Bananas, chocolate chips, and cocoa powder are nutrient-dense ingredients that hold permanent positions on my grocery list. Eleanor and I bake energy cake that we cut into squares that store well in the refrigerator and freezer. I have been experimenting for decades to find a recipe that uses up leftover fruit while providing a steady supply of delicious baked goods.
__________________________________________________
Kathy Zucker’s Energy Cake Recipe
Download recipe
Ingredients: 4 overripe bananas, 1 lb. unsalted butter (room temperature), 16 oz. light brown sugar, 0.75 cup granulated sugar, 4 jumbo eggs, 2 tablespoons vanilla, 16 oz. sour cream, 4 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 tablespoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon cream of tartar, 4 oz. cocoa powder, 20 oz. semisweet chocolate chips.
Spray 14 inch oval baking dish with nonstick spray. Preheat oven to 350º. In a large bowl, cream butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar. Add eggs, vanilla, sour cream, and mashed bananas. Slowly blend flour with salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cream of tartar. Mix in cocoa powder and chocolate chips. Spoon batter into dish and sprinkle surface with granulated sugar. Bake at 350° for one hour, turn off oven and let cool until cake is solid in the middle (20-30 minutes).
Works Cited
Apd, Elise Mandl BSc, Msc. “9 Health and Nutrition Benefits of Cocoa Powder.” Healthline, 13 June 2025, https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/cocoa-powder-nutrition-benefits.
Lindinger, Michael I., and Simeon P. Cairns. “Regulation of Muscle Potassium: Exercise Performance, Fatigue and Health Implications.” European Journal of Applied Physiology, vol. 121, no. 3, Jan. 2021, pp. 721–48. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-020-04546-8.
Logue, Danielle M., et al. “Low Energy Availability in Athletes 2020: An Updated Narrative Review of Prevalence, Risk, Within-Day Energy Balance, Knowledge, and Impact on Sports Performance.” Nutrients, vol. 12, no. 3, Mar. 2020, p. 835. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu12030835.
