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    Home » Cakes

    Published on: November 22, 2017 by Janice Lawandi; Updated on: May 10, 2023 6 Comments

    Banana cake with chocolate frosting

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    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Coffee banana cake is a banana snacking cake and topped with milk chocolate frosting and flavoured with coffee

    Learn how to make the best banana cake with chocolate frosting. The banana cake is moist and flavourful, made with very ripe bananas and sour cream. The frosting is a variation of a chocolate fudge frosting, made with milk chocolate, a little sour cream, and some espresso powder, reinforcing the chocolate flavour and adding a slight coffee taste to it.

    A square banana cake topped with a thick layer of chocolate fudge frosting
    Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    I love the simplicity of single layer cakes, especially a comforting banana snack cake like this. They bake in less time than a loaf cake, though the ingredient quantities are comparable, which means you get to eat your cake faster. And since my love for combining coffee and banana is real (remember I turned that combination years ago into a coffee banana smoothie, still one of my all-time fave smoothie flavours), well, here we go again: coffee and banana together in cake form with a milk chocolate fudge frosting.

    I resisted the urge to add cardamom to the cake batter, but please, don't let that stop you. Cardamom would be so awesome in this recipe, as I have proven in this cardamom banana bread recipe. Perhaps I need to make this one again with cardamom, you know, just to make sure.

    Jump to:
    • What you need to make this cake
    • Type of chocolate for frostings
    • Substitutions and variations
    • Special equipment
    • How it's made
    • Storage
    • Top tip
    • Serving suggestions
    • Other banana recipes to try
    • Other ways to use this chocolate frosting
    • 📖 Recipe

    This post is sponsored by Cacao Barry.

    What you need to make this cake

    Like banana bread, banana cake has a simple list of ingredients. You'll also need to plan for the frosting (so more butter and sour cream than if you were to make the cake unfrosted).

    Ingredients to make a banana snack cake measured out and ready to be mixed.
    • butter—preferably unsalted though salted will work in this recipe. You may adjust the salt in the cake batter if your salted butter has a lot of salt
    • sugar—both granulated sugar and light brown sugar
    • eggs—I bake with large eggs exclusively, which weigh approximately 56 grams (shell on) or 50 grams (shell off). Larger or smaller eggs may result in either a wetter cake or a dryer cake, respectively
    • mashed banana—mash very ripe bananas that are quite soft and with a blackened peel. If the bananas are too young, they are more starchy, which will have an impact on the taste and texture of the cake
    • sour cream—I bake with full-fat sour cream (14% fat). If you use lower fat sour cream, the texture of the cake may be dryer
    • pure vanilla extract
    • all-purpose flour—I bake with bleached all-purpose flour. You can try unbleached, but the texture and rise of the cake may differ
    • chemical leaveners—you need both chemical leavening agents, baking powder and baking soda in this cake. If you aren't sure the difference, you can read about baking powder versus baking soda
    • ground coffee beans, as in coffee grinds (the kind you would brew to make drip coffee)—these don't add too much flavour to the cake, but they do give the cake a lovely speckled look reminiscent of the banana seeds. Feel free to skip it if you want!
    • Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt
    • chocolate—I've tested the frosting with both milk and dark chocolate and both work. The flavour will obviously differ
    • icing sugar, also called powdered sugar or confectionner's sugar, not granulated sugar
    • Dutch processed cocoa powder—I bake with Cacao Barry extra brute cocoa powder, which is a dark cocoa powder with a little over 20 % fat.
    • instant espresso powder is a great way to add coffee to baked goods without adding water. Added to the frosting, it enhances the chocolate flavour but also add a subtle coffee taste that is so nice with chocolate and banana

    See recipe card for quantities.

    Type of chocolate for frostings

    This coffee banana cake has the perfect texture, and it's not too sweet. It's just right for a thick slather of chocolate frosting made from the best chocolate for baking. I've tested the frosting with both 41 % milk chocolate and 70 % dark chocolate and both work great.

    A glass bowl of glossy chocolate fudge frosting mixed with an electric mixer.

    For this recipe, I went with Cacao Barry Alunga milk chocolate (41 % cocoa) to make a slightly sweeter chocolate frosting but not too sweet! Alungo is referred to as milk chocolate for dark chocolate lovers because it has a balanced flavour. Trust me, Alunga is a great milk chocolate and makes excellent chocolate fudge frosting with sour cream, whether it's for a simple banana snacking cake like this banana cake like this or for a tall layer cake like this tall 6-inch vanilla cake with milk chocolate frosting.

    You can order Alunga milk chocolate and most Cacao Barry products online via the Vanilla Food Company website and they ship across Canada and to the United States! In Quebec, you might find them at certain IGA grocery stores, as well as Aubut in Montreal.

    Coffee banana cake flavoured with coffee and topped with milk chocolate frosting

    Substitutions and variations

    • Chocolate—the frosting can be made with milk or dark chocolate but please use high-quality chocolate with a higher percentage of cocoa solids (at least 40 %) otherwise the frosting may lack flavour and be too sweet
    • Nuts—you can add chopped nuts to the banana cake batter, for example chopped roasted peanuts or toasted walnuts would be excellent here
    • Coffee—don't like coffee? Skip the coffee grinds and the espresso powder.
    • Garnishes—I've topped this cake with candied pecans, chopped nuts, but also chocolate sprinkles. Use what you've got!

    Special equipment

    I baked this banana cake in a square 9x9 pan so that I could cut it into square portions for a fun afternoon snack.

    Buttering a 9x9 cake pan with softened butter and the help of the butter wrapper to smooth the butter over the entire surface of the pan.
    Buttered 9x9 square cake pan lined with a square of parchment paper fitted to the bottom of the pan to prevent cakes from sticking.

    Make sure that you take the time to prepare the cake pan before transferring the batter into the pan: I like to butter the pan and line the bottom with parchment. If the pan isn't non-stick, flour the sides too! This way, the cake can be unmoulded and frosted very easily.

    How it's made

    There are two components to this recipe: the banana cake and the chocolate sour cream frosting. Start with the banana cake and while the cake is cooling, you can make the frosting.

    Combining the wet ingredients for banana cake in a spouted measuring cup (including sour cream with mashed banana and vanilla extract).

    Combine the wet ingredients in a measuring cup or a bowl with a spout (banana, sour cream, and vanilla)

    Banana and sour cream whisked together in a spouted measuring cup.

    Use a small whisk to combine the wet ingredients until smooth.

    Cubes of softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a mixing bowl ready to be creamed.

    Combine the softened butter and sugars in your mixing bowl using an electric hand mixer (or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment).

    Creamed butter and sugar in a mixing bowl.

    Mix the butter and sugar for several minutes until fluffy and smooth.

    Adding eggs, one at at a time, to creamed butter and sugar make banana cake batter with a hand mixer.

    Mix the eggs in one at a time, mixing for at least a minute until each egg completely disappears into the batter.

    Banana cake batter before adding dry ingredients.

    The batter should be smooth and fluffy at this stage.

    Adding dry ingredients to banana cake batter in a bowl and mixing with electric hand mixer.

    Start by mixing in a third of the dry ingredients.

    Adding wet ingredients (mashed banana and sour cream) to make banana cake.

    Mix in half the wet, then another third of the dry ingredients and the rest of the wet ingredients.

    Scraping the sides of the mixing bowl with a spatula to make sure the cake batter ingredients are evenly mixed.

    Use a spatula to scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl throughout the mixing process to ensure the ingredients are properly mixed.

    Adding the last of the dry ingredients to banana cake batter before transferring to a pan to bake.

    Finish with the last of the dry ingredients. Do not overmix at this stage or the cake will be tough! You may want to switch to a spatula to finish mixing.

    Pouring banana cake batter into prepared square cake pan to make a snack cake.

    Pour the banana cake batter into a buttered square baking pan lined with parchment paper.

    Smoothing banana cake batter in a square pan with a mini offset spatula to make a snack cake.

    Use a mini offset spatula to evenly spread out and smooth the cake batter from edge to edge.

    Banana snack cake before baking in a square pan.

    Bake the banana cake on the middle rack of a preheated oven.

    Banana cake with golden brown edges pulling away from the sides of a square cake pan.

    The cake is done baking when the edges are golden brown and pull away from the sides and a cake tester inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.

    You can also use a Thermapen to check the internal temperature of the cake. It should be around 93–95 °C when it's baked.

    A square banana snack cake on a cooling rack.

    Unmould the cake onto a rack after it's cooled down for 10 minutes. This ensures the edges don't get damp from condensation.

    If you aren't experienced at making frosting, please refer to this post about how to make chocolate fudge frosting for more details and lots of step-by-step pictures.

    Coffee banana cake and milk chocolate frosting

    Storage

    Store this cake covered in foil for up to one day at room temperature. For longer storage, refrigerate the cake. Let it stand at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour before serving to let it warm up.

    Top tip

    Don't overmix the batter once you've incorporated the wet ingredients. If you do, the cake will be dense, tough, and possibly even gummy! You may incorporate the last of the dry ingredients by hand with a spatula to avoid developing the gluten in the cake batter.

    Serving suggestions

    This cake is great served with homemade ice cream! This dark chocolate ice cream or cardamom ice cream would be great here!

    • Chocolate brownie ice cream scooped into three small grey bowls with spoons.
      Chocolate brownie ice cream
    • Scooping chocolate ice cream with an ice cream scoop into glass bowls.
      Dark chocolate ice cream
    • Scoops of pumpkin ice cream in little bowls with pie crust cookies.
      Pumpkin ice cream
    • Green bowls with scoops of homemade mint chocolate chip ice cream.
      Mint chocolate chip ice cream

    Other banana recipes to try

    Want to bake more with bananas? Here are some other recipes to try, from an elaborate banana split cake to simple banana bread without baking soda.

    • Banana split cake
    • A grey-rimmed ceramic plate with two banana muffins, one split open and buttered.
      Banana muffins with oats (gluten-free)
    • Banana bread sliced on a cutting board.
      Banana bread without baking soda
    • A stack of bakeware including muffin pan and loaf pan and sheet pan
      Guide to baking pans and bakeware

    Other ways to use this chocolate frosting

    I love this chocolate frosting and I make it all the time! I highly recommend making a half batch to garnish this marble loaf cake or a larger batch for this vanilla cake with milk chocolate frosting. It would also work great with this eggless chocolate cake!

    📖 Recipe

    Coffee banana cake flavoured with coffee and topped with milk chocolate frosting

    Coffee Banana Cake with Chocolate Frosting

    AuthorAuthor : Janice Lawandi
    Learn how to make the best banana cake with chocolate frosting with this easy recipe. The moist banana cake is made with sour cream and the chocolate fudge frosting is flavoured with espresso powder and sour cream for a very flavourful topping.
    4.50 from 2 votes
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 30 minutes mins
    Cook Time 35 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 9
    Calories 559 kcal

    Equipment

    • 9x9-inch pan
    • 5-quart KitchenAid Artisan mixer
    • GIR spatula
    • Mini offset

    Ingredients
     
     

    For the coffee banana cake

    • 173 grams unsalted butter softened
    • 100 grams granulated sugar
    • 100 grams light brown sugar
    • 2 large egg(s)
    • 350 grams mashed banana from 3–4 large bananas
    • 60 ml sour cream (14% fat)
    • 10 mL pure vanilla extract
    • 250 grams bleached all-purpose flour
    • 23 mL ground coffee beans
    • 10 mL baking powder
    • 2.5 mL Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt
    • 1.25 mL baking soda

    For the milk chocolate frosting

    • 58 grams unsalted butter
    • 65 grams Cacao Barry Alunga 41% milk chocolate
    • 140 grams icing sugar sifted
    • 85 grams sour cream (14% fat)
    • 23 grams Cacao Barry extra brute cocoa powder
    • 5 mL instant espresso powder
    • 5 mL pure vanilla extract
    • 1.25 mL Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt

    Decoration (optional)

    • 30 grams candied nuts chopped, or toasted nuts chopped

    Instructions
     

    To make the coffee banana cake

    • Preheat the oven to 350ºF (175 °C). Grease a 9x9-inch (23x23 cm) metal brownie pan (I used a Chicago Metallic pan you can find on Amazon). Line the bottom with parchment paper. Flour the sides of the pan if you find your cakes stick. Set aside.
    • In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or with an electric hand mixer, cream together the butter and the sugars. Scrape down the sides of bowls as needed.
    • Add the eggs one at a time and beat them in. The mixture should be fluffy and well mixed
    • Mash together the bananas with the sour cream and vanilla.
    • In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour with the baking powder, baking soda, the coffee grounds, and the salt. You can also sift the dry ingredients if they are very lumpy, but note the salt and coffee grinds won't go through the sieve, so add them after sifting or transfer what is trapped to the bowl of dry ingredients.
    • Alternate mixing into the cake batter the dry and wet, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Mix until the batter ingredients are combined. Do not overmix!
    • Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the surface with a mini offset spatula . 
    • Bake the cake for about 35 minutes until the edges are golden brown and a cake tester inserted in the centre comes out clean. Let cool 10 minutes then unmold onto a wire rack.

    To make the milk chocolate frosting

    • Melt together the butter with the Alunga chocolate on power level 5 of the microwave or over a double boiler. Set aside to cool slightly.
    • Beat together the melted chocolate mixture with the rest of the ingredients into a smooth frosting
    • Once the cake has completely cooled, smooth the frosting over top and decorate with candied or toasted nuts or even sprinkles.

    Notes

    Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the surface with a mini offset spatula (I like this Ateco spatula you can buy on Amazon).

    Nutrition

    Calories: 559kcalCarbohydrates: 75gProtein: 6gFat: 28gSaturated Fat: 17gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 101mgSodium: 181mgPotassium: 411mgFiber: 3gSugar: 46gVitamin A: 817IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 97mgIron: 2mg
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    This post is sponsored by Cacao Barry. I was compensated monetarily and with product. Thanks for supporting the companies that allow me to create content. As always, please know that I wouldn’t work with a sponsor nor recommend a product if it wasn’t worth it.
    Please note this post contains affiliate links to Amazon. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Coffee banana cake is a banana snacking cake flavoured with coffee and topped with milk chocolate frosting

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    Comments

    1. Laleh says

      October 23, 2021 at 2:03 am

      Hi Janice.
      Thank you for sharing this recipe with us. I would like to try it but if I would like to replace the types of sugar that you have used by dark brown sugar, should I still use a total of one cup? Also, in that case, would I need to change the amount of butter or can it still stay the same? The reason is that I am trying to fix a similar recipe that was similar to this except that I wasn’t happy with it’s structure and it wasn’t sweet at all. Below is the recipe, I would appreciate it if you could help me fix it please.

      Ingredients:
      Butter 125
      Dark brown sugar 120g
      2 large eggs
      Mashed bananas 270g
      Self raising flour 240g
      Baking soda 1 tsp
      Sour cream 180
      Milk 1 tblsp

      Reply
      • Janice says

        October 24, 2021 at 4:39 pm

        Hi, The proportions and ratios in your recipe are quite different than what I've been using, so it's hard for me to say how to fix it. It seems like you may have too much fruit+sour cream and not enough sugar, which could lead to structural issues or make the cake too wet.

        To answer about your question about using dark brown sugar: yes, you can definitely replace both sugars with an equal amount of dark brown sugar, by weight! Your cake will likely be slightly darker inside, but I think that would taste veryy good! Hope that helps!

        Reply
    2. Natalie Dawn says

      April 05, 2019 at 3:14 pm

      Do the bananas have to be over ripe or does freezing and thawing them make them mushy enough?

      Reply
      • Janice says

        April 12, 2019 at 9:57 pm

        Hi Natalie,

        Better to use ripe bananas. Using frozen bananas is fine, but best to freeze riper bananas for the best texture in the end. I think "less ripe" bananas have more starch in them and this can have an impact on texture and flavour, even if they were previously frozen. Sometimes grocery stores sell overly ripe bananas for very cheap. Those would be perfect for this!

        Reply
    3. elodiesucree says

      November 24, 2017 at 11:35 am

      Waou!!! fabuleux quelle belle gourmandise!!! merci pour ce gourmand partage!! gros bisous et très bonne fin de semaine!

      Reply
      • Janice says

        November 26, 2017 at 9:47 pm

        Awww, merci beaucoup!

        Reply

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