ingredients
Unsalted butter, at room temperature
6 eggs, lightly beaten
60g caster sugar
2
Non-stick cooking spray, for the pan
1/2 cup (110g) demerara sugar
11/2 cups (225g) plain flour
1/2 cup (50g) unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp kosher salt or sea salt
85g unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup (75g) raw sugar
1/4 cup (60g) lightly packed light-brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg
5 extremely ripe bananas, 4 coarsely mashed and 1 sliced lengthwise
1/2 cup (125g) mascarpone, full-fat sour cream or full-fat yoghurt
method
- Preheat the oven to 175°C. Spray a 1.5L loaf pan with non-stick spray. Sugar the inside of the pan with 1/4 cup of the demerara sugar (or regular sugar if you don’t have demerara), tapping out any excess.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt together; set aside.
- Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, raw sugar, light-brown sugar and vanilla on high speed until the mixture is super light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Using a spatula, scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the egg. Beat until well combined and the mixture returns to that previously light, fluffy state, about 2 minutes. With the mixer on low, slowly add dry ingredients and beat just to blend. Using a spatula, fold in the mashed bananas, followed by the mascarpone, mixing just to blend.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top. Place the banana halves, cut-side up, on top of the batter. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup demerara sugar and bake until the sides start to pull away and the cake is baked through in the centre (it’s a very dense, moist cake, but it should still spring back slightly when pressed in the centre), 90-100 minutes.
- Let cool completely before slicing.
Credits: Delicious