Banana and Chocolate Bars Recipe

When do I ever need an excuse to bake a cake? I love baking and always seem to do some at the weekend. I think if I forgot to bake my son would have words. He loves helping me and his favourite task is of course licking out the bowl.

This weekend I had a few bananas in the fruit bowl which looked like they needed using so I decided to make some banana and chocolate bars. This is a square banana cake which has been frosted with chocolate icing. I have to admit I got a bit carried away with decorating it, using up some sprinkles and butterfly sugar cake decorations I had in my cupboard. The banana and chocolate bars were a big success though and I would definitely make them again.

This is the recipe if you fancy making them:

Banana and Chocolate Bars

Ingredients

• 175g (6oz) butter
• 175g (6oz) caster sugar
• 3 eggs
• 250g (8oz) self raising flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 bananas  (about 175g, 6 oz)

For the frosting

• 50g (2oz) butter
• 25g (1oz) cocoa powder
• 350g (8oz) icing sugar
• 1-2 tablespoons milk

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C, 350F, Gas Mark 4
2. Cream the butter and sugar together until golden.
3. Gradually add in the eggs, flour and baking powder, mixing as you go.
4. Peel and mash the bananas and beat them into the mixture.
5. Line a baking tin with parchment and pour the mixture in, levelling the top.
6. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden and the top is springy to touch.
7. Leave in the tin to cool and make the frosting.
8. Heat the butter in a pan until melted then stir in the cocoa powder.
9. Remove from the heat and add the icing sugar bit by bit after sifting it.
10. Heat gently until smooth adding milk as needed.
11. Pour over the cake and add decorations if you want.
12. When cool remove from tin and cut into bars.

Read more:

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• Banana and Walnut Bread Recipe
• Danish Pastry