Chocolate, Banana and Nutella Cake

Easy peasy Chocolate, Banana and Nutella cake

This is an extremely quick and easy cake put together one rainy afternoon when I had a friend due over for a play date and I needed to make us something yummy to cheer us up about the weather.
We also both needed the sugar/carbs to get us through an afternoon with 4 under 4's in a small confined space battling to play with the same toy!

Incidentally, I hadn't set out to combine these particular flavours.

The chocolate aspect of the cake was purely to satisfy a craving I had that day.
The banana aspect was to use up an old banana that would have otherwise gone in the bin.
The Nutella was only used as I didn't have quite enough icing sugar/butter to make butter icing and I couldn't pop out to the shops due to a baby sleeping upstairs.

Plus:

• It had to be prepared/baked/decorated and still allow time to make kitchen spotless in less than an hour. 

• It couldn't be a banana loaf as I had made one the last time the same friend came over.

So this is what I came up with:

Ingredients:

6oz self raising flour

6oz caster sugar

6oz margarine

3 free range eggs

1 tsb baking powder

1 heaped tbsp cocoa powder

1 large 'going brown overly ripe banana rescued from the bottom of my nappy bag that would have gone in the bin had it not been for this cake! '

Lots of Nutella to spread on top of cake when baked and to use to sandwich cakes together 

Something of your choice to sprinkle on top. I used flaked almonds (toasted in the oven for a few mins first). But I think chocolate buttons or crushed up cadburys flake would work well? 

Method:

1. Line or grease the bottom of two 8 inch sandwich tins and pre heat oven to 160c (fan oven).
2. Using the 'all in one' sponge method. Weigh out the flour, cocoa and baking powder and sieve into a large roomy mixing bowl. Add the butter and sugar then break the eggs into the bowl and mix. I use an electric hand whisk, but a wooden spoon is fine. A Magimix mixer would be wonderful but I haven't got one!
3. Mash the banana and add to the cake batter. Give one last mix. 
4. Divide the mix equally between the two sandwich tins using a palette knife to smooth over.
5. Put both tins on the middle shelf of your oven and set timer for 17 mins. From experience this is the perfect amount of time for my oven. You may need slightly longer. But no longer than 20 mins. Nothing worse than an overcooked cake.
6. When cooked turn out of sandwich tins onto cooling rack and leave to cool.
7. When cool (but can still be slightly warm to touch) spread one of the cake halves generously with Nutella and sandwich together. Then place on a serving plate or cake stand and spread the top with Nutella and sprinkle with the topping of your choice.

Put the kettle on and serve with a cup of tea. It is such a delicious cake. The banana keeps the sponge moist and despite being a gamble, the Nutella works well.