Equipment
Ingredients
Batter Base
- 340 g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 200 g granulated sugar
- 3 eggs
- 10 ml vanilla extract
- 2 bananas, mashed
- 60 ml buttermilk
Dry Ingredients
- 240 g all-purpose flour
- 5 g baking powder
- 1 g baking soda
Inclusions and Finishing
- 175 g semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 2 g confectioners' sugar
- 5 ml vegetable oil
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 552 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbohydrates
- 56 g
- Fat
- 35 g
- Fiber
- 2 g
- Sugar
- 33 g
- Sodium
- 115 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 21 g
- Trans Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 9 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 129 mg
- Potassium
- 227 mg
- Calcium
- 58 mg
- Iron
- 1.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 20 mg
- Phosphorus
- 166 mg
- Zinc
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 258 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 2 mg
- Vitamin D
- 0.3 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 1.1 mg
- Vitamin K
- 3 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.2 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.21 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.23 mg
- Niacin
- 1.6 mg
- Folate
- 57 mcg
- Water
- 44 g
- Alcohol
- 0 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F).
Grease and flour a 10-cup Bundt pan using vegetable oil and a small amount of extra flour.
Cream the room temperature butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until the mixture is pale and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs one at a time, ensuring each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next.
Stir the vanilla extract into the mixture.
Mix the mashed bananas into the batter until just combined.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, and baking soda together in a separate bowl to combine.
Add the dry ingredients and buttermilk to the wet ingredients in three alternating additions, starting and ending with the flour mixture.
Gently fold in the chocolate chips using a spatula.
Pour the batter into the prepared Bundt pan and spread it into an even layer.
Place the pan on a baking sheet and bake at 175°C (350°F) for 45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
Carefully invert the pan onto a serving plate to unmold the cake.
Allow the cake to cool for 15 more minutes.
Dust the top of the cake with confectioners' sugar using a fine-mesh sieve before serving.
Chef's Notes
- Ensure bananas are very ripe with black spots for the best flavor and moisture.
- Do not overmix once the flour is added to keep the crumb tender.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Store in an airtight container to maintain moisture.
Freezer: 3 months — Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil before freezing.
Reheating: Microwave individual slices for 10-15 seconds if desired.
Troubleshooting
Cake sticks to the Bundt pan during unmolding
Cause: The pan was not greased thoroughly or the cake was left to cool too long in the pan.
Fix: Wrap the pan in a warm, damp towel for 5 minutes to loosen the cake, then try unmolding again.
Prevention: Use a pastry brush to ensure every groove of the pan is oiled and floured.
Cultural Context
Banana bread, and by extension banana cake, has roots in American baking traditions, gaining popularity during the Great Depression as a way to utilize overripe fruit. Bundt cakes, with their distinctive fluted shape, became a popular dessert in the mid-20th century, often associated with home baking and casual gatherings.
