Chocolate and Banana Bundt Cakes (Recipe Using Two 3 Cups Bundt Cake Molds)

Not sure if it's due to the cold weather or not, I've been craving for sweet treats almost on a daily basis (or is that normal?). In order to maintain a healthier eating style and my unwillingness to settle for artificial sugar or margarine, I had to fight with my desires. 

This tug of war lasted for about 4 days, 4 straight days without eating any cookies, cakes, ice cream, and even my beloved boba milk tea. Unfortunately this battle was lost on day 5 to the evil created by my own hands - chocolate and banana bundt cakes. Cakes..

Ingredients (for two 3 cups bundt cakes)?

Cake:

• 2 ripe bananas
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 cup of all purpose flour
• 1 cup of cane sugar
• 1/2 cup of sour cream
• 1/2 cup of bittersweet chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon of baking soda
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 9 tablespoons (1 stick plus 1 tablespoon) of unsalted butter

Chocolate ganache:

• 1/2 cup of bittersweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream
• 1 tiny pinch of salt

How?

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in the microwave in low power till almost turn liquid form. Brush the inside of the bundt molds with melted butter, don't forget to brush the center surface.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Peel two ripe bananas and mash them in a bowl. Make sure the bananas are at least as ripe as the ones shown in the picture below. Black dots actually mean sweeter bananas, more fragrant, and even more nutritious.

Whisk in the flour, baking soda, and salt in a big bowl. Take another bowl and add in the remaining butter in room temperature. Beat the butter till creamy with few small lumps, add in the sugar and beat until fluffy, takes at least 2 minutes.

Add the vanilla extract, blend a little then add in one egg, room temperature also. Beat for another minute then add in mashed bananas.

Carefully pour in the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in two batches. Blender or mixer off before adding the powdery ingredients otherwise you'll get flour all over your face. Pour in the first half and blend a little. Mix in cubed sour cream along with the other half of dry ingredients. Mix till incorporated, about 1 to 2 minutes. Fold in 1/2 cup of chocolate chips.

Pour the mixture to the mold about half way through. Lay a towel on the table and whack the mod in order to release the air bubbles in the mixture. I also push the mixture up a little bit along the inner and outer edges. This should help the cakes form and bake into the correct shape. 

Transfer the molds to the oven and bake for 65 to 70 minutes. There is no need to use a baking sheet beneath the bundt molds. Once ready, you can run a toothpick test by sticking it into the center of the cakes and see if the toothpick comes out clean or just with a few cooked crumbs, instead of sticky mixture. 

Remove the molds from heat and let them cool down first, about 10 minutes. Invert the cakes out onto a flat plate, the cakes should come out fairly easy.

As for the chocolate ganache, add 1/2 cup of chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl. Take a medium pot and heat up the heavy whipping cream together with just a tiny pinch of salt. Bring almost to a boil but make sure not to let the cream start bubbling. Pour the heated cream to the chocolate chips bowl and start stirring till fully blended. 

Wait a few minutes till the ganache cools down and thickens before drizzling over the cakes.

Wait till the ganache has been settled and harden on the cake before serving. This semi-sweet cake is ideal to serve with a cup of hot tea or coffee. For wine lovers, a small glass of port could do the trick. Ladies and lighter wine drinkers, Prosecco can be an easy drink and good alternative.