Moist Chocolate Banana Cake
This moist chocolate banana cake is soft, rich, and easy to make with ripe bananas and cocoa powder. A simple homemade cake that stays tender for days.
Ingredients
- 135 g caster sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 100 g all-purpose flour
- 35 g cocoa powder
- 4 g baking powder
- 4 g baking soda
- 135 g ripe banana mashed
- 1 egg room temperature
- 70 ml oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 135 ml hot simmering water
- cocoa frosting for layering and topping
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the sugar and salt, then sift in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda. Stir to combine.
- In a separate bowl, mash the ripe banana with a fork until smooth. Add the egg, oil, and vanilla extract to the banana and whisk until fully combined.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture using a spatula, stirring just until everything comes together; avoid overmixing. Gradually pour in one-third of the hot, simmering water and mix until incorporated, then add the remaining water and stir until the batter is smooth with a slightly runny consistency.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for 40–45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 30 minutes. Then remove it from the pan and let it cool completely on the rack.
- Once cooled, cut the cake into two equal layers.
- Place the bottom layer on a cake stand and spread 3 tablespoons of cocoa frosting evenly over the top. Add the second layer and spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake.
- Refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes before slicing to help set the shape.
Notes
Mash the Banana Well: I like to really mash the banana until it's completely smooth; this helps give the cake that soft, even texture.
Add the Hot Water in Stages: I pour in a bit first, mix it through, then add the rest. It makes the batter easier to handle and keeps it from getting too thin too fast.
Don’t Overmix the Batter: I stop stirring as soon as everything looks combined; overmixing can make the cake dense instead of light and tender.
Cool the Cake Before Frosting: I always wait until the cake is fully cool before frosting so the layers stay clean and the frosting holds its shape.
Chill Before Slicing: I like to refrigerate the finished cake for at least 30 minutes; it makes slicing so much easier and cleaner.
Nutrition
Calories: 218kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 20mg | Sodium: 273mg | Potassium: 149mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 41IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 1mg
