-Griped








No more gripes, people!
And another thing before I go on ... if you happen not to like a subject that I'm talking about, just skip right to the recipe. Don't get worked up just because I'm worked up. That's an advice, not a gripe.


I'd seen this recipe and pix at Yee Ling's and Quay Po Cooks and salivated at each. Gotta make it! 

Made it, ate it and loved it! Of course, being true to my can't-leave-a-recipe-well-enough-alone self. I had to change it around (just a little this time, after a major bingka boo-boo phobia) and am happy to show off this cake in all it's moist, bananasome! Awesome! Yummisome! Gimmesome!

Well, that certainly put me in a good mood. 

Chocolate, the all-time feel-good food.

For the original, untweaked recipe, visit Yee Ling.
For the cupcake version, visit Quay Po Cooks.

And if you trust this isn't another boo-boo, read on ...


INGREDIENTS (CAKE)


240 g plain flour
300 g caster sugar
75 g cocoa powder
1.5 tsp baking powder
1.5 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
120 ml milk
3 medium sized eggs
120 ml flavorless oil (I used grapeseed)
4 medium sized, very ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup warm water
1.5 tsp vanilla extract

sliced bananas to garnish


METHOD

Preheat oven to 180˚C.
Line a 9" X 9" pan with parchment.

Mix together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large mixing bowl.
In another bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, oil, mashed bananas, water and vanilla extract.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and whisk until combined.
Pour mixture into prepared pan and bake 35 - 40 mins.
Cool before slathering with ganache.


INGREDIENTS (DARK CHOCOLATE GANACHE)


220 g bittersweet chocolate, chopped (you can use milk chocolate if you like)
180 ml cream
15 g butter


METHOD

Place chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl.
Heat cream and butter in a saucepan. Turn off the heat just as it starts to boil.
Pour into chocolate pieces and stir until smooth.
*(If you have difficulty melting the chocolate, place the bowl over a pot of simmering water and continue stirring until you get a smooth, glossy mixture ... water bath)
Cool completely. Mixture will be thick and spreadable. 

(I couldn't wait to eat it and didn't wait for it to cool to a frosting consistency, that's why it looks all gooey and oozy. Just as good!)
Eat by the spoonfuls .... uh, I mean, spread onto cake.


TO SERVE:

Split cake into two. Spread some ganache onto bottom half of cake, layer sliced bananas onto that, top with upper layer of cake, spread with ganache and devour!
Or put more banana slices over the top if you like. 

Go Bananas!







51 comments:

  1. Ping, you are wicked! Look at that oozy shiny shiny chocolaty lava flowing down the cake. And the bananas peeking cheekily down under. And you have me all worked up for a good reason! I have to bake this cake! I must eat some ganache! I'm going bananas!

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    1. Muahahahahaha!!! Well, that's good to know a picture can do that to a person. That's a compliment indeed! Thank you! Now go bananas!

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  2. Good to see you recovered and back in action.
    I am trying to remember if I've ever tried a banana chocolate cake. Does sound delicious.
    The melting/dripping ganache probably looks nicer than if you let it cool completely (if thats possible considering the temp there, unless aircon is working full blast)

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    1. Thank you, Mr T.
      Chocolate and bananas go so well together. Now that I have leftover ganache (I made more than the recipe ... hehe), I'm dipping bananas into that and freezing them. Yum!
      Yes, you're right. The frosting wouldn't be so oozily nice if I'd waited. So, in this case, impatience is good :)

      Delete
  3. OMG...this is total temptation! I can see why you just had to make it! I'm not always up for dessert, but there is no way I could resist this one! I am so much like you...I just can't make a recipe as it is written without making my own little changes or additions. :) I wonder why we do that?!! ;)

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    1. Hi Lyndsey! Let's not make this a temptation .... go bake! :) Don't fight it!
      Haha! I'd like to think we're creative people to keep tweaking stuff. But I'll settle for curious :)

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  4. Love the bananas! I bet the cake is delicious!

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    1. Hi Pola! It was! A marriage made in heaven :)

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  5. This looks so wicked and sinfully delicious. Wicked because I can see but cannot taste and sinful because it is not kind to tempt your friends like this. I think we have to bake together one weekend and do the twist together with the music. LOL!

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    1. Thanks, Veronica. You have a great recipe yourself. Not sure if this even can compare to that.
      I'd love to bake together one day ... and, uh, do the twist? okaaay ...

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    2. hahaha Ping, I clicked the wrong post and I just posted a comment to ask where is my comment because I don't see it. wahahaha. So typical of Aunty Lucy.

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  6. Hey, thanks for the link. Really appreciate it.

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  7. Ping, you've done it again. Pure temptation with that thick chocolate topping! I hope you saved me a piece!!!

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    1. In exchange for a double portion of the pavlova ... yessss!!!

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  8. Banana and chocolate, Ping, you are a teaser alright! Awesome ! Have KIV it :)

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    1. Haha! Thanks Elin! Hope you will try it out soon. If you're a chocolate lover ... this would satisfy totally!

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  9. Ping..thanks for the shout!

    I really love your version. Looks so much alike the one we had at Secret Recipe. Guess what? This recipe is also the one I am going to do on that 'DAY'...ehehhhheh.

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    1. Thanks, Yee Ling. Really? Secret Recipe makes it this way? I haven't been to that place for a long time.
      Ooooh ... you'll do great, I know! This is so delicious! Good luck to you. I already told Shannon I'll be there to shake my pom-poms. Will you be on the same day as her?

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  10. Mmm yummmmmmy...i love banana choc cakes. Always buy from SR

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    1. No need to buy la. Very easy to make. And so yummy!

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  11. It was my chocolate jelly that makes me having this sorethroat for over a week now but after looking at your chocolate cake, I think I can't get angry with chocolate, it isn't its fault, it's my issue, hahaha! How are you feeling now? Hand, arm, body all ok now?

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    1. Really? I thought jellies were "cooling".
      I'm almost 100% ok now, thanks Jessie. Just some blue-black bits which aren't too blue nor black anymore :)

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  12. "un-griped" heehee... I don't mind you speaking your mind at all - if you can't express yourself on your own blog then where?! This dessert looks DYNO.mite. The combination of chocolate and banana is sinfully delicious and that picture is swoon-worthy. You're killing me with these fab desserts Ping!! Now I not only have Mr. 3 Cookies gorgeous chutney bars on my list but this un-griped gateau as well... Love!

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    1. Hey Kelly! And thanks for understanding.
      Haha! I guess you'll just have to make both! I'm sure your family's not going to complain :) ... HUGS!

      Delete
  13. The moment I saw that picture of this cake I wanted to start licking the screen. There's no way I could make this. I wouldn't be able to stop eating it. What a gorgeous and delicious looking cake!!!!!

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    1. LOL!!! Thank you! Not a problem, MJ. Once you've finished the cake, you can stop :D

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  14. Very nice Ping. But how are You? Really.

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    1. Thank you, Zsuzsa. I'm good. Back to the usual rut. No more getting pampered :)

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  15. Excellent! You were right: we have the same medicine to cure sadness or anger or simply to improve our mood! It's incredible that we have posted chocolate desserts almost at the same time. This cake looks so rich, soft, fluffy, chocolatey... I already feel guilty even looking at your picture! I love the way bananas are used here. I am not a fan of banana bread (baked bananas take for me a strange taste sometimes), but using them mashed in a chocolate cake may tame down the too-strong aroma! The sliced ones are obviously a pure delight!
    What do I do now??? Another coconut cake or this one... I'm completely lost. Id' better go back to work ;-)
    I am glad to hear you feel better and things got back to normal (or almost). All my best wishes and big hugs!

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    1. Yay, us! It's strange ... I used to hate bananas as a kid but now I love it in almost anything. Chocolate and bananas are great together! Actually, Yee Ling's recipe uses less bananas and I thought I'd use up what I had which came to almost double her amount used but strangely, the banana flavors don't seem too overpowering at all.Worked out quite well actually.
      Haha! Make both!
      Big hugs back!

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  16. Oooo...I love banana cake with chocolate icecream - this chocolate cake with bananas is definitely an absolute killer. Looks so sinfully rich...and heavenly. Slurpssss!

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    1. Thank you! Here I am ogling at yours and you're ogling at mine :D LOL!!! Great mix this, chocolate and banana.

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  17. What a perfect shot of chocolate banana cake Ping! I love it! I've been eating lots of chocolate bars for the past week (due to my stress) and only wished that this cake was around... I guaranteed that I'd been a lot happier with this cake. ;) Hope you are feeling better... At least it's weekend. Enjoy! :)

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    1. Thank you, Nami! I hope the chocolate worked for you. Now that your site's working well again, I'm sure you're more relaxed.
      I am feeling a lot better, thanks. Let's have more chocolate together! :D
      Have a good weekend too!

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  18. This looks evilly tempting an rich with the drizzled chocolate!

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    1. Haha! That's a compliment indeed! Thank you, Angie!

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  19. Hey Ping!

    Having discovered a great egg substitute, I can now attempt this recipe without tweakage - and my other half loves chocolate and bananas, so I need to make this and soon!

    In other news, you shouldn't let people get worked up when you gripe. It's the intubez, there'll ALWAYS be people who get worked up about something or another! Don't let them get to you.

    *hugs*

    Veronika

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    1. Hey V! That's great news!
      What's "intubez"?
      It's ok, I'm cool.
      *hugs back* :)

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  20. Oh, my dad would love this! He loves bananas! As usual, it looks delicious!

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  21. Hi Ping, your chocolate banana cake sure taste heavenly especially the ganache.... sinfully delicious but never mind eat first and count the calories later. :)

    Have a nice week ahead.

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    1. Calories? What's that? :)
      Chocolate's good for mood enhancing (I need that) and bananas are good for you ... I'd like to think this is healthy. :)

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  22. Hi Ping ,
    found some time to visit your blog :). This cake looks divine !I love anything with chocolate . I am bookmarking it ;)

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    1. Welcome, Ruwani! Glad you're enjoying your visit here.
      Yup, this one's perfect for any chocoholic :) Enjoy!

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