Banana and Hazelnut Cake with Cherries

5 from 1 vote

Moist banana and hazelnut cake with cherries or chocolate traybake with sour cream topping.

Prep Time30

Cook Time40

Total Time1 10

Course: Cakes

Cuisine: German

Servings: pieces

Calories: 483kcal

Preheat the oven to 350°F/ 180°C. Line a baking sheet with baking paper. I recommend using a deeper baking tray or using a square baking frame. The mixture will not run off the baking tray if you don't use a baking frame or a deeper tray, but it will look better and more even if you do so.
Melt chocolate: Chop the chocolate and melt it in a double boiler/ bain-marie. Let it cool slightly until you prepare the rest.
7 oz dark or semi-sweet chocolate
Wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, cream the soft butter and the sugar. Add the eggs, one by one, mixing well in between. Pour in the milk and the melted chocolate and stir in as well.
1 cup unsalted butter + 1¼ cup granulated sugar; add 4 eggs; add ⅔ cup milk + melted chocolate
Batter: In another bowl, mix the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt. Sift the mixture over the wet ingredients.
1½ cup all-purpose flour + 2 ½ tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder + 2 teaspoons baking powder + pinch of salt
Add the ground hazelnuts, and fold in carefully. Pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet.
1⅔ cup ground hazelnuts
Fruit: Drain the cherries and slice the bananas into 0.8-inch/ 2 cm slices. Spread the cherries and the bananas all over the cake batter on the tray.
1 jar of cherries + 3 large bananas
Bake for 40 minutes. Leave to cool completely.

Mix cornstarch and the confectioners' sugar in a small bowl. Set aside.
4 teaspoons cornstarch + 4 teaspoons confectioners' sugar
Beat the heavy cream shortly. Slowly start adding the cornstarch-sugar mixture (or the cream stabilizer, if using) and the vanilla extract. Continue whipping the cream until stiff.
1¾ cups heavy cream + cornstarch mixture + 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Stir the sour cream or crème Fraiche briefly with a spoon and fold it into the whipped cream. Don't use the mixer to mix the two ingredients, or the mixture will get too soft and runny. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of vanilla sugar or granulated sugar if you feel it is necessary.
1⅔ cups crème fraiche or sour cream
Refrigerate until ready to serve. Cut into squares and decorate with banana chips just before serving.
some banana chips to decorate the cake

Always use a digital kitchen scale in baking; it ensures the best results (Amazon affiliate link).
If available, use 2 packets of cream stabilizer for whipping cream instead of the cornstarch and icing sugar mixture.
You can use Schmand (in Germany) or smetana, if available.