No collection of banana cake recipes is complete without a sensational banana chocolate chip cake. This banana chocolate chip cake with brown butter frosting is sweet and moist and everything that cake recipes should be.
Now I’ve had banana chocolate chip cookies before, but this cake is to die for. If you’re looking for a lighter plus one tag along for a summer celebration you may like a nifty banana cream pie or coconut banana cream pie. In the meantime, you’ve got to check this out!
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What I Love About This Recipe
- Moist & dense
- Sweet-n-flavorful
How To Make Banana Chocolate Chip Cake Recipe
Whipping up this moist and sweet banana cake is a labor of love. All you have to do is line your cake pans, bake the cakes and mix up the icing while the cakes cool. Ice the cake, garnish, enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Sifting: As I’ve confessed at other times on my site, I’m a lazy baker. Sifting is a step that I sometimes skip. (Don’t judge friends!) In this recipe, however, I never skip sifting. This is a really moist, dense (in a fabulous way), cake so the sifting helps the cake not be overly heavy.
Line the Pan: This is one of those recipes that lining the pan is really important. The cake is heavy, by the nature of all the moisture in the bananas so it can easily get stuck in the pans when you try to turn them out.
Ingredient Notes
Bananas: I use bananas that are mostly brown. The darker they are the sweeter and more flavorful your cake will end up!
Brown Butter: Have you made brown butter before? In French, it’s called beurre noisette. It’s humble butter elevated to amazing an amazing ingredient when gently simmered until golden brown. Oh, thank you, France!
So when you gently cook butter beyond melting, the solids will brown and create flavor bombs! While cooking the butter it will bubble and foam on the surface as moisture is evaporated. You will see the solids brown on the bottom of the skillet.
Let the brown butter cool before mixing up the frosting so it creates a nice, thick, spreadable texture.
Tools to Make
It really helps to have a stand mixer to make this banana cake, but a regular electric mixer will work too. You’ll also want to make sure you have some parchment paper on hand.
How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge?
Your moist yummy banana chocolate chip cake will stay fresh and tasty in the fridge for up to 5 days when stored properly. You’ll want to keep it in a cake saver and cover any cut ends with plastic wrap to prevent drying.
Can You Freeze This?
Yes!! This cake freezes for up to 3 months. I like to bake the cake and freeze it, then throw the icing together when I thaw the cake out. Just slow thaw it in the fridge overnight.
Make Ahead Tips
This cake is best after it sits in the fridge for a day or overnight. This gives all the lovely flavors time to really mingle and perk up. I like to plan to make this cake a couple of days before I want to serve it.
As with most banana cakes or carrot cakes, the flavor of this cake improves greatly as it sits in the fridge. When I plan ahead well, I like to make the cakes, refrigerate overnight. Make the frosting and refrigerate again, overnight, then serve the next day. Of course, you do not have to make this cake that far in advance, but time in the fridge is a wonderful thing with this cake.
Serving Recommendations
This fantastic cake is a major crowd-pleaser. It’s always a huge hit at summer potlucks and I love to throw one together when the company is coming to town.
Banana Chocolate Chip Cake With Brown Butter Frosting
Ingredients
Cake:
- 2 cups semisweet chocolate morsels
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas
- 1/4 cup buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
Frosting:
- 12 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4-4 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3-6 tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
Make Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the bottom of 2-9 inch cake pans with parchment paper and butter and flour, tapping out any excess flour
- Pour the chocolate chips in a mixing bowl. Remove 2 tablespoons of measured out 2 1/4 cups flour (do not add any extra flour) and toss with chocolate chips to coat.
- In another mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt; set aside.
- In a small mixing bowl, stir together the mashed bananas, vanilla extract, and buttermilk; set aside.
- Cream together sugar and butter in the bowl of a stand-up mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating to combine, after each addition. Add the flour mixture alternatingly with the banana mixture in 3 additions beating after each addition just until combined. Pour batter into prepared cake pans.
- Bake cakes in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Cake tops will be golden brown on tops. Cool cakes on a wire rack for 15 minutes then turn out onto rack and cool completely.
Make Frosting:
- Heat the butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat until, stirring with a rubber spatula, until it's golden brown, about 8-10 minutes.
- Add the powdered sugar to the bowl of a stand-up mixer. Add the browned butter and vanilla. Mix on low until incorporated.
- Mix in 3 tablespoons of cream. Add more cream as necessary to achieve desired consistency. Beat on medium speed unti light and creamy, about 3 minutes.
- Place cake on a plate and frost. Press mini chocolate chips onto sides of cake. Refrigerate cake overnight. Allow cake to come to room temperature and serve.
Fans Also Made:
Conclusion
Banana chocolate chip cake with brown butter frosting is an addictingly delicious treat that really brings out the beauty of flavor. It’s moist, rich, and decadent beyond belief. This potluck approved crowd-pleaser is the perfect summer treat when you want to appease your inner chef and bring home an empty dessert plate….and believe me, they’re gonna’ want seconds!
2 of my favorite cake in 1!
So am I, Helen! Enjoy đŸ™‚
I made this cake this afternoon and have never made brown butter frosting. Your pictured cake has white frosting but mine is a light brown/tan color. Why the difference?
Hi Christine. I think the difference is likely the lighting I shot the photos of the cake in. My frosting was not bright white but the light was pretty bright.
Can I use normal milk instead of butter milk ?
No, the cake will not be as moist.