Chocolate Banana Crumb Cake

We had some bananas that were all brown and speckled, which are just PERFECT for banana bread or in today's case, Chocolate Banana Crumb Cake. If you've been following me this whole time, then you'll know that I absolutely love Ina Garten recipes. She is my idol and I hope to meet her one day so she can sign cookbooks for me. Anyway, when I saw her recipe for the Chocolate Banana Crumb Cake, I knew I'd use the brown bananas to make the delicious cake to go along with our morning coffee. The recipe did not disappoint and it will be something I make regularly for us. Dr. Sweetpea kept telling me how tasty the cake was while he was eating it!

Chocolate Banana Crumb Cake

(Source: Ina Garten)

1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 extra-large egg, at room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (3 to 4 very ripe bananas) (see Recipe Notes)

1/4 cup sour cream

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

For the streusel topping:

3/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

6 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

3 tablespoons sliced blanched almonds

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour an 8x8x2-inch square baking pan.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together on high speed for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula. With the mixer on low, beat in the egg, vanilla, banana, and sour cream and mix until combined. Don’t worry—it may look curdled. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ones. Scrape into the prepared pan and smooth the top.

For the streusel, combine the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, and butter in a medium bowl and pinch the ingredients together with your fingers until the mixture makes crumbles. Add the chocolate and combine.

Distribute the streusel evenly over the batter, sprinkle the almonds on top, and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan and serve warm or at room temperature.