Banana chocolate craze

Chocolate Banana Upside Down Cake

There is something unusually gratifying about baking a cake. This one requires no frosting, which means only one thing: it goes in your mouth faster.  I used a smaller baking pan than what the recipe asked for causing the bananas to slide to the side.  It actually looks beautiful this way!  Just be sure to put a baking tray underneath to catch the excess drips.

This cake's aroma is sweet and comforting with the deep chocolate Valrhona with little bananas peeking though gives a visually stunning appearance.

Chocolate Banana Upside Down Cake Recipe

Ingredients
For the topping:
4 Tbsp butter
1/4 Cup + 2 Tbsp dark brown sugar, packed
2 - 3 ripe bananas

For the cake:
1 1/2 Cups cake flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 Cup + 2 Tbsp cocoa powder
1/2 Cup + 2 Tbsp hot water
1/3 C buttermilk @ room temperature
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 Cup + 2 Tbsp canola oil
3/4 Cup granulated sugar
3/4 Cup dark brown sugar, packed
2 eggs @ room temperature

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease the sides of a 9-inch square pan.

For the topping, melt the butter in a saucepan. Whisk in the brown sugar and cook for a minute until blended. Scrape the mixture into the prepared pan and distribute it evenly across the entire bottom of the pan. Slice the bananas about 1/4” thick and arrange on top of the butter sugar mixture. Set aside.

Sift the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
Whisk together the cocoa powder and hot water until thoroughly blended and smooth.
Mix the buttermilk and vanilla extract.

Combine the oil, granulated sugar and brown sugar in a large bowl. The mixture will look like wet sand. Add the eggs and blend well. Whisk in the cocoa mixture. Stir in the dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk and beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix just until well blended. Pour into the prepared pan over the bananas and gently tap the bottom of the pan on the work surface a few times to remove any air bubbles.

Bake for about 33 - 35 minutes or until a toothpick tests with a few moist crumbs adhering. Cool 15 minutes. Run a thin bladed knife around the edges. Place a platter over the cake and invert. Cool completely.

Recipe from Pastry Studio