Banana Cake with Chocolate Ganache

Banana Cake with Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients

Banana Cake :

• 11⁄ 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 3⁄4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄ 2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1⁄ 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1⁄4 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 3⁄4 cup mashed very ripe bananas (2 medium-size bananas)
• 1 cup agave syrup
• 1⁄ 3 cup plus 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate Ganache :

• 2⁄ 3 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons malted milk powder
• 11⁄ 2 cups (9 ounces) bittersweet or milk chocolate chips

For Assembly :

• 1 ripe banana
• 1 cup fresh raspberries, for garnish

Cooking Instructions: 

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.
2. Lightly butter and flour a 9-inch (2-inch-high) round cake pan, tapping out the excess flour.
3. To make the cake, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, and salt into a medium-size bowl. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients.
4. In another medium-size bowl, using an electric mixer at medium speed, beat the bananas till very smooth. Beat in the agave syrup, oil, and vanilla until well combined. 
5. Pour into the dry ingredients. With the mixer at medium speed, beat until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as necessary. Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top.
6. Bake until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Let the cake cool on a wire cake rack for 20 minutes. Gently loosen the sides of the cake by running a metal spatula around the inside of the pan. Place the wire rack over the cake and invert. Tap the pan to loosen and remove. Turn the cake right side up and let cool completely.
7. To make the ganache, bring the heavy cream to a simmer. Remove from the heat, add malted milk powder, and whisk until dissolved. Add the chocolate and let stand until the chocolate is softened. Whisk until the chocolate is smooth. 
8. Transfer to a small bowl. Let stand at room temperature, stirring occasionally, until it cools and is thick and spreadable, about 3 hours. Do not refrigerate.
9. To assemble the cake, using a long serrated knife cut the cake horizontally into 2 layers, leveling the top if necessary. Place a dab of the ganache into the center of a serving plate. Place the bottom cake layer on the plate. Spread about one-third of the ganache over the bottom layer, banking it a little thicker around the perimeter of the cake layer. 
10. Thinly slice the ripe banana and arrange it around the frosted layer. Top with the second cake layer and press lightly. Frost the top and sides of the cake with the remaining ganache and outline the perimeter of the cake with the fresh raspberries.