Double Chocolate Banana Cake is no ordinary chocolate cake! It’s rich and moist, packed with naturally sweet mashed bananas, sour cream, and espresso power.
The cake is topped with a stunningly decadent chocolate ganache - a chocolate-lover’s dream come true!
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❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- This cake is delicious when served at room temperature or chilled from refrigeration.
- Double chocolate banana cake is perfect for a holiday dessert or a special family indulgence and is much healthier compared to other cakes.
- Easily make the cake ahead of time and store in the freezer, ready to be frosted with the chocolate ganache just before serving.
Double chocolate banana cake is oh-so moist and decadent with a rich chocolate flavor that is further enhanced by the use of espresso!
🛒 Ingredients
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Note: The full list of this recipe ingredients with their amounts and options are listed in the recipe card below.
- all-purpose flour - the basis of the cake structure
- Dutch-processed cocoa powder - for a rich chocolate flavor
- baking soda - a rising agent
- kosher salt - enhances the flavor of the other ingredients
- ground cinnamon - gives the cake an additional layer of essence
- espresso powder - adds a layer of flavor plus coffee enhances the chocolate taste
- unsalted butter - helps to create a light and tender texture in the cake batter
- granulated sugar - white sugar for the sweetness
- eggs - provides structure, leavening, and richness to the cake.
- ripe bananas - this is the flavor basis of the loaf.
- pure vanilla extract - adds to the flavor
- sour cream - the fat adds to the moistness of the cake
- chocolate chips - doubles the chocolate flavor
- semi-sweet chocolate - chocolate for the frosted top
- heavy cream - for the ganache topping
🗒 Instructions
Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the recipe card below.
- Add flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and espresso powder to a large mixing bowl.
- Whisk the dry ingredients well and set it aside.
- In the bowl of your mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until smooth and creamy, then add the sugar and mix.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, and mix.
- Add in mashed bananas and vanilla extract, and mix.
- On low speed, add in the mixed dry ingredients from the bowl set aside.
- In between adding the flour mixture, mix in the sour cream.
- Gently fold in the chocolate chips using a rubber spatula.
- Transfer the batter to a prepared loaf pan. Smooth the top with the spatula.
- Bake the cake batter for 55-65 minutes at 375F.
- In another mixing bowl, add in the semi-sweet chocolate and pour in the boiled heavy cream with espresso powder and butter.
- Let the cream and chocolate stand for 1 minute to help melt the chocolate.
- Whisk the cream and chocolate until smooth.
- Cover the bowl of frosting with plastic wrap and refrigerate, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes, or until firm enough to spread.
- Once the cake is cooled, spread the chocolate espresso ganache over the cake with a metal spatula.
- Slice the cake and enjoy!
🔪 Equipment
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You’ll need the following items to make this recipe successfully.
- mixing bowls
- electric mixer - stand or hand held
- dry measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- liquid measuring cup
- whisk
- rubber spatula
- parchment paper
- 9X5-inch loaf pan
- cooling rack
🤔 FAQs
These are the questions we are most frequently asked about making rich Double Chocolate Banana Cake with Espresso Chocolate Frosting.
Start by mashing the banana in a separate bowl, adding in melted butter, sugar, eggs, yogurt, and vanilla extract. Next, add in the flour mixture and whisk until just combined. Transfer the batter to a cake tin and bake for 40-50 minutes.
The great thing about banana cake is that even with ingredients such as flour, butter, and sugar, you still get the benefits of natural sweetness and nutrients thanks to the use of bananas. Banana cake is certainly the healthier option compared to other cakes.
Banana loaf doesn’t usually have icing or frosting added to it while the cake does. While banana loaf can call for heavier flour types such as whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour, banana cake sometimes calls for lighter flours such as pastry flour or cake flour.
The cake batter is first made by combining ingredients such as a flour mixture with eggs, butter, sugar, and vanilla extract. Additional ingredients such as sour cream or heavy cream can also be added to make the cake super moist. Once baked, the cake is then topped with a chocolate icing, frosting, or ganache.
To make a moist cake, add in ingredients such as sour cream. You should also avoid overbaking the cake or overmixing the batter. Once baked, try to frost or ice the cake as soon as it has cooled sufficiently. Lastly, always store the cake properly to prevent it from drying out.
👩🏻🍳 Tips
- Avoid over stirring the cake batter as this will result in an overly dense and crumbly cake. Only stir in the flour mixture until just combined.
- To get a super smooth chocolate ganache, use an immersion blender instead of a spatula or whisk once the chocolate and boiled cream have sat for a bit.
- It’s not recommended to apply the chocolate ganache when the cake is still hot from the oven but you can do so when the cake is still slightly warm. Some of the ganache will end up soaking in the cake, making the cake even more moist and flavorful.
- Reduce the chance of bubbles in the cake batter by tapping the cake pan gently on the countertop just before adding to the oven.
- If you aren’t sure whether the cake is cooked completely, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. It should come out clean for the cake to be properly cooked.
📚 Variations
- Instead of chocolate ganache, consider using a chocolate frosting, buttercream, or even a simple chocolate sugar glaze.
- Adjust the amount of heavy cream in the ganache to achieve a thinner or thicker consistency.
- For gluten-free chocolate banana cake, use gluten-free flour such as Bob’s Red Mill which is a like-for-like substitution.
- Plain full-fat yogurt can be used instead of sour cream.
- Chopped nuts can be added to the cake batter in addition to the chocolate chips.
🥫 Storage
Store this double chocolate banana cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. You can also wrap the cake with plastic wrap to lock in moisture.
This cake can also be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months, with or without the chocolate ganache.
📗 Related Recipes
Love cake? Then you’ve come to the right place! For more super moist and decadent cake recipes, be sure to try my Toasted Pecan Praline Cake With Caramel Glaze or Cannoli Cake With Whipped Cream And Chocolate Covered Strawberries.
And if you love the combination of chocolate and banana, these Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins are the perfect treat without overindulging.
🍽 Serve with
While this double chocolate banana cake really doesn’t need anything added to it, you could enjoy a serving of cake with some freshly whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Or how about serving it with some cappuccino ice cream?
📞 Chiacchierata (chat)
Nothing beats a flavorful and rich cake that’s also super moist! While this chocolate banana cake may seem similar to banana loaf, it’s so much more than that. Over the years, I’ve experimented with sour cream and espresso in the cake batter which provides great moisture and enhanced flavor.
The thick chocolate ganache is a great alternative to chocolate frosting or icing and turns this cake into a stunning dessert for all kinds of occasions.
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📝 Recipe Card
Double chocolate banana cake is a decadent cake, loaded with mashed banana, rich chocolate flavor, espresso powder, and sour cream for added moisture. It’s topped off with a melted chocolate ganache that not only sets this cake apart from other cakes but will have you coming back for more in no time!
If you love this recipe please give it 5 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
📖 Recipe
Double Chocolate Banana Cake With Chocolate Ganache Frosting
Equipment Needed
- Stand Mixer may also use a hand mixer.
Ingredients
Chocolate Banana Cake:
- 1⅓ cups All-purpose flour 158 grams
- ¼ cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder 23 grams
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Espresso powder
- ½ cup Unsalted butter 113 grams at room temperature
- 1 cup Granulated sugar 200 grams
- 2 Eggs large - at room temperature
- 1½ cup Ripe bananas 337.5 grams mashed (about 3 medium)
- 2 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup Sour cream 121 grams at room temperature
- ½ cup chocolate chips 85 grams
Chocolate Espresso Ganache Frosting:
- 1¼ cups Semi-Sweet Chocolate 212 grams finely chopped
- ¾ cup Heavy cream 170 grams
- 2 teaspoon Espresso powder may use less for a milder espresso flavor
- 1 Tablespoons Unsalted butter at room temperature cut int small pieces.
Instructions
Chocolate Banana Cake
- Position rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 375℉.
- Line a 9X5inch loaf pan with parchment paper but leaving extra length on the two long sides of the pan. Spray the bottom and sides of the pan with nonstick baking spray.
- In a large bowl, sift or whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and espresso powder. Set aside.
- In the bowl of your mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Gradually add in the sugar and beat on medium-high speed until well combined. About 2 minutes.Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl and then beat for another half minute.
- Add the two eggs in one at a time, beating well after each addition and scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
- On low speed add in the flour mixture in three different additions starting with the flour and alternating with the sour cream in two additions. You will end with the flour-cocoa mixture. Mix until combined but don't overmix.
- Fold in the chocolate chips using a rubber spatula. Transfer to batter to the prepared loaf pan. Smooth the top with the spatula.
- Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. You may see some melted chocolate or a few moist crumbs - that's okay.
- Cool in the cake pan, on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Pull the cake out of the loaf pan with the extra parchment paper on the side and let the cake finish cooling completely on the wire rack.
Chocolate Espresso Ganache Frosting:
- In a small saucepan combine the heavy cream and espresso powders.Bring to a boil over medium-heat watching carefully that it doesn't boil over. Once at a boil immediately remove from heat and stir in the butter.
- Pour cream over chopped chocolate and let stand for 1 minute to melt the chocolate, then whisk smooth with a metal spoon or rubber spatula.
- Cover the surface of the frosting with plastic wrap and refrigerate, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes, or until firm enough to spread.
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