Banana Cake

Recipe by: Pichet Ong | from The Sweet Spot: Asian-Inspired Desserts

Cookstr

Course: Dessert

Total Time: Under 1 Hour

Skill Level: Easy

Cost: Inexpensive

Photo by: Joseph De Leo

In my humble opinion, this is the best banana cake. Ever. Baby bananas, enjoyed throughout Southeast Asia, have a distinct flavor and texture that set this cake apart. Yogurt keeps the bread-like texture light and moist, while honey adds a musky sweetness.

Yield: Makes one 8½ × 4½-inch cake, about 12 servings

INGREDIENTS

1/3 cup (2¾ ounces/78 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for greasing the pan
1 cup (5½ ounces/155 grams) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ cup (3 ounces/85 grams) honey
½ cup (2½ ounces/72 grams) packed light brown sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup (8 ounces/228 grams) roughly mashed ripe baby bananas (about 5 baby bananas)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
½ cup (4 5/8 ounces/130 grams) plain whole milk yogurt or sour cream
1 cup (5½ ounces/155 grams) semisweet chocolate chips, optional

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter an 8½ × 4½-inch loaf pan and set aside.

2. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda and set aside.

3. Put the butter, honey, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat the mixture on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl, add the bananas and vanilla, and beat on medium speed until the mixture looks “broken,” or lumpy, about 1 minute. The bananas should be smashed, with a few small chunks remaining.

4. Turn the speed to medium-low and beat in the egg until incorporated. Turn the speed to low and gradually add the sifted flour mixture, mixing just until no traces of flour remain, about 10 seconds. Add the yogurt and mix until the batter has only a few remaining white streaks, about 5 seconds. Be sure to avoid overmixing. Gently fold in the chocolate chips, if desired.

5. Transfer the batter to the greased pan. Bake in the center of the oven until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan on a rack for 5 minutes, then unmold and cool completely on the rack.

Notes

CHEF’S TIPS: The key to keeping this banana cake light in texture is to avoid overmixing. I make this cake a lot, so I keep containers of mashed banana–measured for this recipe–in my freezer.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Nutrients per serving (% daily value)

Calories 220kcal (11%)

Calcium 52mg (5%)

Vitamin C 2mg (3%)

Vitamin A 52mcg RAE (2%)

Potassium 162mg

Magnesium 25mg

Protein 3g

Sugar 22g

Fiber 2g

Total Carbohydrate 33g