Chocolate Chip Banana Cake

4.96 from 23 ratings

Chocolate Chip Banana Cake

This chocolate chip banana cake is made with fluffy, chocolate chip-studded banana cake layers and a decadent chocolate buttercream frosting.

Prep Time20

Cook Time27

Additional Time30

Total Time1 17

Course: Cakes

Cuisine: American

Servings: 24

Calories: 563kcal

Author: Chelsey White

Ingredients

Banana Cake Layer Recipe (adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction)

1 1/2 cups ripe bananas, mashed - about 3 large bananas 450g
2 tsp lemon juice 8g
3 cups all-purpose flour 375g
1 tsp baking powder 4g
1 tsp baking soda 6g
1/2 tsp fine salt 3g
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 226g
1 cup granulated sugar 200g
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar 133g
3 large eggs, room temperature 168g
2 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 8g
1 1/2 cups full-fat sour cream, room temperature 380g
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips - tossed with 1 tsp flour 130g

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled 180g
2 cups (4 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature 452g
1 cup unsweetened baking cocoa 100g
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 4g
1/2 tsp fine salt 3g
5 cups powdered sugar 625g
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature 120g

Chocolate Ganache

1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips 45g
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream, room temperature 60g

Additional Filling / Decorations

1/3 cup mini chocolate chips
2 fresh bananas, sliced

Instructions

Banana Cake Layers

Make the banana cake layers first. Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C and grease and line 3, 8-inch cake pans. Set aside.
Mash 3 large bananas with either a fork or a mixer and stir together with 2 tsp of lemon juice. This prevents the bananas from browning. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk 3 cups flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, and 1/2 tsp salt together. Set aside.
Use a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment to beat 1 cup of butter, 1 cup of granulated sugar, and 2/3 cup of brown sugar together. Mix on a high speed for about 3 minutes. The mixture should get lighter in color as air is whipped into it. Use a spatula to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
Mix in 3 large eggs and 2 tsp of vanilla extract on a medium speed.
Mix in half of the dry ingredients on a low speed until just combined.
Add in 1 1/2 cups of sour cream and mix until incorporated, then mix in the remaining dry ingredients on a low speed. Be careful not to over-mix the batter once you've added in the flour. The batter will be on the thick side.
Mix in the mashed bananas on a medium speed until just combined.
Carefully fold in the flour dusted mini chocolate chips with a rubber spatula until they're evenly distributed throughout the batter.
Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 26-29 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Remove the cakes from the oven and set on a wire rack. Let the layers cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then flip them onto a wire rack to finish cooling.
If desired, torte each cake layer by cutting it in half horizontally with a serrated knife to make 6, thinner layers.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

Melt the chocolate first so that it has time to cool off before it's added into the frosting. Heat it in 15 second intervals, stirring between each interval until the chocolate is fully melted. Set aside.
Beat 2 cups of butter on a medium speed for 30 seconds with a paddle attachment until smooth.
Add in 1 cup of cocoa, tsp vanilla extract, and 1/2 tsp salt. Mix on low until the ingredients are fully incorporated.
Gradually mix in 5 cups of powdered sugar and 1/2 cup of heavy cream on a low speed. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
Mix in the cooled, melted semi-sweet chocolate on a low speed until the ingredients are fully incorporated and the desired consistency is reached. Cover with plastic wrap to prevent crusting and set aside.

Chocolate Ganache

Place 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl and set aside.
Heat 1/4 cup of heavy cream in a heatproof bowl in the microwave for 45 seconds to 1 minute, until it's steaming and just starting to bubble. If you don’t have a microwave or prefer to use the stove top, you can heat the cream over a medium heat in a pan until it begins to simmer. Remove from heat.
Gently pour the heavy cream over the chocolate, making sure it's fully covered with cream. Allow the mixture to sit for 1-2 minutes.
Stir slowly until the cream and chocolate are fully combined and mixture is smooth.
Set aside to cool for about 10 minutes. The mixture should thicken and be just slightly warm to the touch.

Assembling This Chocolate Chip Banana Layer Cake

Stack and frost cake layers on a greaseproof cake board using a dab of chocolate buttercream to help stick the first cake layer to the board.
Spread an even layer of chocolate buttercream on top of each cake layer as you stack them with a large offset spatula, and sprinkle 2 Tbsp of mini chocolate chips on top of the frosting.
Cover the cake in a thin coat of chocolate buttercream. Smooth using a bench scraper, then chill the cake in the fridge (30 minutes) or freezer (5 minutes) until the buttercream is firm to the touch.
Add a second, thicker layer of chocolate buttercream to the cake and smooth using a bench scraper. Chill the cake again in the fridge (30 minutes) or freezer (5 minutes) until the buttercream is firm to the touch.
Swipe diagonal lines of the cooled, thickened chocolate ganache around the base of the cake with a large offset spatula. Top the cake with banana slices, a swirl of additional chocolate ganache, and the remaining mini chocolate chips.

Video

Notes

This recipe can be made with a stand mixer or hand mixer. I like to use the whisk attachment when making the batter, and the paddle attachment for the frosting, but you can also use a large bowl and a hand mixer.

Tips for Making the Best Chocolate Banana Layer Cake

Properly measure your flour. Either spoon it into the cup measure, then level with a knife or use a kitchen scale.
Don’t over-mix your batter! Mix on the speed the recipe recommends until the ingredients are just combined.
Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature to help them mix together better.
Don’t level your cake layers until they are completely cooled.
Torte your cake layers (cut them in half horizontally) to make 6, thin cake layers. This creates an amazing frosting to cake ratio that makes every bite absolutely delicious.
Make sure your buttercream is the right consistency before frosting your cake! It will help give your cake proper structure and make it easier to decorate.
If your cake layers turn out less than perfect, I recommend reading my cake troubleshooting guide to see where things might've gone awry.

Making This Chocolate Banana Layer Cake in Advance & Storage Tips

Make your cake layers in advance and freeze them. It breaks the process up and makes it more approachable.
Make your frosting ahead of time too or save any leftover frosting! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks or in the freezer for up to a month. Be sure to give it a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.
A frosted cake can last in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to a month. The frosting locks in all the moisture, keeping the cake fresh and delicious! Just wait to add the banana slices (they'll brown overtime) or use banana chips instead.
If you cut into the cake and have leftovers, use any remaining frosting to cover the cut section to keep it moist and store in the fridge for up to a week.

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