Super Moist Banana Chia Cake

Those three ripe bananas were sitting on my counter, getting more spots by the minute. I knew I needed to do something with them. I already had a bag full of frozen bananas, and I didn't need to freeze more. What to do?

Of course, the answer is: banana cake. (When I moved to Florida last October, I must have given away my loaf pan, so I am no longer baking banana BREAD. Now it's cake.) But you could certainly make this recipe in a loaf pan. Bake it as a loaf for at least 45 minutes, maybe more.

I also gave away most of the honey we had saved for years after we stopped keeping bees. But I kept 2 quart-sized jars. So I decided to use honey in this recipe. Honey adds loads of moisture to baked goods, in addition to the sweetness. You can substitute brown sugar if you don't have honey.

I added chia seeds because they tend to absorb and hold moisture well. They also add crunch. Plus they're chock-full of protein and fiber. You can leave them out, or substitute poppy seeds, flax seeds, or hemp seeds. Really, whatever you've got will work!

I love the combination of bananas and walnuts, so I topped the cake with walnut pieces. This way, they end up toasted and extra yummy. If you don't have any, you can substitute pecans or any other nuts. Or just leave the nuts off.

I hope you enjoy baking this delicious cake. We all deserve a treat now and then. Especially now!

Ingredients:

1 stick butter, softened
1/2 cup honey
2 large eggs
3 very ripe bananas, mashed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 and 3/4 cups white whole wheat flour
1 TB chia seeds
1/2 cup walnut pieces

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray or grease an 8x8 cake pan.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and honey until smooth. Add eggs and beat some more. Add bananas and mix well. Add the rest of the ingredients one at a time and stir gently until incorporated. Do not add walnuts.

Pour batter into prepared pan. Top with walnuts. Bake at 350F for about 35-45 minutes or until brown on top. Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick close to the center. Should come out with just crumbs, not wet batter. Let cool in pan.