Banana Chocolate Chip Cake

This recipe has become a very popular treat with my family this Summer. Bananas seem to go ripe way too fast this time of year and rather than turn to the usual Banana Bread or freeze them for Smoothies my mother started making this amazing Banana Chocolate Chip Cake recipe.

 

The chocolate chips sometimes sink and you get this wonderful three layer look. The cake is perfectly moist and the buttercream icing is to die for. This makes a big 13″ x 9″ cake which is great for taking to picnics and parties right in the pan.

What you’ll need:

Cake:

• 2-2/3 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1-1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1-1/4 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1-1/2 cups bananas, mashed
• 1 cup buttermilk (Or mix slightly less than 1 cup milk with 1 tbsp lemon juice and let sit for 5 min.)
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Icing:

• 1/3 cup butter (1/2 stick)
• 1/3 cup shortening
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2-2/3 cups sifted confectioner’s sugar
• 1 tbsp + 1 tsp milk

 

To make cake:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 13″ x 9″ cake pan and set aside.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large mixer bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in eggs, one at a time, continually beating.

Add in banana and mix well. Alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk into the creamed mixture, mixing lightly after each addition. Stir in chocolate chips. Spread batter evenly into baking dish.

Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let completely cool in the pan on a wire rack before icing.

To make icing:
In a large bowl, cream together butter and shortening. Add in vanilla. Gradually add in sugar, one cup at a time while beating on medium speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl frequently.

After all the icing sugar is mixed in, add in milk and beat until light and fluffy. If you are not using the icing right away, cover the bowl with a damp cloth until ready to use. When the cake is completely cooled, spread icing over the top.

 

This is a simple cake, but it tastes fantastic and you’ll always see people going back for seconds, only to find out there might not be any because it goes that quick.

 

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