Delicious Reading: Chocolate Banana Cake from “Spend with Pennies”

When I was a little girl, I was lucky enough to have Grandma Rell, my maternal grandmother, as my babysitter while my parents were at work. By having someone 60 years my senior as one of my primary caregivers, I developed some habits my husband refers to as “Depression-era.” For example, I have a very hard time throwing any food away. I find a way to work veggies that are beginning to wilt into a soup, substitute yogurt nearing its expiration date for sour cream, and most famously, make banana bread when the fruit turns too brown to be palatable for a quick breakfast.

Brooke Clubbs

Now that we are on what my mom refers to as a “war-time footing,” I have noticed I am not the only one trying to stretch my food’s usefulness; lots of pictures of homemade banana bread are suddenly showing up on my Facebook feed! This prompted me to branch out and look for a recipe that could use up bananas and provide a dessert my family would enjoy (they are sick of my banana bread).

My search led me to the “Spend with Pennies” blog. The author, Holly, started the blog as a way to share shopping tips, but her readers became more interested in what she was cooking with those groceries. So, the blog evolved. She promises “easy, creative recipes for the everyday cook.” This chocolate banana cake certainly ticked all of those boxes for me!

Chocolate Banana Cake with One-Minute Frosting

__Cake Ingredients:__

• 1 box chocolate cake mix

• 1/3 cup oil or as called for on your box mix

• 3 eggs

• 1 cup water (I like to use a cup of coffee leftover from that morning’s pot)

• 3 bananas, mashed

• 1 cup chocolate chips

__Directions:__

• Preheat oven to 350°F.

• Grease and flour a 9 x 13-inch pan.

• Combine cake mix, oil, eggs and water. Fold in bananas and chocolate chips.

• Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

• Cool completely and frost as desired.

__Frosting Ingredients:__

• 1/3 cup milk

• 1/3 cup butter

• 1¼ cups sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

__Directions:__

Combine butter, milk and sugar in a small saucepan.

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and let boil for 45 seconds.

Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla and chocolate chips until smooth and shiny.

Immediately pour over a 9 x 13 cake or brownies.

Let cool completely to set.