Sticky banoffee chocolate brownie cake

Hello! I realise that my last post was in june? Over the holidays, I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to continue blogging (although I was still baking). However, I have come to the conclusion that I will; even if that means only once a month… Well here’s the cake that changed my mind!

I have revolutionised baking. No really. Please marvel at the wonder I have created… introducing the best cake in the world. This is a true cake of wonders: a cross between brownies, banana bread, chocolate cake, sticky toffee pudding and banoffee pie.

It came to me as I wallowing; having had a particularly bad and boring day at school. The cake tin was desolate and doleful and a couple of bananas lay despondently in the fruit bowl. All I wanted was something comforting but with an amazing taste.

What to put in then? Bananas definitely… chocolate always works… And so it continued. This cake (if you could call it that) is a gooey, but at the same time airy, chocolately sponge. The bananas add a lovely flavour and squidge, so it is sort of banana brownies in a way. The topping is a glossy sticky toffee sauce that enhances the flavour perfectly.

Warm out of the oven, this rich, gooey brownie cake slathered in a dark caramel and served with a scoop of cool, rich vanilla ice cream is the most perfect pudding. I had to go back for seconds… and thirds.

You must try this. I am still salivating about it now. Now I will never look back – pudding, tea time, breakfast. This cake hits the mark and is oh so moreish. If you are torn between brownies or chocolate cake or want a bit of fruit in there then this is your answer!

Sticky banoffee chocolate brownie cake
You need:
150g/5oz dark chocolate
150g/5oz butter
150g/5oz muscavado sugar (either kind works well, and normal caster/granulated can be substituted)
175g/6oz self-raising flour
2 bananas, mashed
2 eggs
50g/2oz chocolate chips (optional)

40g/2oz dark muscavado sugar
40g/2oz butter
75ml/3floz double cream
a pinch fleur du sel

1) Preheat the oven to 170°C/155°C fan. In a large pan, melt the chocolate and butter over a low heat.
Once melted, remove from the heat and stir in the sugar. Leave for a couple of minutes to cool.

2) Mix in the flour, banana and eggs until thoroughly combined. Finally chuck in the chocolate chips and pour into a greased/lined 8″ cake tin.

3) Bake for 25-30 minutes and leave to cool.

4) For the sauce, heat the sugar, butter and cream in a large pan until boiling. Simmer for 3 minutes (stirring) until thickened. Whip off the heat and pour over the cake.

5) Serve the cake warm for dessert with rich, good quality vanilla ice cream, or have for afternoon tea with a blob of creme fraiche.