Anna Louise Chocolate and banana is one of those flavour combinations that feels almost too obvious and turns out to be completely wonderful. The banana gives moisture, sweetness, and a fruity depth that suits dark chocolate in a way that few other fruits manage. The chocolate gives richness and complexity that elevates the banana from pleasant to genuinely extraordinary.
I make this cake when I have very ripe bananas — the ones with almost completely black skins that most people throw away — and want to do something more spectacular with them than banana bread.
The banana sponge is deeply moist and intensely banana-flavoured. The dark chocolate ganache covering is glossy and rich. And the thin slices of fresh banana on top, just before the ganache sets, give a beautiful decoration that also signals exactly what is inside.
This is the cake that I serve and that people immediately ask for the recipe.
Ingredients for Mary Berry Chocolate and Banana Cake
For the Banana Sponge
- 3 very ripe bananas (about 300g peeled weight), mashed thoroughly
- 175g unsalted butter, softened
- 175g soft light brown sugar
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 175g self-raising flour, sifted
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 30g good quality cocoa powder, sifted
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For the Chocolate Ganache
- 200g good quality dark chocolate (70%), finely chopped
- 200ml double cream
- 2 tbsp golden syrup
- 25g unsalted butter, cold and cubed
For the Filling
- 3 tbsp good quality chocolate spread or additional ganache
- 1 banana, thinly sliced — tossed in a little lemon juice to prevent browning
To Decorate
- 1 banana, thinly sliced on top of the ganache before it sets
- 25g dark chocolate, shaved or grated
- A dusting of cocoa powder
How to Make Mary Berry Chocolate and Banana Cake
Step 1 — Make the Banana Sponge
Preheat your oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas 4. Grease two 20cm round sandwich tins and line the bases with baking parchment.
Beat the softened butter and soft light brown sugar together for four to five minutes until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Add the vanilla extract.
Add the mashed banana and beat briefly until combined — the batter will look slightly curdled, which is completely normal.
Sift the flour, baking powder, cocoa powder, and cinnamon into the bowl. Add the milk. Fold gently until just combined.
Divide equally between the two tins — I always weigh for even layers. Bake for 22 to 26 minutes until risen and a skewer comes out clean. Cool completely — at least one hour.
Step 2 — Make the Chocolate Ganache
Heat the cream and golden syrup in a small saucepan until just simmering. Pour over the finely chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Leave for two minutes without stirring. Stir gently from the centre outwards until completely smooth. Add the cold cubed butter and stir until melted and incorporated. Leave to cool and thicken at room temperature — 45 minutes to one hour — until spreadable.
Step 3 — Assemble
Place one sponge on a serving plate. Spread the chocolate spread or three tablespoons of ganache over the surface. Arrange the thinly sliced banana over the filling.
Place the second sponge on top and press down gently.
Step 4 — Cover with Ganache
Spread the remaining ganache over the top and sides of the cake, covering it completely. Work quickly — ganache at spreading consistency sets as it cools. A palette knife dipped in hot water gives the smoothest finish.
Arrange thin banana slices over the top of the cake immediately before the ganache sets — press them very lightly so they adhere. Scatter chocolate shavings. Dust lightly with cocoa powder.
Leave to set at room temperature for thirty minutes before slicing.
Top Tips For Best Chocolate and Banana Cake
Use the blackest bananas you have. I say this in every banana recipe because the difference is so significant. Almost completely black bananas give an intense, complex banana flavour that a yellow banana cannot match. If your bananas are not ripe enough, put them on a baking tray in their skins in a 180°C oven for fifteen minutes — they come out completely soft and intensely sweet.
Brown sugar gives better flavour than white in a banana cake. The molasses note in soft light brown sugar suits the deep, slightly caramel character of ripe banana beautifully. White caster sugar gives a flatter, less complex result.
The ganache must be at spreading consistency — not liquid. Ganache that is too warm runs off the sides of the cake in an uncontrollable cascade. Forty-five minutes to an hour of cooling at room temperature gives ganache that spreads cleanly and holds on the sides.
Add banana slices to the top immediately before the ganache sets. Once the ganache has set, anything pressed into it will not adhere properly. Work quickly — arrange the banana slices within a minute or two of spreading the ganache.
The cocoa powder in the sponge is what makes this chocolate and banana rather than just banana. Thirty grams of good quality cocoa gives a sponge that is clearly chocolatey as well as clearly banana. Less than this and the chocolate becomes a background note rather than an equal partner.
Serving Suggestions
On a cake stand as a birthday cake — it looks genuinely spectacular. As a celebration cake for any occasion. With a scoop of vanilla ice cream as a pudding dessert. At room temperature for afternoon tea when something more substantial than a simple sponge is wanted.
How to Store Chocolate and Banana Cake
At room temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The ganache stays glossy and the banana sponge stays moist.
In the freezer: Freeze unfilled, unfrosted sponge layers for up to 3 months. Make the ganache fresh when assembling.
Mary Berry Chocolate and Banana Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas 4. Grease and line two 20cm tins. Beat butter and brown sugar 4–5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla. Add mashed banana — beat briefly. Sift in flour, baking powder, cocoa, and cinnamon. Add milk — fold gently. Divide between tins — weigh for even layers. Bake 22–26 minutes. Cool completely.
- Heat cream and syrup to just simmering — pour over chopped chocolate. Leave 2 minutes. Stir from centre until smooth. Add cold butter — stir until melted. Cool 45 minutes – 1 hour until spreadable.
- Place one sponge on plate. Spread filling. Arrange sliced banana. Top with second sponge.
- Spread ganache over top and sides completely. Arrange banana slices on top immediately. Scatter chocolate shavings. Dust with cocoa. Set 30 minutes. Slice.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add chocolate chips to the sponge?
Yes — 75g of dark chocolate chips folded through the batter give extra pockets of chocolate intensity throughout the sponge.
Can I use milk chocolate for the ganache?
Yes — milk chocolate gives a sweeter, less intense ganache. Reduce the cream to 150ml as milk chocolate ganache sets softer. It is a more approachable, less intense result that many people prefer.
Can I make this as a traybake?
Yes — pour the batter into a greased and lined 30x23cm traybake tin. Bake at the same temperature for 28 to 32 minutes. Pour ganache over the cooled sponge and decorate as directed.
Why is my banana sponge slightly wet in the centre?
Very ripe bananas have an extremely high moisture content and the sponge can take slightly longer than expected to bake through completely. Check at 22 minutes and every two minutes thereafter — the skewer must come out completely clean.
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