Banana cake’s texture is best when it is light or has a nice crumb and
as far as I am concerned, the moist [soggy], heavy [oily] banana cake is a
culinary failure. I made this light textured banana cake with my youngest
granddaughter in mind. The other two banana cake recipes I have are both amazing, [check them out in my cookbook under "cake"] but for
one reason or another, I knew that this version will appeal to Olivia the most. Intended for a tube pan, but because I baked them in
thin layers, as you can see they sagged a bit, the round cake pans work. Chocolate and banana flavours pair exceptionally well and of course as rich as the chocolate ganache is, it is still lighter
than a buttercream or cream cheese icing.
I made a long list of elaborate cakes in the past, but lately I
approach cake making with a sort of restraint, keeping in mind how the parts
work together, paring down each part to its elements so not one ingredient or
amount is superfluous.
BANANA CHIFFON CAKE WITH GANACHE
Cake:
6 egg yolks
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup oil
2/3 cup banana puree
1/2 cup sugar
3/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
6 egg whites
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
1/4 cup sugar
Ganache:
6oz bittersweet pure chocolate
2 Tbsp oil
1/3 cup whipping cream
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Fully line two 9 inch cake pans with parchment paper.
- Whisk cake flour, salt and baking soda together. Set aside.
- Beat the egg yolks with sugar until pale and creamy.
- Add corn oil and banana puree and combine.
- Add flour mixture to egg yolk batter and mix just to combine.
- Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until foamy and frothy.
- Gradually add sugar until stiff peaks form.
- Gradually fold the beaten whites into the egg yolks batter.
- Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans.
- Bake in the preheated oven until the cake tester comes out clean.
- Remove the cakes from baking pans when completely cooled.
- To make ganache, chop the chocolate and partially melt it in the microwave.
- Stir the chocolate until fully melts.
- Stir in the oil and add the whipping cream.
- Stir to combine.
- Peel off the parchment paper and spread the bottom cake with 1/3 of the ganache.
- Place the second cake on the top and spread the side and the top with ganache.
- Place in the fridge to set the ganache and then slice to serve.
