Foodie Fridays: Chocolate Chunk Banana Bundt Cake

Lately I have been rediscovering the joys of baking Bundt cakes.  Bundt cakes became popular in the United States in the 1960s.  My mother was quite a fan and made them often.  I still have her old Bundt pan, although I no longer use it because the painted finish is chipping off.  I use a newer version of the pan now, but the cakes are still as tasty and moist as I remember them.

I posted a recipe a couple of months ago for a Pumpkin Spice Buttermilk Bundt Cake, and today I have a recipe for a Chocolate Chunk Banana Bundt Cake.  I love the combination of sweet banana and bittersweet chocolate (see my recipe for Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chunk Cake here), and for some reason we never have a shortage of dark chocolate in this house, even though I never buy it and don't even like dark chocolate except for baking!  I used a recipe I found on Cooks.com, but left out the nuts and doubled the chocolate instead.  Although I prefer my Bundt cakes plain, a dusting of confectioner's sugar or even a chocolate glaze would not be amiss on this cake.  I have more recipes I intend to try, so don't be surprised if you see more Bundt cakes here in the near future!

Chocolate Chunk Banana Bundt Cake

1/2 C. butter
1 1/2 C. sugar
2 eggs
3 large ripe bananas, mashed
2 C. flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 C. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
2 C. chocolate chunks

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together.  Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Set aside.  Sift together the flour, baking soda, and baking powder, and set this aside also.  Cream together the milk, bananas, and vanilla.  Add the banana mixture alternately with the flour mixture to the butter mixture, starting and ending with the banana mixture.  Stir in the chocolate chunks.  Pour the batter into a greased and floured Bundt pan.  Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool for 10 minutes.  Remove from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack.  Sift a few tablespoonfuls of confectioner's sugar over the top of the cake, if desired.  Serves 12.