Banana Cake with Cocoa Buttercream Frosting

I've probably already said this many times before, but banana & chocolate combo is one of my favourite. I don't really like eating raw bananas with chocolate spread on a toast, for example. But when the bananas are mashed, baked, cooked they pair so perfectly with chocolate. For example, my favourite Chocolate Oatmeal, or imagine, banana oatmeal with milk chocolate sauce! I definitely have to try this. Or for now, just look at this Banana Cake with Cocoa frosting. I don't really have anything to say about it, it's just amazing. My favourite part is frosting: I've used it in many recipes and I still haven't found a better cocoa frosting recipe. It's sweet and not bitter at all (I don't like pairing bittersweet chocolate with bananas). It's more like a milk chocolate frosting. But there's one important thing - BEAT it until you really get tired. That's the key to get a fluffy frosting. And for the cake, use really ripe bananas. What is more, I find this cake even better when it stands in the fridge. Actually I highly recommend refrigerating it overnight, it was much better when cold! Only the frosting hardens a little, but that's fine. 

Banana Cake with Cocoa Buttercream Frosting

Cake
113g/1/2 cup butter, softened

100g light brown sugar
100g white sugar

3 very ripe, mashed bananas (~1 cup)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

2 large eggs

80ml/1/3 cup plain yogurt or buttermilk or milk

190g/1 1/2 cups flour 

2 1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp baking soda

Frosting

15g cocoa

125g powdered sugar

Vanilla extract

Salt

1 tbsp milk

90g butter, room temperature

Cake:

1) Preheat oven to 180C/350F. Grease a square 8x8 inch/20x20 cm baking dish with oil and lightly dust with flour, shaking off excess. 

2) In a large bowl, beat together butter, sugars, bananas, eggs and vanilla on high until very well combined. Add yogurt and mix until combined.

3) Stir in flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Mix just until combined.

4) Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish. Bake for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for at least 10 minutes before removing from it. Transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely, then frost. 

Frosting:

1) Beat butter until soft. Add cocoa, powdered sugar, vanilla, salt and milk. Beat on high speed for at least 5 minutes or until the frosting is very light and fluffy. Frost immediately.

Cake recipe adapted from here.