If you like bakes that are rich and indulgent you’ll love this. It’s one of THE richest, and most indulgent bakes you’ll ever have. It’s not light, it’s not airy, it’s not subtle, it’s not delicate. But it’s wonderfully dense and packed with flavour. The combination of bananas and white chocolate is outstanding.  

Serves: 10 – 12 depending how hungry or greedy everyone is.

Time: Preparation about 30 – 35 min; baking likewise; plus decorating time

Level: Quite easy

Need: A 20cm/8” round baking tin, ideally loose bottomed

Ingredients

• 100g/3½oz butter
• 150g/5½oz  white chocolate
• 2 small pinches of salt
• 125g/4½oz ground almonds
• 2 medium bananas (about 200g/7oz) – well mashed
• 4 large eggs, separated
• 1 tsp vanilla extract  (or banana extract if you have it)
• 75g/2½oz  white caster sugar
• About 50g/1¾oz Apricot jam or glaze

Topping (optional)

• 100g/3½oz softened butter
• 100g/3½oz full fat cream cheese
• 200g/7oz icing sugar
• 50g/1¾oz  white chocolate, melted and cooled a little
• 1 tsp vanilla or banana extract
• About 20g/¾oz freeze dried banana chips

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C / fan 150°C / 325°F /Gas 3. Butter the sides and bottom of the tin and add parchment to the bottom.

2. Melt the butter and chocolate together in a bain marie. Add in a pinch of salt. Stir well and leave to cool a little.

3. Stir in the ground almonds, mashed bananas and the egg yolks plus whatever extract you choose. Set aside.

4. Put the egg whites in a clean glass or metal bowl with a pinch of salt and whisk until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar and continue whisking until stiff peaks are formed.

5. Stir two tablespoons of the whisked egg whites into the chocolate mixture to loosen it, then carefully fold in the rest, using a large metal spoon or sharp edged spatula.

6. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and gently level the surface. Bake for 30 – 35 minutes until risen and firm. The edges should start to pull away from inside the tin.

7. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack. Melt the apricot jam with a little water in the microwave and brush it onto the sides and top of the torte. (This is to seal in the inevitable crumbs.)

8. One option now is to dust the top with icing sugar and serve it, or you could top it with a simple butter cream or the more luxurious topping that follows.

9. Beat together the softened butter and cream cheese then sift in the icing sugar. Mix carefully at first then beat more vigorously. Add in the vanilla extract and melted white chocolate. Beat until smooth but firm. Pipe or spoon onto the torte and add the banana chips.

N.B. Another option would be to whizz the banana chips to crumb consistency and sprinkle over the torte, but don’t whizz too much or it will be too fine and you’ll lose the nice crunchiness.

Gallery

I hope you enjoy this lovely torte. If you want to see more chocolate cake recipes click here. 

Also, please have a look at my site for lots of other recipes, sweet and savoury. If you’d like to comment or ask a question please do, via the contact page.

Whatever you bake, I hope it’s wonderful

Happy Baking

Ian