We have so many bananas here. I mean, I put them in everything from cakes to bars to smoothies ... so.many.bananas. I think this might be one of our new favorite ways to consume them, though. Fudgy and moist, crumbly topping, plus the tangy cranberries... this is good stuff. If you have a kid - big or small - who doesn't like breakfast, this will probably convert them. Sturdy enough to be eaten on the run, too.
You definitely do not need to add the streusel. Please note that it does need to be chilled at least 1/2 hour ahead of time. Can you make this without? Sure. It is a lovely crunch chocolatey addition but ... not a requirement. My boys all loved this and have requested buying extra bananas just so we can make it again.
Note: I peel and freeze ripe bananas in a ziploc bag, so when the urge hits, I can pop them out and use them as needed. We have bags and bags of bananas frozen at this point. The other nice thing about this cake is that it uses up 6 at a time. Nice!
Fudgy Banana Breakfast Cake
Yields: 2 9 x 5 loaf cakes
Ingredients
Cake
6 medium-to-large very ripe bananas
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon table salt
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
3/4 cup plump dried cranberries, coarsely chopped if you wish
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans
Cocoa Crumble Streusel
1/2 c all purpose flour
1/2 cup rye flour (or use 1 c all purpose. or replace the rye with whole wheat)
1/4 c unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 c loosely packed brown sugar
1 T granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
5 1/2 T cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
Directions
30 minutes before ready to mix cake, make your streusel.
Put all of the streusel ingredients except the butter in a medium bowl. Toss with your fingers to combine. Add butter pieces and squeeze and toss with your fingers until you have curds and crumbles. Chill in freezer until ready to use (preferably 30 minutes or longer).
Make the cake
Heat your oven to 350°F. Line 2 9×5-inch loaf pans with foil; grease/spray the foil, and set aside.
Mash bananas in the bottom of a large bowl. (You’ll have a little over 1 cup mashed banana total.) Whisk in melted butter, then brown sugar, egg, and vanilla. Place baking soda, salt, cinnamon (if using), flour and cocoa powder in a sifter or fine-mesh strainer and sift over wet ingredients. (My cocoa is almost always lumpy, so this is essential for me.) Stir dry and wet ingredients with a spoon until just combined. Stir in dried berries and pecans.
Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans, topping evenly with crumble streusel, if using, and bake 35 to 45 minutes, until a tester or toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out batter-free. Cool in pan for 10 to 15 minutes, then lift the cakes out by the foil and cool on rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
The cake will keep for up to 4 days at room temperature or freeze for longer storage.