Hazelnut, chocolate & banana cake

When I pre-grease the cupcake molds, instead of flour I added unsweetened desiccated coconut, so you'd see some of it stick on the cakes.

One banana.

Not a bunch, only a single one. I was in awe when I saw a lady buy one banana (that when I was still new in Barcelona).

In the countries that I used to live, we often buy a bunch or at least half a bunch of bananas, later on we stuff ourselves silly... So that moment my reaction from feeling odd was quickly turning into feeling appreciated, appreciate the fruit sellers in Barcelona are so flexible.

I only need one banana in this cake as this time I am not aiming for very banana-y and wet cake. I wanted my cake nutty, chocolate-y, moist (that's the banana for) and still spongy (that's one banana for). Right before serving drizzle some warm chocolate glaze, we all would forget to complain the still winter-y weather!

Recipe of Hazelnut, chocolate and banana cake (yield 5 - 6 cupcakes)

• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup of finely ground hazelnut
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tsps baking powder
• a pinch of salt
• 1 egg
• 100 g butter, soft
• 1 Tbp corn oil
• 1 medium/ medium-small banana, mashed
• a small handful of chocolate chips, roughly chopped (if you don't add the glazing, you may add a bit more chocolate chips as the cake itself isn't too sweet)

For the chocolate glaze: 130g dark chocolate (finely chopped), 2 Tbsps butter, 2 - 3 Tbsps corn syrup

Directions:

1. Pre-heat oven to 350F, pre-grease the cake molds with butter and flour (I used coconut), or simply line them with cupcake paper
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, hazelnut, baking powder and salt, set aside
3. In another mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light anf fluffy. Then coperate with the egg, corn oil and the mashed banana, set aside.
4. Combine the flour mixture, the butter mixture and the chocolate chips. The batter is soft and paste-like, fill the cake molds 3/4 full. Bake them ... sorry I forgot to check the time... but check the done-ness by inserting a toothpick in the center, if it comes out almost clean, the cake is done then.
5. Unmold the cakes, cool off completely on a rack. Wrap them well and keep in fridge overnight (the flavor would develop further). Since the cakes have a dome top, if you intend to present them more nicely or add the glazing, slice off the top, turn the bottom side up.
6. To make the glazing: melt the chocolate over the double-boiler, then add the butter and syrup until everything combines nicely. Pour the hot/warm glaze over the cakes.

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