Recipe By Beth Hillson
Serves 12

You’ll love this winning combination of chocolate and banana.  Not only does it make for a moist cake, but one that can also be Passover-friendly by using potato starch and almond flour in place of the flour blend. (Scroll down for that recipe.)  I’ve served this with a chocolate glaze and sliced strawberries or sliced bananas to dress it up.  But it’s also delicious as it is.

5 large eggs at room temperature, separated 
¾ cup sugar
1 cup Gluten Free Pantry all/purpose flour or other g-f all/purpose blend*
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large ripe bananas, pureed to yield 1 cup
4 ounces (2/3 cup) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Beat egg whites to soft peaks and gradually add the sugar and continue beating the egg whites until they are very stiff.

In a mixing bowl, add the flour.  Make a well and add the egg yolks, oil, and the vanilla.  Beat with a portable mixer on high until mixture is very smooth.

Add bananas to the egg mixture and mix gently to incorporate, but do not beat.  Fold in the chocolate chips.

Using a rubber spatula, gently fold in the egg whites into the banana mixture by placing the spatula at the far side of the bowl, following the bowl’s far side to the bottom, scraping along the bottom and up the side of the bowl closest to you. Lift the spatula and rotate the bowl slightly, repeating. Don’t be tempted to mix the ingredients at this point or you will deflate the egg whites. Continue until the mixture is pretty homogenous.

Transfer to an ungreased 10″ tube pan, preferably one with tips (feet) on the top and bake for 50 – 60 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean and dry.

Remove from oven and invert pan on a wire rack to cool.

When cool, run a sharp kitchen knife along the edges of the tube pan, including the tube, and remove the cake.

Serve with a chocolate glaze and sliced strawberries or bananas if desired.

*Add 1 teaspoon xanthan gum and ¼ teaspoon salt to flour mix if not included in the blend.

Chocolate Chip Banana Cake
Passover Version
Serves 12
5 large eggs, separated
¾ cup sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
3 large ripe bananas, pureed to yield 1 cup
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup potato starch
1/3 cup almond flour
4 ounces (2/3 cup) semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Beat egg whites to soft peaks and gradually add the sugar and continue beating the egg whites until they are very stiff.  Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine the yolks, the salt, the banana puree, oil, and the vanilla.  Add the potato starch and almond flour.  Beat on high until mixture is very smooth.

Fold in the chocolate chips.  Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the egg whites into the banana mixture.

Transfer to an ungreased 10″ tube pan, preferably one with tips (feet) on the top and bake for 50 – 60 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean and dry.  Remove from oven and invert pan on a wire rack to cool.

When cool, run a sharp kitchen knife along the edges of the tube pan, including the tube, and remove the cake.

TIP:  Bananas not ripe?  Prick the peels and microwave 1 to 2 minutes or until very warm and fragrant.  Cool and puree.