Chocolate Banana Walnut Cake

Chef Peter Long,
Maxime’s

Chocolate and caramelized bananas play off the warm, burnt caramel notes of dark rum prevalent in this fluffy cake.

Ingredients
Cake
1 cup sugar
1 stick softened butter
3 large eggs
3 large bananas
2 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup oil
4 squares semi-sweet dark chocolate, melted
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt

Caramelized Bananas
1/4 cup butter
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon
3 bananas, peeled and sliced
3 1/2 Tbsp dark rum
2 Tbsp lemon juice

Method
Cake

1. In a large bowl, cream sugar and butter on medium speed using a stand or hand mixer until smooth, and fluffy.
2. Add one egg at a time, mixing well.
3. Add bananas one at a time. Mix until smooth.
4. In a separate bowl, sift together 1 cup flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Slowly add to wet mixture.
5. Add 1/4 cup milk and 1/4 cup sour cream and mix until combined.
6. Add remaining flour, milk and sour cream. Mix well and add oil.
7. Using a spatula fold in walnuts and melted chocolate.
8. Preheat oven to 350°F.
9. Grease and flour a 9″ round pan. Pour in mixture.
10. Bake for 1 hr. Cool for 30 mins.
11. Serve with caramelized bananas.

Bananas

1. In a heavy skillet, melt butter over medium heat.
2. Add brown sugar, vanilla and cinnamon, stirring until sugar is melted.
3. Add bananas and cook until they are hot and well coated with syrup.
4. Carefully pour in rum and flame until alcohol is cooked out.
5. Add lemon juice and stir. Remove from heat when sugar forms a thick syrup.

Yields 12 servings