With whole grains and mashed banana in the mix, I like to think of this cake as two-thirds healthy－but most importantly, this easy cake is 100% delicious and an ideal way to use those over-ripe bananas!
For those who may not know, the Fountain Avenue Kitchen didn’t start as a website. I began sharing recipes back in 2011 on my personal Facebook page.
I had never posted anything until that point. It was the early days of social media, and I remember thinking, why would anyone care that I had a meeting today, went to the grocery store, picked up the kids, and shuttled them to their activities, etc.?
So, it was sort of funny that I decided to share recipes! I remember feeling a bit self-conscious. It felt personal. Would people wonder why I was doing this? (Why was I doing this? 😂)
The reality is that I saw many of my contemporaries struggling to get dinner on the table. Sharing recipes that I was able to pull off while working (in my former career), volunteering, and being a mom felt like a little gift I could offer. It was my way of saying, “You can do it.” And it can be easy and delicious and nourishing.
I remember the comments when people actually cooked the recipes. Suddenly, it occurred to me that these recipes better be foolproof! The last thing I wanted was for people to spend their precious time and money to cook a meal and be disappointed.
The website (sometimes people wonder, but I use that term interchangeably with blog) came about as a way to organize the recipes into categories and make them searchable. Plus, there were people in my life who weren’t on Facebook, and they wanted the recipes too.
After months of posting recipes on the Facebook page－I eventually converted from my personal page to a dedicated kitchen page－I was able to launch the blog with a decent number of recipes. The following recipe was one of them.
I often joke about the older photos, which at the time I thought were pretty good. They convey a certain history though, so if I update a post with new photos, I always include an original below the recipe card. When you scroll to the bottom of the page, you’ll see that the photos were due for a refresh!
When I first shared this recipe, I specified whole wheat flour. The recipe works beautifully with all-purpose flour though, as well as a cup-for-cup gluten-free substitute. Feel free to use whichever you prefer, or even a 50-50 mix of whole wheat and all-purpose flour.
Along those lines, you could use walnuts instead of pecans. Or try chopped peanuts. (Report back if you do, as I have not used peanuts in this recipe.) If nuts are a no in your house, you could replace them with more chocolate chips. More chips, of course, would increase the level of sweetness, but some would say there is no such thing as too much chocolate. Feel free to use dark chocolate if you prefer. Or a mix of chocolate chips and peanut butter chips. Who doesn’t love a chocolate-peanut butter-banana combo?
I’d love to know if you try this recipe! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @fountainavenuekitchen on Instagram and Facebook. Your feedback is always appreciated. 💛
Banana Chocolate Chip Snack Cake
Ingredients
- 1½ cups whole wheat or all-purpose flour (or a 50-50 combo), or a cup-for-cup GF substitute (see notes)
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅔ cup (128g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup butter, room temperature
- 1 large egg
- 3 large, overripe bananas, mashed (1⅓ cups-1½ cups; 320-360g)
- 3 tablespoons (45ml) milk of choice
For the Streusel Topping
- 1 cup (6oz/170g) chocolate chips
- ½ cup (100g) brown sugar
- ½ cup (57g) chopped pecans (may sub walnuts)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ and grease an 8-inch square baking pan. Alternatively, you may line the pan with parchment paper for easy removal.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the streusel topping ingredients; set aside. In another medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
- Using an electric mixer (stand or handheld with a large bowl), beat the sugar, butter, and egg until fluffy. Beat in the mashed bananas and milk. Add the flour mixture and beat on low to medium speed until just combined.
- Spread half the batter into the prepared pan. Sprinkle with half the streusel. Repeat with remaining batter and streusel, and then bake for 40-45 minutes or until just cooked through the center. (Check on the early side since ovens vary. This will prevent overcooking, which leads to dry baked goods. Helpful hint: A quick read thermometer will allow you to nail the perfect level of doneness－the temperature in the center of the cake should read between 200℉ and 205℉.)
- Cool the cake in pan on rack. This cake tastes best when fully cooled, even though it's tempting to dig right in…which is how I know this!
- Storage: When covered, the cake will keep at room temperature for 2 to 3 days. Refrigeration will extend freshness to about a week—just be sure to wrap well to avoid drying out the cake. It freezes well too.
Notes
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