Our contributor, Tessa Huff, shares a rich banana cake flavored with dark chocolate and hazelnut — banana cake layered with chocolate ganache and finished with a silky chocolate-hazelnut buttercream.
Summer heat often sends us toward chilled treats, and frozen chocolate-dipped bananas are one of my favorites. Inspired by those flavors, this cake combines ripe banana, bittersweet chocolate and hazelnut in a layered dessert that feels indulgent without being fussy. It’s not a cold, frozen dessert, but it captures the same bright banana and deep chocolate notes with added richness from the hazelnut buttercream.
The cake is moist and tender from mashed bananas and yogurt, while layers of dark chocolate ganache add depth. I use a chocolate‑hazelnut buttercream both between the layers and as the outer frosting for a cohesive, glossy finish. Toasted chopped hazelnuts sprinkled on top add crunch and a nutty contrast; serve with a drizzle of salted caramel sauce if you like a sweet-salty finish.
The balance here is straightforward: tender banana cake, a layer of dark ganache, and a whipped chocolate-hazelnut Swiss meringue buttercream. The recipe yields a refined cake that’s excellent for a special occasion or when you want to treat yourself.
BANANA CHOCO HAZELNUT CAKE
a recipe by Tessa Huff
For the Banana Cake:
3 ripe bananas
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter and lightly flour two 6″ round cake pans.
- Mash the ripe bananas with a fork in a small bowl and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- With a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter until smooth. Add the sugar and beat on medium-high for 2–3 minutes until pale and fluffy.
- Reduce speed to low and add the eggs one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next. Add the vanilla.
- Stop the mixer and scrape down the bowl to ensure even mixing.
- With the mixer on low, add half of the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
- Mix in the yogurt (or sour cream) until incorporated.
- Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix until just combined; avoid overmixing.
- Fold in the mashed bananas by hand until evenly distributed.
- Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 22–25 minutes.
- Cool the cakes on a wire rack for 10 minutes in the pans, then remove them from the pans and cool completely on the rack.
For the Chocolate Ganache:
8 ounces chocolate – about 65% cacao
6 ounces heavy cream
Chop the chocolate and place it in a heatproof bowl. Warm the cream over medium-low heat until it begins to simmer — do not let it boil. Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate, let sit for about 30 seconds, then whisk until smooth. Allow the ganache to cool and thicken slightly before using between cake layers.
For the Nutella Buttercream (Swiss Meringue style):
3 egg whites
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, cubed and softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup chocolate hazelnut spread
- Combine the egg whites and sugar in a heatproof mixing bowl.
- Set the bowl over a saucepan with a couple inches of simmering water (double boiler). Whisk constantly until the mixture reaches 160°F (71°C) on a candy thermometer.
- Carefully transfer the warmed egg-sugar mixture to the stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.
- Whip on high for 8–10 minutes until the bowl is no longer warm and the meringue is glossy and holds stiff peaks.
- Switch to the paddle attachment. With the mixer on low, add the cubed butter slowly, allowing each addition to incorporate before adding more.
- Add the vanilla and the chocolate hazelnut spread, then increase speed to medium-high and whip until silky and smooth, about 3–5 minutes.
Note: The buttercream may appear curdled or loose midway through; continue beating and it will come together into a smooth, spreadable consistency.
For the Assembly:
salted caramel sauce (optional)
toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped
- Slice each cooled cake layer horizontally to create four even layers.
- Place the bottom layer on your cake board or serving plate and spread a thin layer of chocolate ganache.
- Spoon or pipe a layer of the chocolate-hazelnut buttercream on top of the ganache.
- Top with the next cake layer and repeat the ganache and buttercream layers until all layers are stacked.
- Frost the outside of the cake with the remaining buttercream, smoothing as desired.
- Garnish the top and sides with roughly chopped, toasted hazelnuts for crunch.
- Serve slices with a drizzle of salted caramel sauce if you like a touch of sweet-salty contrast.
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