Spicy Double Chocolate Banana Muffins

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I'll spare you my rousing version of "It's A Small World After All", but I must admit I was taken aback and tempted to sing a chorus or two, when I found this recipe while having coffee in my daughter's Connecticut kitchen. I just wasn't prepared to find Cathy Pollak's recipe in a Hartford newspaper. I'm sure most of you know of Cathy, but on the odd chance that you have yet to become acquainted, I can bring you up to date. Cathy owns and operates Noble Pig, a vineyard and winery here in Oregon's Willamette Valley. She is also a freelance writer who really knows food and wine and you can follow her musings, recipes and food photographs at her blog, Noble Pig. Cathy, who apparently doesn't have a lazy bone in her body, has also started to write for the Statesman Journal, a newspaper headquartered in Salem, Oregon. The recipe for these chocolate and banana muffins caught my eye on a day when I was looking for something unusual to make, and the amount of chili powder and cayenne pepper in these muffins, certainly put them in that category. The muffins are spicy and may not be to everyone's taste, but if you are adventurous and like heat I think you are in for a real treat. The recipe makes a dense, intensely chocolate muffin that will not bore you. I made half a batch of Cathy's muffins and the Silver Fox and I really enjoyed them. I think you will too. Here is how they are made.

Spicy Double Chocolate Banana Muffins...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Cathy Pollak via Noble Pig

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour (measured by lightly spooning into a cup)
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1-1/2 teaspoons chile powder
3/4 teaspoons cayenne pepper
1 cups sugar
1 large egg
2 large very ripe bananas
1/3 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a large bowl, add flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt, chile powder and cayenne. Sift together to combine. Set aside.
2) In bowl of a stand mixer, add sugar, eggs, and bananas. Blend until thoroughly combined. Add flour mixture alternating with buttermilk and ending with flour. Mix just until combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
3) Add 1/4 cup batter to each muffin liner and bake for 25 minutes or until done.
4) Cool for five minutes in the pan and remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Yield: 12 muffins.








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Four Years Ago Today: Blueberry and Lemon Tea Cakes

Cocoa and Banana Small Cakes

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I came across Nancy Silverton's recipe for Cocoa and Banana Small Cakes while researching the background and and culinary accomplishments that placed her on the Gourmet Live list of 50 Women Game Changers in Food. While I didn't choose it as my feature recipe, I did place it on my "must-try" list,  with the intent of making the cakes when time permitted. I pulled the recipe while Bob was in the hospital and decided to make the small cakes for the nursing staff. The cakes, which are moist and rich, are a cross between a muffin and cupcake and they have an unusual texture that makes them a stand-out treat. The recipe is straightforward and the small cakes it produces are delicious. They can be made by anyone who has a mixing spoon and large bowl, but I do have a caution or two to share with you. My muffins did not cook in the recommended time. Ordinarily, I'd say my oven was off but it had just been re-calibrated, so I don't think that was the problem. At any rate, mine took 22 minutes to bake, so if you decide to make these,  you'll need to keep an eye on them. I'd also recommend you use high-end cocoa when you make these. I've used a domestic and an imported product in separate trials and this is a case where you get what you pay for. If you like the combination of chocolate and banana, I hope you'll give this recipe a try. You will not be disappointed. Here's the recipe.

Cocoa and Banana Small Cakes...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Nancy Silverton

Ingredients:
nonstick cooking spray
2-1/2 cups pureed banana (5 to 6 bananas)
5 large eggs
1-1/4 cups canola oil
3-1/3 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
3-3/4 cups flour
1 cup cocoa powder
1 cup toasted pecans, chopped

Directions:
1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat 30 1/2-cup muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray.
2) In a large mixing bowl, combine banana puree, eggs and oil.
3) Sift together sugar, baking powder, baking soda, flour and cocoa. Add dry ingredients to banana mixture, stirring until just moistened.
4) Fill muffin cups 2/3 full and sprinkle with chopped pecans.
5) Bake until a skewer inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean, about 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Yield: 30 muffins.

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Two Years Ago Today: Margarita Cheesecake

Maple Flavored Banana-Nana Bread

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is a quick, easy and dependable bread that can be made in about 20 minutes. This is a great recipe to have when you are working in the usually sub-standard kitchens of dorms, summer cottages or vacation condos. If you have a bowl, a wooden spoon and a strong arm,  you'll have a table-ready bread in about 90 minutes. It is also a great recipe for new cooks or teens to try.  This loaf is a bit different than many you may have sampled. It uses pure maple syrup as a sweetener and gets a flavor boost from a generous quantity of dried banana chips. The addition of nuts is optional, but they do add a nice touch to the finished loaf. If you're feeling especially festive, glazed walnuts or pecans make a wonderful addition and take the bread to a whole nother level. The bread keeps well for several days, but I suspect it will be gone long before it can stale. Whenever possible, I make the bread the day before I plan to serve it. That gives the disparate ingredients a chance to meld and ripen and assures the bread will have wonderful flavor. I've just made a loaf of this, sans nuts, for the Silver Fox. His sweet tooth has come back to life and he'll be ready for an all-you-can-eat buffet any day now. That's awfully nice to see. I hope you'll give this bread a try. I don't think you'll regret it. Here's the recipe.

Maple Flavored Banana-Nana Bread...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2 large)
1/2 teaspoon maple flavored extract
1 cup coarsely chopped banana chips
1 cup chopped toasted walnuts or pecans (optional)

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. Set aside.
2) Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
3) Beat eggs, maple syrup, oil, maple extract and brown sugar in a large bowl. Stir in bananas. Gradually stir in flour mixture, just until moistened. Fold in banana chips and walnuts. Scrape mixture into prepared pan. Level with an offset spatula.
4) Bake 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out almost clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes; remove from pan and cool completely on wire rack. Yield: 1 loaf.

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Two Years Ago Today: Goat Herder's Mac n' Cheese

Three Years Ago Today: Coffee and  Walnut Snack Cake

Banana Muffins

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Some of them exercise, some of them count calories and some, having developed what I call the "What the Hell" syndrome, just smile beatifically and grab another cookie. I speak now, with great affection, of course, of my homeys who have never met a snack or dessert they didn't like . While the stated purpose of our meetings is planning and scheduling events for a group that does not wish to be named here, we really meet to dish, divine and dine. That's dine, as in snack on things that aren't really good for us. I was refreshment lady this month and used the opportunity to test some muffin recipes I'd been wanting to try. The muffins I'm featuring today, are a bit unique in that they have a drizzled caramel glaze that goes well with the intense banana flavor of the cakes. I made two batches this morning and used the glaze on one of them. The glaze did not photograph well, so I used confectioners' sugar to top the other. These muffins are like a banana bread in cupcake form and they really are delicious, with or without the glaze. I'll be making them again. Here's the recipe.

Banana Muffins...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Katherine McClelland

Ingredients:
1/4 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1-1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 large)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon
Caramel Icing
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon 2% milk
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
in 6 jumbo muffin cups.
Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place cupcake liners in six jumbo muffin cups. Cream shortening and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in egg. Beat in bananas and vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture just until moistened. Fill muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake for 23-28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
2) For icing, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar and milk; bring to a boil. Cool slightly. Beat in confectioners' sugar until smooth. Transfer to a small resealable plastic bag; cut a small hole in a corner of bag and drizzle over muffins. Yield: 6 muffins.









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Gluten-Free Banana Breakfast Muffins - Retired Without Regrets
Raspberry Lemon Breakfast Muffins - Fresh4Five
Spiced Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins - Amanda's Cookin'
Carrot Spice Muffins - My Baking Heart

Peanut Butter and Banana Bread

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I wish all delicious things could be beautiful and appealing to the eye. Unfortunately, it doesn't always work that way. This quick bread is a perfect example of what I mean. It is wonderfully moist and flavorful, but it is homely in the extreme, and when these ingredients are used, there's not much that can be done to improve its appearance. The combination of bananas, peanut butter and chocolate is irresistibly tasty, but as you can see, they turn the batter a blotchy, muddy tan that is less than pleasing to the eyes. I normally wouldn't bother with something like this, but the bread has such outstanding flavor, that I keep granting it clemency, and bake it over and over again. The recipe was developed by Beth Lipton and I found it at the library in her book, You Made That Dessert?. I really like the earthiness of this bread and I recommend it to you, but with a caution or two. First, do not attempt to make this with natural peanut butter. It is too thin to work as a butter replacement in this recipe. Second, avoid using regular chocolate chips if you can. They will blotch more than the miniatures as the loaf bakes and you'll end up with a hot mess on your hands. Last, and, most important of all, the bread should sit for a day before it is eaten. The flavor improves remarkably when it's given the opportunity to ripen. This is a moist loaf and it keeps well if properly wrapped. I think you will like this. Here's the recipe.

Peanut Butter and Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips and Walnuts ...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Beth Lipton

Ingredients:
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter (do not use "natural")
2/3 cup sugar
3 large ripe bananas, mashed
2 large eggs, at room temperature, lightly beaten
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or chopped pecans (optional)
1/2 cup miniature chocolate chips (optional)

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mist a 5 x 9-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.
2) Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together in a small bowl until combined.
3) Place peanut butter and sugar in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium-low speed until well-blended, about 2 minutes. Beat in mashed banana and eggs; mix well.
4) Using a wooden spoon or flexible spatula, stir flour mixture into the peanut butter–banana mixture, mixing until just combined, scraping down sides of the bowl as needed. Stir in chopped nuts and/or chocolate chips, if using. Scrape batter into the pan and smooth top.
5) Bake 45 minutes. Cover pan loosely with foil and bake 10 to 15 minutes longer, or until a toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean. Cool bread on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing from pan. It helps to run a paring knife around edges of pan to loosen bread before turning it out. Invert bread onto a wire rack. Carefully turn bread right-side up. When cool, slice and serve. Yield: One 9-inch loaf. Serves 8.







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Vegan Mango and Banana Bread - The Sweets Life
Orange-Glazed Banana Nut Bread - One Perfect Bite
Marbled Banana Nutella Bread - Sugar Plum

Banana Snack Cake

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...What follows is my attempt to make bananas and banana cake a bit more interesting. Buried in the annuls of music history is a song called "Yes, We Have No Bananas". It was popular in the 1920's and the phrase was used on signs posted by British grocers decades later to let patrons know they were in compliance with bans that prohibited the importation of the fruit during WWII. It's generally thought that the song was inspired by a banana blight in Brazil, but it is harder to identify who originated the phrase. Some credit Jimmy Costas, a Long Island grocer, for the catchphrase. Others believe the honor should be given to the cartoonist, Thomas Dorgan. Whatever the case may be, the song became the theme of the Outdoor Relief protests that took place in Belfast, Ireland in 1932. Ironically, it was one of the few secular songs that both the Protestants and Catholics knew and could sing together. Over the years, the song has lent its title to a book about the depression in Belfast and been mentioned or heard in the movies Sabrina and The English Patient. I'm told the phrase was used as late as 2006 in Australia, when a large portion of the country's banana crop was destroyed by a cyclone and caused a shortage for most of the year. Now, as it happens, my youngest grandsons have assured that I have bananas aplenty today. This moist and flavorful cake is one of my favorite ways to use them. If you like banana cake, I hope you'll give this version a try. The frosting is especially nice. Yes, we do have bananas, we do have bananas today. We also have Louis Prima's version of the song for those of you have never heard it.



Banana Snack Cake...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Maureen Saunders

Ingredients:
Cake
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup mashed ripe banana
1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted
Frosting
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dash salt
2 to 2-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted + chopped pecans for topping

Directions:
1) To make cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch square pan. Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture just until combined. Fold in banana and pecans. Pour into prepared pan and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Cool cake in pan on a wire rack.
2) To make frosting: Cream butter in a small bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in milk, vanilla, salt and enough confectioners' sugar to achieve spreading consistency. Stir in toasted pecans. Frost cake. Garnish with additional pecans. Yield: 9 servings.







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My Go-To Banana Cake - Young Baker
Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting - The Dutch Baker's Daughter
Best Ever Banana Cake - Apron String Baking

Orange Glazed Banana Nut Bread

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I love it when voyages of discovery in the kitchen lead me to something that is new, different and delicious. With the little ones here, I've had to deal with an amazing number of bananas at various stages of brown and nasty decay. As you've probably guessed, I've made an assortment of muffins, cakes and bread to prevent them from becoming fodder for the compost pile. Now, I'll grant you that there is nothing new about banana bread, but the orange and nut glaze that tops this one takes it out of the "same ole, same ole" category and puts it in a league of its very own. This simple confection, actually more like a cake than a bread, takes all of 15 minutes to prepare, and I promise those of you who try the recipe will consider it time well spent. The glaze, which would work well with pound cake or other plain quick breads, is a stunner, pure and simple. Not only did it have my socks going up and down, my kitchen assistant, a certain four year old who will leave here with my heart in his hands, had those hands full with a fat slice of the cake he got to glaze when he gave the ultimate review. "Deeelicious". I also got a kiss. Now I don't often get kisses for my banana bread and I must say it was a lovely reward. I suggest you give this one a try. Here's the recipe.

Orange Glazed Banana Nut Bread...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Beverly Sprague

Ingredients:
Bread
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 package (8-oz.) cream cheese, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1-1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 4 medium)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups chopped walnuts or pecans, divided
Glaze
1 cup confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon grated orange peel

Directions:
1) Grease two 8-in.x 4-in. loaf pans. Line bottom of pans with parchment paper; grease paper. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2) Cream butter, cream cheese and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in bananas and vanilla.
3) Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in another bowl; gradually add to creamed mixture. Fold in reserved 1 cup pecans.
4) Scrape batter into prepared pans. Sprinkle with remaining nuts. Bake for 1 to 1-1/4 hours or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.
5) In a small bowl, whisk glaze ingredients; drizzle over loaves. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Yield: 2 loaves (12 slices each).







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You might also enjoy these recipes:
Hippyfied Banana Bread - The Culinary Life
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Peanut Butter Banana Bread - Sweet and Savory Tooth
Almost Vegan Banana Bread - Deelicious Sweets
Ultimate Banana Bread - Good Times and Good Food

Strawberry Orange Smoothies

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Smoothies for a mob? I'm a coward and would never attempt it, but I've just come from a breakfast where it was done successfully. I thought those of you who regularly entertain large groups for brunch or breakfast, might like to make this smoothie for your family and guests to enjoy. There were about 50 people at the breakfast this morning. The smoothies were made about an hour before serving and kept in half-gallon containers. The containers were given a vigorous shake before the drinks were served, but there was no unsightly mess to spoil the appearance of the lovely tables that had been set for breakfast. The recipe can be doubled or tripled, but remember the limitations of your blender. Even an average batch will have to be made in two parts and then mixed together. I think you'll like this. It is a fast, easy and inexpensive way to help feed a gang. Here's the recipe.

Strawberry Orange Smoothies...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, courtesy of Deb Mac Neil

Ingredients:
3 cups orange juice
1 carton (8 ounces) strawberry yogurt
6 fresh strawberries
1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, drained
1 medium firm banana, cut into chunks

Directions:
Place half of each ingredient in a blender; cover and process until blended. Pour into chilled glasses. Repeat with remaining ingredients. Serve immediately. Yield: 6 servings.







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Very Berry Smoothie - Cooking from My Heart
Strawberry Banana Smoothies - Smitha's Spicy Flavors
Banana Date Smoothie - Cajun Chef Ryan
Strawberry Coconut Smoothie - Sweet Basil Kitchen
Hawaiian Surf Smoothie - Hungry Rabbit
Watermelon Smoothie - Home Cooking Rocks

This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.

Banana Mousse

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I'm rarely able to match the number of bananas I need to the number of people who will actually eat them while sitting at my table. Rather than run short, I inevitably over-buy and end up scrambling to use them before they're fit for nothing other than the compost bin. Fortunately, we love banana desserts, and, in addition to cakes and breads, have come to enjoy a banana mousse that is very simple to make. To my mind, the difference between a mousse and a pudding lies in the lighter and more airy texture of the mousse. A mousse is usually stiffened with egg whites or gelatin, while a pudding relies on a flour or cornstarch thickener. When working with gelatin it is easy to get carried away and use more of it than is necessary. While that won't harm the flavor of the mousse it can affect its texture. I have found that 2 teaspoons of gelatin is all that I need to set this mousse and keep it from getting rubbery. This is a great way to use bananas that have begun to blacken and develop leopard spot. The resulting mousse is nearly fail proof, and, with a bit of garnish, a dish designed for family and friends moves uptown and is fit for guests as well. If you like bananas, I think you'll like this. Here's the recipe.

Hawaiian Banana Bread

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...My homey's call this lovely banana loaf King Kamehameha bread. We first had it in Hawaii several years ago. It is a lovely loaf whose taste has been enhanced by some very pleasant memories. When we returned from the islands, I began to search for a banana bread recipe that had the same plantation flavors as the bread we so enjoyed. Some find it strange that my quest for new foods begins with a search rather than an experiment. The work I did before retirement taught me not to reinvent the wheel, and, for better or worse, I've carried that belief into my kitchen. I don't create or develop recipes unless I absolutely have to, or I have a truly original idea. That I ever began to enter cooking contests is a mystery to those who know me, and that I actually began to win some is a miracle to me. So, it should come as no surprise, that rather than parse taste memories, I began a search for a recipe I suspected already existed. The search brought me to this lovely bread from Gourmet Magazine. It is very close to the one we sampled on the islands. There are some tricks to making a great banana bread and if you want full banana flavor you have to start with really nasty bananas. The best bananas, from a cook's perspective, are the ones that have huge leopard spots on their exteriors. Beautiful bananas look lovely in a fruit bowl but they make anemic breads, cakes or puddings. I also find it important to toast nuts and other dry additions that are folded into quick breads. Toasting will enhance their flavors as well. This bread is very moist and, if well-wrapped, will stay fresh for several days. It is easy to make and, in the great scheme of things, fairly inexpensive to make. If you can't find macadamia nuts in your area, almonds or pine nuts can be substituted. This is a wonderful bread and I think you'll enjoy it. The aroma as it bakes has been known to make grown men weep. Here's the recipe.

Hawaiian Banana Bread...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, inspired by Gourmet Magazine

Ingredients:
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon double-acting baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
1-1/3 cups mashed ripe banana (about 3 large)
3 tablespoons sour cream
3/4 cup chopped macadamia nuts, lightly toasted and cooled
1 cup sweetened flaked coconut, lightly toasted and cooled

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease two 8-1/2 x 4-1/2-inch loaf pans.
Dust with flour. Set aside.
2) Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl. In another large bowl, cream butter with sugars with an electric mixer. When mixture is light and fluffy beat in vanilla, eggs, one at a time, zest, banana, and sour cream. Add flour mixture, beating batter until it is just combined. Stir in macadamia nuts and coconut.
3) Divide the batter between loaf pans and smooth tops. Bake 45 to 50 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted in center of loaf comes out clean. Remove bread from pans. Complete cooling on racks. Yield: 2 loaves.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
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Ohana Snack Cake

Ohana is a Hawaiian word that, roughly translated, means extended family; this cocoa, banana and macadamia nut cake is decidedly homely and perfect for gatherings of family and good friends. Bananas, macadamia nuts and small crops of cacoa, from the slopes of Hualalai Mountain, are indigenous to the big island of Hawaii and this cake makes perfect use of those ingredients. The cake is not Hawaiian but because the ingredients used to make it are and because it's designed to be served at simple gatherings of family and friends I named it an ohana cake. One of the elements of a green kitchen is the avoidance of waste; that's why I freeze overripe bananas. I use thawed, frozen bananas in this cake; if fresh, unblemished bananas are used you won't get the flavor that's needed here. The predominant flavor in this cake should be the banana, so please go with frozen, overripe bananas. You can swap any toasted nutmeat for the macadamias. Other hints...serve the cake warm. It begs for a dollop of cream or small scoop of ice cream. If you make the cake early in the day, warm it it the oven or microwave before serving. Warm makes a difference.

Ohana Snack Cake

Ingredients:
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups mashed ripe banana (preferably frozen, thawed)
1 cup milk
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs
1 to 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup chopped, toasted macadamia nuts (walnuts or pecans may be substituted)
Confectioners' sugar

Directions:
1) Spray a 9-inch square cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2) Sift flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt into a large bowl. Stir in sugar and whisk to incorporate.
3) Combine bananas, milk, butter, eggs and vanilla in another large bowl. Mix well. Stir in flour until just combined. Stir in nuts.
4) Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until cake tester comes out clean. Remove from oven. Cool on a rack for 10 minutes. Unmold.
5) Warm cake before serving. Sprinkle top with confectioners' sugar. Cut into squares. Yield: 9 servings.