CHOCOLATE - BANANA LUNCHBOX CAKE

A footnote on this recipe says, "To ensure that this cake lasts long enough for at least one week's worth of lunches, wrap individual pieces in plastic wrap and store them in the freezer." The Eating Well Dessert Cookbook. This is so true. 

I made this cake for the volunteers at Hillcrest Thrift Shop and it is absolutely heavenly. Not to forget it is from Eating Well. 

I get so frustrated when searching through recipes and cookbooks at the amount of sugar in them. I almost always reduce the amount of sugar calories in recipes by either actually reducing the amount of sugar or using either a blend (stevia and sugar) or just stevia alone. The latter sometimes produces a treat that I feel would have been more tasty had it been a little more sweet. The blend I buy while it uses half of the called for amount of sugar in the recipe always produces an equally sweet dessert. At least for me. 

It was really pleasant to find this recipe that didn't call for a lot of sugar. I reduced the calories even more by using half of the called for brown sugar by using my brown sugar blend. I also liked the suggestion of using chocolate chips and nuts on the top of the cake batter. This required less of both thus decreasing the calories. It also made a pretty finished cake. The recipe also called for powdered sugar sprinkled on top when it cooled, but I didn't think it was needed.

CHOCOLATE - BANANA LUNCHBOX CAKE

2       cups sifted cake flour  (sift and then measure)
2       tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder (not Dutch-process)
1        teaspoon baking soda
1/2    teaspoon salt
3/4   cup very ripe banana (about 2 small bananas)
3/4   cup buttermilk (I used 1% buttermilk)
2/3   cup packed light or dark brown sugar ( I used 1/3 cup brown sugar blend)
1/4    cup dark corn syrup (I used Lite corn syrup)
3       tablespoons canola oil
1        tablespoon pure vanilla extract
1/3    cup chocolate chips (I used Hershey's Special Dark chips)
2       tablespoons chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.Lightly oil an 8 x 12 - inch or 7 x 11 - inch baking pan. (I used the larger size)

In a mixing bowl, whisk flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. (I sifted each before I whisked them together. Notice that the recipe called for sifted cake flour. This means that you sift some and then measure 2 cups.)

In another bowl, whisk mashed banana, buttermilk, brown sugar, corn syrup, oil, and vanilla. 

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients (Using a large spoon spread the mixture up the sides of the bowl.)

Pour the banana mixture into the "well".

Mix in the flour mixture using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula just until the dry ingredients are moistened.

Pour the mixture into the prepared baking pan, smoothing the top.

Sprinkle the chips evenly over the top.

Sprinkle on the nuts.

Bake for about 20 minutes.

Let cool in pan.

Cut into squares and serve.









If you want to save these for your children's lunchboxes, wrap the squares with plastic wrap, and freeze. Place the frozen wrapped square in child's lunchbox. It will be thawed and ready to enjoy by lunchtime.