What do you do when you return from a holiday to find a bunch of overripe bananas staring at you? This bunch of bananas were almost blackened and squishy but not spoilt. There’s only one solution-make banana cake, of course!
This banana loaf recipe stands out from the other countless banana loaves I’ve made as it reminds me a lot of the very banana cakes I used to eat growing up. In Singapore, banana cakes are made in old school confectionaries and the pisang raja variety of bananas are used. These give the cake it’s characteristic brown freckles and extra banana flavour compared to the Dole variety that is prevalent. My favourite banana cake in Singapore comes from Bollywood Veggies- an organic farm that grows its own banana plants.
Bananas are abundant in South-East Asia and so there are countless recipes using bananas/plantains of every kind imaginable! Did you know that there are more than 70 species of bananas just in South-East Asia and New Guinea? Did you also know that you could eat the flower and stem of the banana plant? And before crockery found it’s way to South East Asia, banana leaves were widely used as ‘plates’ and ‘food parcels’. Very environmentally-friendly, ya?
Not only does this banana loaf cake remind of the delicious ones I used to eat as a kid, but it is also the best one I’ve made so far. I love how the house smelled when this was baking. I could smell the bananas and the honey so distinctly. So heavenly! The bananas and yoghurt keep the cake very moist for 2-3 days after its baked. We’ve demolished this cake in half a week and I’ve bought a new bunch of bananas that I’ll keep till they’re overripe, just to make this again.
Only make this if you love bananas and chocolate. In under an hour, you’ll have a treat to go with your afternoon tea/coffee. So difficult to muck up and absolutely decadent on a weekday afternoon!
Decadent Chocolate Banana Loaf
Adapted from Food, Issue 81
Ingredients
- 100g butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/3 cup caster sugar
- 1/3 cup honey / golden syrup
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup mashed overripe bananas, about 2 large bananas
- 1/3 cup yoghurt
- 1 1/4 plain flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
For the topping
- your favourite chocolate spread
- toasted and chopped walnuts
- cocoa nibs
Steps
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F. Line and grease a loaf tin.
- In a large bowl, sift plain flour, baking soda and salt.
- Cream softened butter, castor sugar and honey/golden syrup until pale and fluffy.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating on low speed until well-combined.
- Stir in the mashed banana.
- Add 1/3 of sifted flour mix and then 1/2 of yoghurt. Gently fold to combine. Add 1/3 of flour.
- Add the remaining 1/2 of yoghurt and 1/3 of flour. Very gently fold to combine after each addition.
- Pour batter into prepared load tin and add a horizontally-sliced banana halves on top of the batter, if desired.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until inserted skewer comes out clean.
- Let it cool completely.
- Warm some chocolate spread in the microwave for a few seconds on high.
- Spread over cooled banana loaf. Sprinkle some toasted, chopped walnuts and cocoa nibs.
- Enjoy a slice with a warm cup of tea. This might be a tall order but try not to keep it all for yourself! Sharing is caring.
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I’m bringing this cake to Fiesta Friday #69’s potluck party hosted by Angie and co-hosted by Juju and Amanda.
Monsoon Table 
Bananas and chocolate are such a wonderful combination. I am so envious of the huge variety of bananas you have there!
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Im envious of your peonies Michelle!
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Looks delicious – I love chocolate and bananas together. Thanks for sharing with Fiesta Friday 🙂
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Thank you Juju! Thanks for co-hosting! Cheers!
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Ooooh, my mouth is watering! That looks delicious 😀
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Thanks Garance! I can attest to its deliciousness 🙂
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This looks amazing – making me super hungry right now!
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Thanks J Seaton 🙂
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This looks incredible! I love chocolate and banana, so I’ll definitely try out your loaf 😉
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Please do Kristen 😊
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My, one beautiful loaf. I want to make it this weekend. Question: Can I substitute all-purpose flour with gluten free?
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Thank you, Monique 🙂 Ive not tried it out with GF flour. Let me know how it goes. I might include an extra 1/2 or 1 mashed banana as most GF flours do need more moisture. Let me know how it turns out.
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Well done – Looks sweet-licious 😉
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I’ve been looking for a banana loaf recipe – tried one last week and it was too heavy 😦 As usual your amazing photos and descriptions have won me over, I’ll be trying this out tonight! Thank you ^^
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Hi Jo. Thank you! Many banana loaf recipes are more like banana bread meant to be eaten with some jam or butter. So perhaps that’s why your loaf seemed heavy. I prefer a cake like texture so I hope my recipe hits the right spot for you 🙂
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Hello! my friend, Anusha introduced me to your blog/instagram page and i’ve been reading it every day this week now! Love the posts and the pictures! Did you use a nutella spread on your banana loaf?
Btw, my fav chocolate banana loaf is the one i’ve eaten at Bollywood Veggies too! Fabulous with a little bit of ice-cream 🙂
Also, do you have a good baked mac n cheese recipe which you could share? 🙂
Thank you!
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Hi Sangeeta! So nice to hear from you. I do use Nutella or whatever chok hazelnut spread I like from the supermarkets. And yes, a good mac n cheese with korean flavours is coming up very soon. Stay tuned 😉
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