Petit Banana Cakes

A quick recipe to make you a hit at your next brunch, picnic, or morning coffee with friends, with your kids when they walk in the door after school, or the donation to a bake sale. I adapted a recipe from a fellow personal chef - Chef Leslee of the Daily Gourmet in the Boston area.
Petit Banana Cakes take the humble banana bread to a new level. I prepared the recipe in a large baking sheet, added a drizzle of ganache and VIOLA!!! An impressive presentation with a minimum amount of work.

Get your apron on and impress your friends and family!

Petit Banana Cakes

makes about 60 cakes with some leftovers for the cook

2 sticks unsalted butter -- softened
2 extra large eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
6 very ripe bananas
1 tablespoon vanilla
3 cups flour - I used white whole wheat for a nutty taste
2 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
4 - 6 tablespoons half and half

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray a 12 x 17 inch baking sheet with cooking spray and line with parchment paper. Set aside.

In large mixing bowl, combine butter, egg and sugars. Add bananas, breaking up and pressing against side of bowl. Stir in vanilla. Combine flour and baking soda. Add to banana batter.

Spread batter into prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes. Tent with foil if the cake is getting too dark.

Remove from oven and let cool. Remove from baking sheet and cut into 1 inch by 3 inch pieces.

For ganache, melt chocolate and half and half in a small saucepan. Watch closely so the chocolate doesn't scorch. Add enough half and half to make a good drizzle consistency of the ganache. Let cool slightly. Put ganache in a ziploc bag. Trim off a small corner of the bag and drizzle ganache over the petit cakes.