Chocolate and Cinnamon Banana Pound Cake
A little over a year ago, we had several extremely ripe bananas sitting in our kitchen (this was not a rare occurrence, since I frequently buy large bunches of bananas thinking “oh, bananas! yum!” and then proceed to let them all become quite brown and wholly unappealing; my brain somehow thinks that I really love bananas, when in fact, I rarely want to eat a whole banana, even when they are lovely and slightly greenish). As many of you might have when such a situtation presented itself, I said “I’m going to make banana bread after dinner.”
When after dinner came, though, Bart said “how about a banana cake?” (this is not a rare occurrence either; he told our dinner guests on Wednesday that he was “a dessert man”). So I found a recipe (I’m such a nice wife) for a fabulous looking chocolate cinnamon banana pound cake, and we set off to purchase the ingredients. One of these ingredients was a bag of cinnamon chips. Do you not know what cinnamon chips are? Neither did the store we went to (a higher-end grocery store). These are cinnamon chips.
The snotty teenager cashier laughed when I asked her if she knew where they were and snidely suggested I look by the Doritos. Bart suggested we just do chocolate chips instead. I gave them both scathing looks of disdain and made Bart take me to three stores before we finally found this elusive product at Albertsons. I rejoiced. Bart rejoiced also when he discovered how fabulous this cake was. (Also, he forgave me for making him drag me all around town).
We made it again when Bart’s parents came for Thanksgiving – this banana pound cake sealed their approval for Bart’s decision to marry me (they didn’t know about the scathing looks of disdain, but even if they had, the cake would have smoothed things over).
Yesterday, my co-worker had a birthday. She had asked some weeks ago that I make her a cake instead of buying one. I’d suggested this recipe and she’d quickly agreed.
On Wednesday night, I set out to the grocery store to buy the ingredients (on the company’s tab, of course, since the office always pays for the cake). Three stores and an hour later, I had no cinnamon chips. Albertson’s, you see, is going out of business (no surprise there since H-E-B is FAR better and FAR cheaper) and they no longer carry cinnamon chips. I wept. All was lost.
Actually, all was not lost because my thoughtful mother-in-law had sent me a bag of cinnamon chips for my birthday. I had not forgotten this bag sitting in my cupboard. But I did not want to use them because THE OFFICE WASN’T PAYING FOR THEM! And even more so now that I know that they could not be found in my immediate vicinity. And yet, I used them. For I am a nice person. (Also, I like to uphold my somewhat tenuous reputation as a good cook and, lo, those cinnamon chips are key to that reputation). Also, the bag was quite large.
One complaint about the bag though – it said in large letters on the front “DO NOT EAT AS CANDY!” Are you kidding me? I shall eat them as candy if I wish. And I will enjoy myself in the process.
And of course, now I shall share this banana pound cake recipe with you. And you shall wow your friends too (if you can find cinnamon chips).
chocolate banana pound cake
Chocolate Banana Pound Cake
This recipe is worth every single minute of trying to find cinnamon chips!
Ingredients
Cake:
- 2 ripe bananas
- 1 package plain German chocolate cake mix psh, don't give me grief about using a cake mix
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- ½ cup oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup cinnamon chips
Glaze:
- ½ cup sugar
- 5 Tbsp butter
- ¼ cup milk
- 3 Tbsp cocoa powder unsweetened
- 2/3 cup cinnamon chips
- 1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
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Heat oven to 350. Peel bananas and place them in a large mixingbowl. With the electric mixer on low speed, blend them until mashed. Add the cake mix, buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Blend on low speed for 1 minute. Scrape the bowl with a spatula and beat 2 more minutes on medium speed. Fold in the cinnamon chips, making sure theyare well-distributed. Bake until cake springs back when pressed with finger (38-40 minutes). Let cool completely.
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Meanwhile, place sugar, butter and milk for glaze in a small saucepan and stir over medium heat until it boils. Still stirring, let it boil for 1 minute and remove pan from heat. Stir in cocoa powder, cinnamon chips and vanilla until the cinnamon chips are melted and the glaze is smooth. Stir and let cool for a few minutes until it thickens a little. When cake is cool, drizzle over the top. Save extra glaze in fridge and eat like fudge.
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Gorge yourself and your friends with cake. Bask in the mighty praise you are sure to receive.
Wow–you’ve inspired me. I’m also a banana-buyer who often uses my overripe bananas to make bread or some other tasty treat. I have never considered a banana cake before; it sounds yummy! Mext time I go to the store, I’ll keep my eye out for the elusive chips.
I’m so excited to have this recipe. It was FABULOUS when I tasted it and I don’t even usually like cinnamon. Now if I can just track down those chips… I’ll let you know if I find a reliable local source!
I’m kind of ashamed to admit that I’ve never even HEARD of cinnamon chips. But I’m excited. The possibilities are endless!! If I can find them, that is.
I’m trying to remember when you had this cake, Gretchen. With all the great desserts Janssen makes for various things, I guess it all just gets too difficult to keep track.
And Noelle, how have you never thought of a banana cake? Have you not thought of a grapefruit cake either? (Hint — don’t try a grapefruit cake)
And Janssen, I’m still a little sad that you didn’t remember to make me a little muffin out of the cake batter. I thought we had a deal at the beginning of this marriage (actually, working out during my lunch break has upset my spaghetti-filled stomach, so it’s okay this one time not to have made extra . . .).
if i didn’t like you so much, this is when i would call you an over-achiever with a slightly disdainful tone of voice that is reserved for those people that make feel extremely lazy…okay, reserved for those that make feel guilty for being lazy, because that’s what i am.
you see, when i have a couple of ripe bananas sitting on the counter, i would never think of making banana bread, nor cake. and i certainly wouldn’t drive all over town trying to find the ingredients. nope, i simply throw them in the blender and make a big ol’ chocolate banana shake! Yummm. now that i think about…i have bananas and ice cream and milk and chocolate syrup. THERE WILL BE SHAKES TONIGHT!!
luv ya,
joe
p.s. give my best to bart
I had this cake way back at easter I think it was when we and the Daytons were all at the Jacobs for dinner. And I haven’t forgotten it 😉
18.00 for a bag of chips sounded outrageous to me so I went and found a cheep place to buy online. I didn’t check shipping costs…. but 5.00 sounds so much better to me. Buy in bulk and share!
Yes!! I love a new dessert recipe!
Yummy! I love it a recipe comes so highly recommended. I also am guilty of the “forgetting about the bananas” that are clearly setting out on the counter.
Thanks for sharing!
When I first bought the chips, they told me the label said “do not eat as candy” because the chips sort of burst in your mouth (as they do in the cake)–perhaps a bit different than the Hershey version, but much, much cheaper and quite delicious. Happy eating.
By the way, that link for cinnamon chips I put in there – it’s for SIX bags, so you’re down to less than $3 per pag. I would NEVER make a recipe that called for an $18 ingredient.
Mmm…this is making me hungry on a Saturday morning.
We haven’t talked in like 2 days…are you still alive? Love you!
Janssen. This is the first time I have read a post in your blog, and the way you write is soooo much more entertaining than everything else I read. Thanks for making life a little more enjoyable for someone who has only read a handful of novels in his life. Textbooks—Now that’s another story:) …james…
Wonderful! I do the same thing with the bananas I buy always thinking that I will put them in smoothies for the boys or cut them up for the baby. Right. There they sit, lonely on the counter, turning darker by the day. Now I can put them to good use. Thanks for the recipe!
I remember the cake well. And you loved me enough to leave the rest at my house so that I could enjoy it the next day while Brian was at work and the child slept. It was even better then.
…I’m truly enjoying our relationship. Bring more cake.
When I get accepted to UT (see…positive thinking) and I come visit and discover that it really is better than Disneyland and subsequently move down, we shall be great friends and we shall bake lots of treats and Bart will become fat and all will be mirth and merriment.
Can you tell my brain is fried???
Anyway, super excited for a new cake. I’ll have to get my grandma’s recipe for her delicious lemon-cinnamon bundt and share it with you. I know it sounds weird, but it is truly delicious!
Hi, I’m a lurker – first time comment. I live in WA state and cannot find Hershey’s cinnamon chips here anymore (I use them in a recipe for a snickerdoodle type cookie – seriously, heaven. If you want it, email me.) I was in the Chicago area on vacation last month and they had them at the Super Target there (the one with the full grocery store.) I got really excited and bought 3 bags because we don’t have such a Target nearby. I know they are less than $3 a bag there plus, hello, no shipping. Good luck!!
Sounds wonderful. I think I’ll look for the Cinnamon Chips before I decide to bake this. At our house you have to hide the bananas to allow them to get that ripe. Incidentally, since you were told to look by the Doritos, Sun Chips has new Cinnamon flavored Chips. Yum!
This recipe sounds delish! I will have to try it. I just went to Whole Foods to get a few things, and I happened to see cinnamon chips there! So, if you have a WF near you, look there!
Hi,
I stummbled across your blog via a friends blog that I read and I saw this post about the cinnamon chips. I buy them often as I use them in one of my own recipes. I usually purchase them at Super Target. If I remember correctly I think that it is about 3.89 with tax for a bag of the Cinammon Chips. Just wanted to let you know in case you had any of the Super Targets where you live.
I made this a few times in 2007. Then Albertson's went out of business up here, and I haven't been able to find them again, even though I check baking aisles at various stores pretty much every time I go shopping. (Not exaggerating. "Maybe they decided to get some cinnamon chips! No. Darn." Nearly every grocery trip.) Due to my persistence, I found some on Saturday! Woot. But this recipe needs a picture. Maybe I'll take one for you today and you can add it. Then I can pin this recipe and it will spread like wildfire.