Chocolate Banana Cake

Last Sunday was my son's birthday and he requested for a Chocolate Banana Cake, the same cake I baked for him two years ago.

A simple decoration of some strawberries and slices of bananas, which I brushed over with some apricot glaze. I followed the decoration  from the book, that way I do not have to think about the decorating part, as I am hopeless when it comes to cake decorating! :o)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR LITTLE BOY!!

This is a chocolate sponge cake, with layers of cream and fresh bananas in between. I baked the cake in a 9"  round pan, sliced it in three layers and in between these layers, there's a filling of whipped chocolate cream flavoured with a little instant coffee powder. A layer of sliced bananas are placed on the cream, and top with more cream. Repeat with the next layer. The top layer and sides of cake are spread with more cream. Leave the cake in the fridge for the cream to firm up. The chocolate ganache is made by melting the chocolate with some cream and a tablespoon of butter, and are poured on top of the chilled cake, flowing down the sides. Decorate as desired and refrigerate until set.

The sponge cake is spongy and soft, and I like the cream which has a nice lovely fragrance of the coffee. Overall, this is a lovely cake for a birthday, and since the cake uses oil instead of butter, this cake stays soft even when refrigerated, and great eaten cold, direct from the fridge. 

I'm sharing this with :

Recipe Box #4 hosted by Bizzy Bakes

Cookbook Sunday hosted by Couscous & Consciousness

Full Plate Thursday hosted by Miz Helen's Country Cottage

Chocolate Banana Cake

(adapted from "Delicious Cakes" by Amy Heng)
For the chocolate chiffon cake :
Ingredients A :
30gm cocoa powder (dissolved with 120ml hot water, leave to cool)
4 egg yolks
100gm caster sugar
130gm self-raising flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda" 
60ml corn oil
1 tsp vanilla essence


Ingredients B :
4 egg whites
60gm caster sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar


For the cream filling :
500ml chocolate whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla essence
1-1/2 tbsp instant coffee (dissolved with 1 tbsp hot water)
1 tbsp gelatine (dissolved with 40ml water)
5-6 ripen bananas (sliced)

For the chocolate ganache :
140ml whipping cream
350m cooking chocolate
1 tbsp butter


To make the cake :
Preheat oven to 180C.  Line and greased a 9" round cake pan. In a large mixing bowl, hand whisk thoroughly ingredients A until smooth.
In the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, whisk the egg whites and cream of tartar (sieve cream of tartar over egg whites) until foamy. Add in sugar and continue whisking until stiff.
Fold a third of beaten egg whites to ingredients A and mix with a spatula until well mixed, fold in the rest of the egg whites, fold gently till evenly mixed.
Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for about 35 to 40 minutes until cake is well risen and a cake tester inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Unmould cake immediately to a wire rack, remove baking paper and place cake right side up to cool completely.
When cake has cooled, trim top mounted layer and discard. Slice cake horizontally to get 3 even layers.


To make the cream filling :
In a bowl of a stand mixer, with the whisk attachment, whisk the cream until stiff. Add in vanilla essence, coffee mixture and gelatine mixture. Whisk for a minute to combine. Use immediately.


To make the chocolate ganache :
Heat the cream in a double-boiler and add in chocolate and butter. Stir until chocolate has melted. Leave to cool slightly before pouring on top of the cake.


To assemble cake :
Spread some filling on 1st layer of cake. Arrange banana slices all over, top with more cream, spreading evenly. Place the second cake layer on top and repeat. For the top layer, spread cream all over and sides of cake. Leave cake in refrigerator for the cream to set and firm up.
Place cake on a wire rack over a large baking tray to catch the drips.
Pour chocolate ganache on cake, letting the ganache flow down the sides. Decorate cake as desired and refrigerate to set.