This is Chocolate Banana Stud Cake from RHC. I made half recipe - baked in 7 inch pan. The cake is very easy to make. And I’m so happy that everything turned out well.
The chocolate chips takes 18 minutes to put on the cake (I timed it) and it takes about 350 chips (I lost count around 330).

Beautiful, Jenn!  That slice looks especially tasty.  It looks to me like it would be fun putting on the chips.  How do you like the cake?  This is a cake I’m very interested in, but I’m always unsure of how the texture of the chocolate chips would be with cake.  You know, in their natural state, they’re not hard-hard, but sort of hard.

Do tell all!

Lovely rendition, Jenn!  Do you taste the banana along with the chocolate in this recipe?

Anne - thanks! I just took a small bite of the cake. I like the chocolate chips with the cake. Like you said, they are sort of hard, so it gives a crunchy texture. If you aren’t sure, you can just use less chips or use other adornments. Some of the HCB bakers use chocolate wafers, one person even use leftover orange M&M’s from Halloween.

Julie - the banana flavor, to my disappointment, is not very noticeable! I’m so sad, it was smelling so heavenly yesterday - the combo smell of ripe banana and chocolate. I think maybe the piece of cake is still too cold - it’s only been out of the fridge for an hour.

I’ll report back this afternoon once I finish the piece. Can’t eat it now yet, just ate a whole bowl of yogurt with frozen fruits .

Jenn, your cake looks beautiful.  If you didn’t mention it was a 7” pan, I wouldn’t have been able to tell from the picture.  How did you adjust the recipe?

I also made this cake over the weekend—9” pan, since I don’t know how to do conversions.  I used bittersweet, milk chocolate, and peanut butter chips.  I was worried about the texture of the chips, but, in fact, they were wonderful.  Not really crunchy, but just another layer of flavor.  Once you bite into them, they are actually creamy. 

I could detect a hint of the banana flavor, but to be honest, I think I would prefer to make this with the Cordon Rose Banana Cake, and then ice and decorate it with the ganache and chocolate chip studs.  I too prefer my banana cake to be banana-y.

Thank you both!  I like my banana cake banana-y, too.  Appreciate the thoughts on the chips.  I’d wondered when making my sicilian pistachio cake how if the pistachios would be too crunchy, but they were awesome on the outside, so it looks like unless it’s serious crunch, all’s quite flexible.  I like the loook of the chocolate chips and will have to try the concept sometime.

Finally had the piece of cake. The banana taste was more noticeable than I originally thought, but that’s also because I was intensely eating it and trying to distinguish the banana flavor. Hubby liked the cake but he said he didn’t notice the banana flavor.
Anne - I liked the cake with the chocolate chips. They are pretty soft - having been at room temperature for a while - so there’s only a little crunchy when I bite into the cake, not enough to be a shock or hurt my teeth or anything like that .

BakerJD - 19 July 2010 01:37 PM

Jenn, your cake looks beautiful.  If you didn’t mention it was a 7” pan, I wouldn’t have been able to tell from the picture.  How did you adjust the recipe?

BakerJD, I split the recipe into half. I adjust the leavening down about 25% but that’s for high altitude. I forgot to adjust the liquid (in this case, sour cream) up - the cake turned out fine. I’m not sure there’s any adjustment necessary from 9 inch pan to 7 inch pan but I’m not an expert in this matter. Maybe others can comment?

You crack me up - you lost count after about 330! I wouldn’t have the patience… Looks great. Will have to try! Minus the studs that is…

cake looks great!!!

That looks like it was a very tedious task decorating this, Jenn, but it it was well worth it. That is just beautiful!

You did a beautiful job and your slice looks so moist.  Is there a noticeable banana flavor in this cake?

MP, it took me 18 minutes to put the studs. To me that’s worth it and not too long - but it’s all a matter of perspective.

Missyjean, the banana flavor is not as noticeable as I had hoped. You would notice it but it’s quite subtle. The cake is very good nevertheless .

Jenn, I made this cake a few days ago.  I, too, thought the studding process was not that long (but I didn’t stud the sides).  The cake and especially the ganache, was delicious.  The person I made it for loved it.  My husband and step son plucked the studs off their pieces and enjoyed it too (neither of them likes anything but milk chocolate)  I loved it with the studs.  It was yummy.

I really didn’t notice much of a banana flavor either..the cake worked as is..another Rose masterpiece

Thanks for reporting missyjean, I’m glad you liked it.