Chocolate Chip Banana Cake with Tahini

Let's call banana bread what it really is and celebrate it: CAKE!!! Opt for a bundt mould instead of a bread pan to bake "bread" aka cake. It's more festive and chic, n'est-ce pas? This classic gets an update with dark chocolate chips and tahini.

We love eating local, seasonal produce. One of the main reasons my husband Stu and I moved to the Eastern Townships was to get closer to and know the men and women who grow and raise the food we purchase. We feel these decisions are better for our environment but mostly because the food is so much more flavourful!!

I must admit there is one GIANT, weekly exception and that is bananas.

As a parent of two young daughters, I am terrified of not having bananas on hand. We buy a lot of bananas. When the skins turn dark they get tossed in the freezer for safekeeping, I know the banana flavour will be strong and sweet, perfect for desserts. To use, simply let them thaw in a bowl, cut open the end and let the lewd fruit slip out.

The classic banana “bread” recipe gets an update with nutty rye flour and tahini. Think peanut butter and banana but with more umami!

Ingredients

Cake:

115g butter, room temp

65g tahini

210g sugar

2 eggs

3 mashed bananas

190g AP flour

180g whole wheat-rye flour

13g baking powder

5g baking soda

120g milk

210g dark chocolate chips

Glaze:

45g tahini

25g milk

130g icing sugar

Pinch of sea salt

Toasted sesame seeds and Maldon salt for sprinkling

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Whisk dry ingredients in a medium bowl.

3. In a stand mixer beat the butter, tahini and sugar until smooth.

4. Add the eggs, mashed banana, and milk.

5. Add the dry ingredients and then fold in the dark chocolate chips.

6. Pour into greased bundt pan and bake for approximately 35 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean. Wait about 10 minutes before unmolding the cake.

7. To prepare the glaze warm tahini and milk in a small saucepan and whisk in the icing sugar and salt.

8. Pour over cake and finish with a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds and Maldon salt