Banana Chocolate Chip Cake with Nutella Buttercream

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Welcome to my version of a chocolate-hazelnut-banana sandwich. If you’ve never lucked into this combination during a late-night pantry raid, you’re in for a treat. I fill and ice the banana cake with buttercream infused with the chocolate-hazelnut magic of Nutella. A crowning crosshatched drizzle of more Nutella gives it that wow factor.

MAKES two 9-inch layers; serves 8 to 16

INGREDIENTS

3 cups (405g/14.3oz) all-purpose flour

½ cup (57.5g/2oz) cake flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

6 very ripe bananas (700g/24oz)

1 cup/2 sticks (226g/8oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1¼ cups (250g/8.8oz) granulated sugar

3 eggs

1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 cup (180g/6.3oz) semisweet chocolate chips

Nutella Buttercream

½ cup (150g/5.3oz) Nutella, for garnish

½ cup (80g/2.8oz) mini chocolate chips, for garnish

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans. Line the bottoms with rounds of parchment paper.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together both flours, the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  3. Break the bananas into large pieces and place them in the stand mixer bowl. Use the paddle to beat on medium speed until pureed. Transfer to a bowl, scraping the mixer bowl clean, and set aside. (There’s no need to clean the mixer bowl.)
  4. In the stand mixer with the paddle, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl and paddle.
  5. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and the paddle. Add the vanilla and mix. Add the pureed bananas and mix on low speed until combined. Remove the mixer bowl and scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl and paddle.
  6. Using a large rubber spatula, carefully fold in the flour mixture until no more streaks of flour remain. Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
  7. Evenly divide the batter between the prepared pans. Bake for 38 to 40 minutes, or until the tops spring back when touched and a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
  8. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 30 minutes. Transfer the cakes to a cooling rack to cool completely.
  9. To assemble and decorate the cake, place one cake layer top side up on a cake turner. Use an icing wand to evenly smooth 1 cup buttercream over the top. Add the second cake layer top side up. Using an icing wand, evenly spread the remaining buttercream over the top and sides. Place the ½ cup Nutella in a piping bag and drizzle in a crosshatch pattern over the top of the cake. Garnish the bottom and sides of the cake with mini chocolate chips.