Banana Chocolate Hazelnut Cake

Directions

For the Banana Cake:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare two 6inch round pans – with sides at least 2 inches tall, set aside.

Mash ripe bananas in a mixing bowl with a potato masher or fork and set aside.

Sift together the dry ingredients and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter with a paddle attachment until smooth.

Add in the sugar, and mix until light and fluffy.

With the mixer on low, add in the vanilla and eggs – one at a time.

Stop the mixer. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.

With the mixer on low, add in half of the dry ingredients.

Mix in the yogurt or sour cream.

Add in the remaining dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

Fold in the mashed bananas until combined.

Pour batter into prepared pans and bake until golden – about 22-25 minutes for the recommended size.

Cool on a wire rack.

Invert the cakes out of the pans once they are cool enough to handle.

Cool completely before slicing each cake in half horizontally to create four layers of cake.

For the Chocolate Ganache:

Chop the chocolate and place in a heat-safe bowl.

Heat the cream over medium-low until it starts to simmer. Be careful not the burn the cream!

Once it starts to come to a low simmer, pour over the chopped chocolate.

Let sit 30 seconds before whisking together until smooth. Let cool before use.

For the Nutella Buttercream:

Place egg whites and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer. Whisk until combined.

Fill a medium saucepan with a few inches of water and place over medium heat.

Place the mixing bowl on top of the saucepan to cream a double-boiler.

Heat, whisking occasionally, until the egg mixture is hot to the touch – about 140 degrees on a candy thermometer.

Once hot, remove from heat and place bowl on mixer.

Whisk on high until the bowl of the mixer becomes room temperature.

Swap out the whisk attachment for the paddle.

With the mixer on medium-low, add in the vanilla, butter, and Nutella.

Once added, mix on medium-high until smooth.

To Assemble:

Slice cooled banana cakes in half, horizontally, to create four layers of cake.

Spread a layer of ganache on top of the bottom layer of cake. I prefer just a smear of ganache, as this cake gets rich fast.

Add a layer of buttercream on top of the ganache.

Place the second layer of cake on top of the buttercream and repeat.

Ice with the remaining buttercream.

Garnish with chopped, touted hazelnuts – if desired.

Serve with salted caramel sauce!