Oatmeal Raisin Banana Snack Cake

 Packed full of raisins, hearty oats, and crunchy pecans, this Oatmeal Raisin Banana Snack Cake is an easy-to-bake recipe that will remind you of one of your favorite childhood cookies...

So, recently my 9 year old daughter has been asking more and more to help out in the kitchen. She is even slowly beginning to make some things on her own now. While I am so glad that she is showing an interest in learning how to cook and bake (and I seriously have no desire to squash her newfound interest), I do have to make a confession- it makes the Type A, Virgo mom in me cringe slightly.

I feel kind of guilty even typing that out loud, but I can't be the only parent who feels this way when their kiddos finally start to show a little initiative in the kitchen, right? ;)

But I have decided I am going to suck it up this summer and let her help me out more when it comes to cooking dinner and baking up some tasty treats because I don't want to discourage her from learning new things and growing. Even if she leaves the batter drenched whisk sitting on the counter. And despite the fact that she might use every measuring cup and spoon that I own just to make one recipe. 

Because part of the process of teaching our kids to cook and bake is to also teach them how to consolidate steps and to clean up as they go, am I right? So that is just what I am going to do- teach her. Teach her that spending time in the kitchen involves much more than just measuring out ingredients, whisking and mixing, and setting a timer. 

Banana Chocolate Chip Cake with Nutella Cream Cheese Frosting

**Note- this recipe was completely updated with new photos and directions in 2014. Please click here to see the revised version. Thanks!

This is literally a recipe I just stumbled upon in my Drafts last week.  I originally shared it as a guest post on Pamela's Heavenly Treats some time last year.  I had every intention of posting it here to my blog for all of my readers to see as well- I mean, it is entirely too good not too share with you-  but it must have got lost in my jumble of Draft posts.  Am I the only blogger with a jumbled mess of half finished Draft posts?? ;)

I don't know about you all, but it seems like every time I buy bananas I will undoubtedly have at least two that will get all brown and mushy.  We all know that the brown and mushy ones are perfect for banana bread.  But let's get real here... how much banana bread can we REALLY make in a month? ;)  I am always looking to do something a little different with my overripe bananas.  Recently I came up with the idea for a Chocolate Chip Banana Cake with a Nutella Cream Cheese Frosting.  

What you will need to make some for yourself:

For the cake-

3/4 cup wheat flour

3/4 cup white flour

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp vanilla

2/3 cup light sour cream

1/3 cup canola oil

2 ripe bananas, mashed

1 egg

1/2 cup chocolate chips

For the frosting-

4 oz of 1/3 less fat cream cheese

2 tbsp butter, softened

1/2 cup Nutella

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  In a medium bowl, whisk all the dry ingredients together- the wheat flour through the cinnamon.  Set aside.  In a large bowl, beat all of the wet ingredients- the sour cream through the egg- until well mixed.  Beat in the dry ingredients mixture into the wet ingredients mixture a third at a time, until well incorporated.  Mix in the chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into a greased 9x9 baking pan.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick through the center comes out clean.  Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting.

To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese, butter, and Nutella in a medium bowl until well mixed.  With your mixer on low speed, add the powdered sugar and cinnamon.  Beat until the frosting is smooth and creamy.

Once your cake is cooled, frost it with your Nutella Cream Cheese Frosting.  Cut and then serve!  

Much better than your average banana bread, right? ;)

Banana Chocolate Chip Cake with Nutella Cream Cheese Frosting

by Frugal Foodie Mama

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25-35 minutes

6045353

Ingredients (serves 10)

For the cake

• 3/4 cup wheat flour
• 3/4 cup white flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2/3 cup light sour cream
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips

For the frosting

• 4 oz of 1/3 less fat cream cheese
• 2 tbsp butter, softened
• 1/2 cup Nutella
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk all the dry ingredients together- the wheat flour through the cinnamon. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat all of the wet ingredients- the sour cream through the egg- until well mixed. Beat in the dry ingredients mixture into the wet ingredients mixture a third at a time, until well incorporated. Mix in the chocolate chips.

Pour the batter into a greased 9x9 baking pan. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick through the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting.

To make the frosting, beat the cream cheese, butter, and Nutella in a medium bowl until well mixed. With your mixer on low speed, add the powdered sugar and cinnamon. Beat until the frosting is smooth and creamy.

Once your cake is cooled, frost it with your Nutella Cream Cheese Frosting. Cut and then serve!

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Looking for a couple of other ways to use those overripe bananas?  How about my...

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