Istanbul is rainy, overcast and gloomy today and March is almost over. The weather was doing so well until it decided to do a random dip. Nevertheless, this weather is perfect for cozy blankets on the couch, hot cups of tea or coffee, and a decadent cake to go with. Let’s make a mocha banana loaf.
I already had overripe bananas in the fridge and I really didn’t want to make more banana bread (I’ve made so much of it that I even have a Lazy Girl version of the Classic Banana Bread). Plus, isn’t chocolate and coffee the ideal pairing with this kind of weather?
Coffee and chocolate already work like magic together. Add a pinch of salt to the mix and the flavors bounce off your tongue. The only thing left to put this insanely good combo together was a soft, fluffy banana loaf.
What’s So Special About This Mocha Banana Loaf?
The loaf is rich with the deep flavor of cocoa and a dash of coffee elevates that to the next level. Whipped with mashed overripe bananas, you have yourself a decadently soft, tender and fluffy loaf.
I also wanted to make our mocha banana loaf pop a little more so I whipped up a simple chocolate ganache to smear all over the top once it was done baking. You can never really go wrong with a chocolate ganache.
It’s a simple chocolate and cream mix, in whichever ratio you prefer depending on the consistency you’re after. I went with two parts chocolate and one part cream. If you want to blow everyone’s mind, add a little bit of butter too. The richness of flavor will leave everyone going for second helpings.
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Without further ado, let’s jump right into this recipe.
Mocha Banana Loaf
8
servings15
minutes25
minutesKeep your device screen on
Ingredients
- For the mocha banana loaf
2 ripe bananas
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil (use butter for a denser loaf)
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 shot of espresso
(or 1 tsp of instant coffee mixed with half cup milk)1 1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
- For the ganache
60 gr milk chocolate
30g heavy cream
2 tbsp melted butter
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 180°C.
- In a bowl, mash your bananas with a fork. Add your eggs, sugar, oil, coffee and vanilla essence.
- Whisk well until fully combined.
- Now add your dry ingredients – cocoa, flour and baking powder.
- Mix well until there are no dry clumps left in your batter.
- Grease a loaf pan or line with parchment paper. Pour your batter in and tap on the countertop a few times to release any air bubbles.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until a dry skewer inserted into your mocha banana loaf comes out clean.
- Now for the ganache, in a bowl break up your chocolate and add the cream and butter.
- Melt your chocolate cream butter mixture in a microwave, heating in 10 second bursts. Or you can use a hot water bath instead.
- Keep mixing your chocolate until a creamy and rich ganache forms. Allow it to cool down so it thickens.
- Once your cake and ganache have cooled down, it’s time to generously lather your mocha banana loaf in the ganache.
- Top with cake or biscuit crumbs and enjoy with a hot cup of coffee, tea or hot chocolate for a chocolate overdose.
