A while back, I made a banana cake. Then I decided to make another one, slice it in half, and use it to sandwich a banana cheesecake. I had mentioned at the time that I thought it might be nice with some chocolate. I made another one and tried it. Wow! I had no idea how good it would be! This Chocolate-Covered Banana Cheesecake Layer Cake is the best cake I have ever baked, hands down. The chocolate brings it all together, adding lusciousness to the cake, and complementing the cheesecake the way hot fudge complements ice cream. It’s an ambitious showstopper that is so delicious, it rivals any professionally baked cake. If I ever wind up in a baking competition, this is what I’ll bake.

Ingredients for one 9-inch, 3-layer cake, serving 12-16

8 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped (1⅓ cups)
⅛ tsp salt
1⅛ oz. heavy cream (1 cup)
1 banana cake
1 banana cheesecake
2-4 banana chips, plus more for serving, optional

How To Do It:

1. Make ganache: place chocolate and salt in a bowl. Heat the cream just to the boiling point. Pour it over the chocolate, and let it sit 10 minutes. Whisk the mixture until it’s smooth and homogenized. Use a spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl to make sure the whisk hasn’t missed any of the chocolate. Let the ganache rest, stirring it now and then, until it becomes thick enough to leave significant ribbons when stirred, about 45 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, slice the cake in half horizontally. Take the cheesecake from the fridge and remove the springform collar. Lay a piece of plastic wrap across the top of the cheesecake, and place a cardboard cake circle (or a flat plate) on top of the plastic. Invert the entire thing. Remove the bottom plate of the springform pan from the cheesecake. This can be tricky; you may need to work a small blade between the plate and the cake in order to loosen the plate.
3. Use an offset spatula to spread a thin layer of ganache over the cheesecake. The chilled cheesecake will set the ganache; you have only a few seconds to spread it. So, work in small sections. Make sure to cover the cheesecake right to the edges without letting any ganache drip over the edge.
4. Grab the bottom layer of the banana cake, turn it upside down, and carefully place it on top of the cheesecake. Once it’s on, it will be difficult to adjust, so try to be precise right out of the gate. Invert a cake plate, place it on top of the banana cake bottom, and once again invert the entire assembly. Remove the cardboard and plastic. Spread a thin layer of ganache onto this side of the cheesecake and carefully place the banana cake top onto it. Use the side of a butter knife to smooth the sides of the cheesecake.
5. Reheat the ganache gently if it’s become too thick to pour. Then, pour most of the remaining ganache on top of the cake and use the inverted spatula to push it to the edges, and then push some it over the edge here and there, so that it drips down the sides. You may not use all the ganache.
6. (Arrange 2-4 banana chips on top of the cake. I like this in part because it’s cute, but also because it sets up expectations.)

Keep cake chilled. It’s delicious straight from the fridge, and it’s easiest to slice that way. (Garnish each slice with a banana chip.) Cake is just as delicious on the second day as it is on the first, and keeps well after that.

Notes:

1. This cake works because each of the components is stellar on its own. The banana cake is so outstanding, it’d be delicious on its own, with nothing but a dusting of powdered sugar. The cheesecake is also exceptional. It’s a creamy, New-York-style cheesecake. It has a wonderful tang and a deeply soulful banana flavor.
2. Use an expensive chocolate if you’re inclined, but make sure it’s bittersweet. Bittersweet complements the cheesecake perfectly. I go with slightly pricey chocolate chips for a ganache; they make a perfectly delicious ganache.

Chocolate-Covered Banana Cheesecake Layer Cake

Credit for images on this page: Make It Like a Man! This content was not solicited by anyone, nor was it written in exchange for anything. I relied on The Cake Bible, Martha Stewart, Joe Pastry, and Textalyser in preparing this post.

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