Double Chocolate Banana Cake

Double Chocolate Banana Cake

This lightened up chocolate cake has no oil, uses bananas and applesauce to keep it moist, and has just the right amount of chocolate to make it feel like an indulgent treat. No frosting required!

Every now and then it’s okay to indulge in a little treat, but this chocolate cake is lightened up enough that you won’t feel horrible for eating it. Instead of oil, there are bananas and applesauce, which make this cake tender and moist. I used a stand mixer to mash the bananas and mix the applesauce. The cocoa and semi-sweet chocolate chips make it decadent, without being overly sweet like a regular frosted chocolate cake.

The greatest thing about this banana cake, is that it whips up in a jiffy. The hardest part is waiting for it to bake in the oven. You can pour the batter into a loaf pan like you would regular banana bread. The square cake pan requires less baking time (30 minutes vs 1 hour for a loaf), which is nice when you are craving chocolate ASAP.

Ingredients

• 3 medium – banana
• 3/4 cup – brown sugar
• 1/2 cup – applesauce, unsweetened
• 1 teaspoon – vanilla extract
• 1 large – egg
• 1 cup – flour, all-purpose
• 1/2 cup – cocoa powder, unsweetened
• 1 teaspoon – baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon – salt
• 1 cup – chocolate chips, semisweet
• 1/8 cup mini chips – chocolate chips, semisweet

Directions

1. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix the bananas and brown sugar until the bananas are mashed and the sugar is dissolved.
2. Add the applesauce, vanilla, and egg. Mix together.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until incorporated.
4. Fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips. Pour batter into a greased 8x8-inch baking dish. Sprinkle the top with mini chocolate chips.
5. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25 to 35 minutes. Check the center with a toothpick to determine doneness. Best eaten warm.

Recipe Source:superhealthykids.com