Just too many bananas and chocolate at home in my fridge. It was pouring cats and dogs today, and I was waiting for a video conference meeting.

So decided to bake a cake for tea, what better than to use up ingredients that I already have.

The bananas are from my garden actually, which I had frozen some earlier, to be used for recipes later.

I have been wanting to marry chocolate and bananas for a very long time. hence this recipe. I have used Hershey’s semi- sweet chocolates but any preferred chocolates can be used or even chocolate pieces which are cut into small pieces or small chunks. This cake is very tasty, soft, very moist that actually one can eat more than a slice at 1 go.

I baked in 2 tins, one to be given away to someone the next day. And my family had one cake for tea. I used 2 sizes of bakeware, an 8 inch square and another loaf pan which is 3 inch by 6 inch. Both had a beautiful golden brown color once baked. Please do try and you will not be disappointed.

Ingredients

250g plain flour

1 tsp baking powder

1tsp bicarbonate of soda

180g butter

180g caster sugar

300g mashed bananas

180g chocolate chips or pieces

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 large eggs

1 tbsp lemon juice

1/2 cup milk

Method

Preheat oven to 175C

Add lemon juice to the milk.  Keep aside.

Sift flour with baking powder and bicarbonate of soda.

Add in the chocolate pieces and mix through.  Keep aside

Cream butter and sugar using a whisk till creamy and white.

Add 1 egg at a time, whisk, then add the next egg and whisk.

Add vanilla extract, mashed bananas, and the milk which is mixed with the lemon juice.  Combine well with the whisk.

Lastly fold in the flour  with the chocolate gently in 3 stages..

Pour into prepared tin and bake for 25 mins to 35 mins.

The  skewer should  come out clean when you poke at the centre of the cake.   That means cake is baked well.

Cool and serve.

Notes

If the cake browns too much , but is still wet in the centre, drop the temperature to 150C and bake  for 10 to 15 mins more.

The chocolate is definitely your preference, use your favourite type and even dark chocolates will be suitable.

You may bake the whole recipe in a 10 inch square pan or a 9 inch round pan.

If you like , you can drizzle whipped cream for a more dessert like eating

 experience after baking and cooling the cake of course.  Or you can serve with a dollop of vanilla ice cream.  Delicious.

You can also do cup cakes with this recipe but remember to reduce cooking time.

You may use fresh bananas instead.

You may reduce the amount of sugar by 20g if your bananas are very sweet.

You may substitude  sour cream or yoghurt instead of milk and lemon juice.