Regarding the banana cream cake, I want to tell you a story. The first time I made it was for a very special party: my eighteenth birthday, which I celebrated at home surrounded by my family and closest friends. There was a boy I liked, so I wanted to make a good impression and had prepared many small desserts and various types of cakes. However, this one was practically a curse because the table was too crowded. Every time someone reached over to grab something further back, they inevitably ended up getting dirty with the banana cream of the cake. Despite this, it was greatly appreciated, especially by the boy who was in love with me, whom I had not invited because a friend of mine had a crush on him, and who unexpectedly decided to surprise me… I’ll just add that it will bring you luck as it brought me! And for this reason, after many years since the birth of this blog, I decided not to change this somewhat unsightly photo because it’s real, taken of a cake ready to be eaten, not a cake made especially for the blog. I hope you will like it.
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Cheap
- Preparation time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes
- Portions: 10 People
- Cooking methods: Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: All seasons
Ingredients
- 2 bananas
- 2 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 3 1/2 oz chocolate chips (dark)
- 1 shot rum
- 6 eggs
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup potato starch
- 1 packet baking powder (vanilla flavored)
- 1 pinch salt
Steps
Beat the egg yolks with the sugar until the mixture is “whipped“, meaning it becomes light and thick enough that it leaves a trail when moved.
Combine the potato starch and flour, adding the baking powder if you want to follow the modern sponge cake recipe.
Gently mix the starch-flour mix with the whipped yolks.
Separately, whip the egg whites adding a splash of cold water and the salt.
Gently mix them into the rest of the batter, moving from bottom to top.
Line a baking pan (10-inch diameter) with parchment paper, wet and squeezed dry. Pour the batter ensuring it is well distributed.
Bake in the preheated oven and cook at 392°F for 40 minutes. Let the sponge cake rest in the oven for a few minutes before taking it out.
For the filling, I preferred the cake to be entirely banana, so I used the banana cream as both filling and topping.
Once the sponge cake has cooled, cut it in half horizontally about 1 1/4 inches from the base.
Place the two halves on serving plates and moisten the bottom layer by simply mixing the warmed milk and rum.
Whip the cream with the sugar.
Separately, slice the bananas into rounds and gently mash them with a fork until they become a puree.
When the puree looks homogeneous, mix it with the whipped cream.
Spread the lower half of the sponge cake with this banana cream.
Moisten the top layer of the sponge cake with the remaining milk and cover the other half.
Using a spatula, cover the sides of the cake with the banana cream and sprinkle with dark chocolate chips.
Place the cake in the fridge for at least 3 hours before serving.
Personal Storage Advice
Do not leave it in the fridge for more than two or at most 3 days. Also, it is delicate and you should cover it, otherwise it risks absorbing fridge odors.
Variations
Depending on your taste, you can also make the cake by adding custard or chocolate cream to the filling, and soaking the sponge cake with whiskey or coffee.
FAQ
How do I prevent the bananas from browning?
I use a little trick: I add two sheets of gelatin to the milk after softening them for 10 minutes in cold water. Or, I sprinkle them with lemon juice.
Can I prepare it in advance and freeze the banana cream cake?
Actually, yes, you could freeze it. However, I advise against it because once defrosted, the texture of the cream might change, and I don’t like it.
How can I decorate it without using chocolate?
It also looks beautiful if you use banana slices arranged in a circle on the surface. If you want it even more indulgent, I recommend alternating them with strawberries or raspberries and sprinkling the surface with coconut flakes.
