Chocolate Banana Cake

Today my younger brother celebrating his 21st birthday. So baked a customized cake to celebrate the precious moments and cherish him with this wonderful Chocolate Banana Cake. Actually I really do not know what to bake since the time constraints. Just make a phone call and and asked him what he prefer to have. Ha ha ha... Anyway its not going to be surprise for him either since he will be around during my baking project. He gave combination of chocolate, banana and almond. Now I have an idea what to bake tonight. Simple chocolate cake with banana slices in between and garnish with almonds. I have baked moist chocolate cake before and already posted. Wanna try something different. Chocolate banana cake from Secret Recipe cross in my mind. Absolutely scrumptious! Why not try something similar to that. Then came this idea. All the ingredients which I used in this recipe very simple and the chocolate mousse and ganache in this recipe I use my own recipe.

Ingredients
Chocolate Cake :
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsalted butter softened
3/4 cup Cocoa powder
1 cup Buttermilk

Chocolate mousse:
150 gm dark chocolate (I use 85% Lindt)
2 cup + 1/4 cup Heavy Whipping Cream
1/2 cup Confectioner sugar
1/2 tsp almond essence
1 tbsp butter

Chocolate Ganache:
150 gm dark chocolate
1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup confectioner sugar

Garnishing:
2-3 banana
chocolate wafer rolls
chocolates
roasted almond slices
ribbons

Line 9-in round baking pan with waxed paper and set aside. Then preheat the oven for 175 degree C.
In a large mixing bowl, sieve together flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cocoa powder. Whisk with hand whisk just to well mix. Keep aside.
Using electric hand mixer, cream butter with sugar till creamy and fluffy. Then add the 3 eggs with one egg at a time. Beat well after each addition. Add 1 tsp of vanilla essence for fragrant aroma.
Finally fold in the flour mixture alternatively with butter milk in 3 batches. Beat well to avoid lumps.
Transfer the chocolate cake batter into prepared lined baking tin and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes or more if needed. Use a cake tester or fork to insert near the center of the cake. If its come out clean, then the cake is baked completely.
Remove the cake from the pan after 5 to 10 minutes and cool it on wire rack Make sure the cake is completely cool before frosting.

While we were waiting for the cake to cool completely, lets prepare chocolate mousse.
Boil the water in a heavy bottom pan. Turn off the flame. Using another pan, just the right size to fit in the heavy bottom vessel. Melt the dark chocolates together with little butter. This 85% cocoa solids dark chocolate one of the most bitter in taste i ever tasted. But I like dark chocolates compared to milk chocolates. Less sweet and will be just nice to my taste buds. While the chocolate melts we can whip the heavy whipping cream. Make sure the heavy whipping cream chilled from the fridge. Using electric hand mixer, whip 2 cups of heavy whipping cream with 1/2 cup confectioner sugar to form soft peaks. I 'm always will be extra careful when doing this. Have history of unsuccessful story behind this. Then keep the whipped cream inside the fridge. Melted chocolates need to be cooled before adding remaining 1/4 cup heavy cream. Whisk together. After cooled add the melted chocolate into whipped cream and whip further but extra carefully to get the chocolate mousse. Keep aside. Now the chocolate mousse is ready. Let's go for next step. Chocolate Ganache!!!
Melt the 150 gm dark chocolate with using double boiler method as just before. Once the chocolate starts to melt, add in confectioners sugar. Mix. Finally add the heavy cream and whisk using hand whisks to get watery chocolate ganache.
Now all the main items are ready. Left banana which need to be slice thinly and keep aside.
Ready to assemble everything. The cake needs about 1 1/2 hour to cool completely. Cut the cake using serrated knife into two layers. Place the first layer cake on wire rack. Using icing spatula spread chocolate mousse on first later of the cake, then arrange banana slices on top of it. Spread again another layer of mousse to just cover the banana slices. Cover with the second layer of the cake. Cover the cake completely by spreading mousse all over the cake. Pour chocolate ganache on top of the cake. Pour generously to cover side of the cake as well. Now transfer the cake to the board carefully.
Now using your own creativity decorate your cake or just have it as it is. Since its a birthday cake, I used chocolate wafer rolls, chocolates and roasted almond slices to decorate the cake.
Its really awesome!

Have a try!