Yet more baking! This time a lovely chocolate brownie cake that you can make in a flash and easily serve to your guests at short notice minute. This brownie cake was a bit of an experiment. I wanted to see what would happen if I took a trusted brownie recipe and baked it in a round tin, rather than a square brownie tin. The result was a lovely moist, sophisticated cross between a chocolate cake, torte and brownie. I sprinkled some hazelnuts and slices almonds over the top before baking, rather than mixing them into the mixture. They didn’t sink it, but rather stayed on top and become golden and toasted. A sprinkling of icing sugar gives the cake a little lift, too!
This cake is perfect served warm with a good splash of double cream. If you can keep your hands off, it keep well in a tin and is even better the next day. The bananas in the mix keep it nice and moist.
I was hoping to enter this cake into the We Should Cocoa event hosted by Laura in May (with the theme of chocolate and almonds) but I missed the deadline. I also wanted to link up to Alphabakes for the letter H for Hazelnuts, but again, missed the deadline! Sorry about that, ladies, I will try and do a better job of keeping up next month!
Anyway, enough excuses, I’ll leave you with the recipe and hope you enjoy the wonderfully long and celebratory weekend.
- 175 g Unsalted Butter
- 300 g Light Brown Soft Sugar
- 200 g Dark Chocolate
- 3 Eggs
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla or Orange Extract
- 2 Very Ripe Bananas
- 100 g Self Raising Flour
- 25 g Cocoa Powder
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 50 g Chopped Hazelnuts
- 50 g Toasted Almond Flakes
- 2 heaped tablespoon Icing Sugar
- Pre-heat the oven to 180C, 400F, Gas Mark 4
- Grease and line a 23cm spring form baking tin or a 9 inch loose base cake tin.
- Put the butter, sugar and chocolate (broken into pieces) in a microwavable bowl and heat for two minutes on medium (stiring once after one minute) until melted and smooth. OR, melt the butter, sugar and chocolate together in a heat proof bowl over a pan of simmering water (make sure the bowl isn't touching the water and don't be tempted to stir too much) until melted.
- Take the bowl off the heat/out of the microwave. In a separate bowl, add the vanilla or orange extract to the lightly beaten eggs and put to one side. Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, beaten eggs, and mashed bananas into the melted chocolate mixture and mix together well - with a spoon, not in a mixer.
- Pour the mixture into your tin and scatter over the chopped hazelnuts and sliced almonds. Bake for 40 minutes until firm in the centre, rather than wobbly. It may still be quite gooey, so a tester won't come out clean. But it should start to come away from the sides of the tin.
- When cool, carefully release or lift the cake out of the tin and place onto a cooling rack or onto a serving plate if you are ready to eat it. The cake will also keep well. When you are ready to serve, dust the cake lightly with icing sugar. Slice and serve with fresh double cream.
With thanks to Mermaid Bakeware for sending me some excellent quality, non-stick loose base tins to play with! Look out for a bakeware giveaway coming soon.
What have you got planned for the Jubilee weekend?
kellie@foodtoglow says
I like your experiment – and think the nuts on top rather than in is a good choice. Unfortunately I am allergic to hazels (so missing out on the Nutella love that seems to be popular right now) but all almonds is fine by me. Nice images too, as always.
Ren says
Oh no! How sad to have an allergy to hazelnuts! Try decorating with crush pistachio instead x
bakingaddict says
This looks amazing!! Brownies with bananas – I must try that! A great entry for AlphaBakes – sorry you missed the deadline! Hope you’ll join in this month which is “V” 🙂
Ren says
Thanks Ros!
Jacqueline says
That looks absolutely wonderful Ren and I love the photos. Very professional.
Ren says
Thanks Jac! Hope you’ve got some fun stuff planned with Cooper. I have finally succomed to Watermarking as I am seeing my images cropping up on websites without asking permission so better to protect. What do you think?
Magnolia Verandah says
Love cakes that can be made at a short notice – this looks delicious and like the nuts left on the top.
Ren says
Thank you Denise. Have a great weeekend x
Laura@howtocookgoodfood says
This would have been such a good entry for We Should Cocoa . What could be better than adding a layer of almonds and hazelnuts to a rich and fudge brownie cake. I love the idea of baking it in a round tin. For some reason it looks more like a dinner party dessert than a tea time cake when served like this. I love adding bananas to cake mixes too…think it helps them stay fresh for longer.
Have a great weekend! x
Ren says
I know!! I did Tweet you all so you know I was intending to join in! Will do a better job of keeping up this month. This would be great for a dinner party and I’m sure it would work with any Brownie recipe you are happy with. Always great to use those black bananas! Have a great weekend x
Green Dragonette says
Oh my goodness-that looks so,so good!!!
Ren says
Thank you! Enjoy x
Dom says
God this looks so light and moist! I love a simple fast cake like this and the almonds really add some sophistication to it too. Delightfully pretty xx
Ren says
Thank you Dom. Have a fab Jubilee weekend!