Banana Chocolate Chip Cake | Whole Grain

This banana chocolate chip cake (perfect for snacking!) takes just minutes to whip up and is fluffy and tender – with a delicious hint of hearty whole grains.

Happy Monday, friends! 

I have LOVED all your responses to my weekly newsletter (that went out Friday afternoon) with your favorite book recommendations after I shared two of my recent faves!

(If you aren’t signed up yet, you can do so here.)

I have a feeling I’m going to be very busy for the next year or so catching up on all the books I’ve missed.

Brian says to tell you that you are all fired.

He’s worried about his future.

Clean laundry? Dinner on the table? A wife who makes eye contact and actually speaks more than one-word sentences?

All of those details are very uncertain when I’ve lost myself in a gripping novel. #compulsivereadersunite

Thankfully I have tons of recipes stored up to share with you, which means you shall not be affected immediately by the Reading Splurge of 2017.

I have so many recipes waiting in the wings that sometimes I wish I had the time to get a post up every single dang day.

Seriously, I HAVE SO MANY RECIPES TO SHARE WITH YOU!

Most of them are made already, and the pictures are just waiting quietly in the depths of my “Recipes to Post” files for their time to shine.

Instead of stressing about how to make the time to get these recipes in front of your face (stressing about tedious matters is my middle name, in case you didn’t know), I’ll just share this banana chocolate chip snack cake with you.

How’s that? One recipe down, 543 to go.

My family and I are head over heels for this banana chocolate chip cake!

This delightful little cake has the flavor of  really great banana bread – it’s just baked in a cake pan.

AND, it has some wonderful nutty notes of whole grain goodness throughout that compliment the flavor and crumb.

The texture is slightly fluffier than other banana breads that I love (like this sour cream banana bread and this wildly popular buttermilk banana bread).

I honestly don’t know if that is because of the ingredient lineup or simply because it’s baked in a cake pan instead of a loaf pan.

But either way, it is delicious.

As the recipe title implies, it really is a perfect “cake” for snacking.

My kids even finished it off the next morning for breakfast. I’d like to report that not one person in my household felt guilty about that decision.

Of course, I couldn’t hold myself back and dug into it while it was still warm from the oven.

Normally that’s a no-no with quick breads (many times, especially like this pumpkin chocolate chip bread, quick breads taste better the next day), but this banana chocolate chip cake was incredible just a teeny bit warm!

I may or may not have thrown a spoonful of cinnamon ice cream on top of the sliver I carved out of the cake…but that’s neither here nor there.

Such a simple snack OR dessert, this super simple banana chocolate chip cake is a keeper!

eOne Year Ago: The Best Homemade Spaghetti Sauce
Two Years Ago: Classic and Delicious Peach Cobbler
Three Years Ago: Zucchini Hummus
Four Years Ago: Pumpkin Chocolate Ice Cream Sandwiches
Five Years Ago: Succulent Grilled Pork Tenderloin

Yield: 8X8- or 9X9-inch pan

Banana Chocolate Chip Snack Cake

Prep Time:15 mins

Cook Time:45 mins

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (4 ounces) whole wheat flour (see note)
• 1 cup (5 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 8 tablespoons (4 ounces) butter, softened
• 1 cup (7.5 ounces) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups (about 12 ounces) mashed ripe bananas (see note), about 3 large bananas
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 cup (6 ounces) mini chocolate chips or regular chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (make sure an oven rack is in the middle position). Grease an 8X8- or 9X9-inch baking pan with cooking spray. See note below for pan type (metal vs. glass).
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda.
3. In a large bowl with a handheld electric mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
4. Add the eggs and mix to combine.
5. Add the bananas and vanilla and mix.
6. Add 1/3 of the flour mixture and mix until a few dry streaks remain. Add 1/2 of the buttermilk and mix. Add another 1/3 of the flour and mix again, followed by the remaining buttermilk. Finally add the last of the flour AND the chocolate chips and mix until just combined (don’t overmix!).
7. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake for 45-55 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely in the pan (or dig in while warm; no judging).

Notes:

I always use the white whole wheat variety when baking with whole wheat flour (it’s a bit lighter in color and texture). Also, you can definitely experiment subbing in whole wheat flour for the cup of all-purpose flour. I liked the ratio of half whole wheat/half all-purpose flour so that the cake wasn’t overly dense. You’ll also notice I’m using slightly less ounces for the cup of whole wheat flour than I am for the all-purpose flour. If you don’t have a scale, just measure with a light hand so the whole wheat isn’t packed into the measuring cup (that will make for a heavy, overly dense cake).

Make sure the bananas you use are speckled with brown spots – the more speckles, the sweeter the bananas will be! If the bananas aren’t ripe enough, the cake won’t have the same delicious banana flavor and natural sweetness. 

I always use metal baking pans for recipes like this. You could try baking in a glass pan – just keep in mind that you may want to bake at 325 degrees instead of 350 (a common adjustment with glass pans), and I’m not sure the sides of a glass pan will be high enough for this cake. It makes a fairly thick cake, so regardless of the pan you use, make sure the sides are at least 2 1/2 inches high (or use a larger baking pan). 

All images and text ©Mel’s Kitchen Cafe.

Recipe Source: adapted from Cook’s Country June/July 2017; (reduced sugar, used whole wheat flour, nixed the icing, increased the bananas, etc.)