This uber delicious Chunky Monkey Banana Cake was inspired by the famous ice cream flavor by the same name. A rich thick cake batter is filled with bananas, chocolate chips and toasted walnuts then finished with drizzle of chocolate ganache. Garnish with more toasted walnuts and it's time to eat.
Chunky Monkey Banana Cake
I love ice cream. I love bananas. I love cake, and I really love baking projects. When an idea comes to me, I'm in my element developing and subsequently writing the recipe. This particular recipe was inspired by a famous ice cream flavor called chunky monkey. It turned into a made from scratch de-light! The banana laced cake batter is filled with chunks of bananas, milk chocolate chips and toasted walnuts. I just had to drizzle it with a milk chocolate ganache and a sprinkling of toasted walnut pieces for the crowning touch. Serve it with fresh whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Then, go for a long walk....
Other Banana Desserts to Add to the Menu
Over ripe bananas are a gift just begging to be turned into something delicious. A few other banana desserts to try:
- Cool down with this Frozen Banana Pudding Bombe.
- Two Southern desserts collide in this Banana Pudding Cream Cheese Pound Cake.
- Chocolate Banana Bread is a think out side of the box variation on classic banana bread.
- Best ever Banana Cake frosted with cream cheese icing.
- Strawberry Banana Crumble from Noble Pig.
Just like the ice cream this cake that will have you smiling from the inside out!
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Helpful Kitchen Items:
Chunky Monkey Banana Cake
Servings: 16 pieces
Calories: 516kcal
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cup chopped walnuts toasted & divided
- 1 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cup cake flour
- 1 3.4 oz box instant banana cream pudding mix
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup softened butter 2 sticks
- 1 ¾ cup sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 ¼ cup buttermilk
- 2 teaspoon pure vanilla
- 1 ¼ cup milk chocolate chips
- 1 cup cubed banana
- ¾ cup milk chocolate chips
- 3 tablespoon heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the walnuts in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast for 6-8 minutes, then cool completely.
- Sift together the both flours, pudding mix, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the softened butter and sugar, until pale yellow and fluffy. Around 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time beating well after each addition. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
- I a separate bowl, whisk the vanilla into the buttermilk. Add the sifted dry ingredients to the creamed mixture alternately with the buttermilk.
- After all of the ingredients have been added, increase the mixer speed, and beat for 2 minutes until fully combined. Stop to scrape the side of the bowl and the beater as needed.
- By hand, mix in the chocolate chips, 1 ½ cup toasted walnuts and cubed banana into the batter.
- Spray a standard bundt pan with baking spray, then spread the thick batter into the pan. Bounce the pan on the counter a few times to remove the air bubbles.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center comes back clean.
- Cover the top with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning, if needed. Cool completely in the pan, then invert onto a cake plate.
- To make the Milk Chocolate Ganache:
- Melt the chocolate chips and heavy cream in a microwave safe dish. Heat in 20 second increments stopping to stir each time. Repeat until completely smooth.
- Drizzle over the cooled cake and sprinkle the top with toasted walnuts.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 516kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 50mg | Sodium: 295mg | Potassium: 240mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 39g | Vitamin A: 698IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 109mg | Iron: 2mg
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My name is Melissa and I'm the Creator of Melissa's Southern Style Kitchen. Cooking, baking, developing recipes and kitchen tips is my passion. I love sharing my dishes and connecting with people through the food that I create.
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Renee
I want to make this cake but can’t find my Bundt pan - can I make it with a regular cake pan? Without changing ingredients?
Melissa
If you mean a tube pan yes, you can.
Carol
This cake sounds fabulous and I def want to try his soon. One thing that I was taught by ny Mom when I was learing to bake in my early teens was when adding things like nuts, raisins, dried fruits, chocolate chips, etc was to lightly dust them with some of the dry ingredients called for in the recipe - This was to prevent them from “sinking” to the bottom of the cake and insure they were evenly distributed throughout the cake during baking - This is just what my Mom shared with me, thought I would pass it on
wendy
I baked your cake in my standard bundt pan but the pan was a lot fuller then shown in the photo. my cake baked oer and fell in the middle. Could you have mistaken the amount of Baking Powder??
Melissa
Hi Wendy, 3 tsp or 1 Tbsp of baking powder is correct. However, if your pan was full before baking it sounds like perhaps you added something extra by mistake? The baking powder would have nothing to do with how it fit in the pan initially for sure. I have never had this cake bake over, but if the amount of flour was increased it would be too much.
Melissa
Hi Linda, thanks!
Linda
Another great dessert! Thanks Melissa:)
lovemylife203
Holy wow...that just looks and sounds so amazing..I am going to make it this week...
Thanks!!
Faith
Melissa
Hi Faith, thank you! Happy baking ☺