I sometimes worry that I've lived out west too long and that my sensibilities will never match the ones here. As I get more settled into a routine, I find myself confusing New Yorkers with the weird, crunchy West Coast habits I've mostly acquired while living in Portland. Like bringing my own tote bags for groceries. I literally bewilder almost every cashier I interact with when I decline the plastic bags they seem to hand out so freely (they were 10 cents a bag in San Francisco!) and give them my own.

Ingredients:

Special Equipment:

For the Banana Chocolate Chip Cake:

For the Instant Chocolate Fudge Frosting:

For the Chocolate Drippy Glaze:

Recipes:

For the Banana Chocolate Chip Cake: Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 325 (F). Prepare three 6-inch cake pans by spraying generously with cooking spray and lining the bottoms of each with a parchment paper circle; spray the parchment paper circle as well.

In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 1/3 cups (6.65 ounces) all-purpose flour, 3/4 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt until fully incorporated. Set aside.

In the bowl of a freestanding electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine 1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar and 6 tablespoons (3 ounces) unsalted butter. Cream together on medium-high speed for 5 minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy and has doubled in volume. Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl, add 1 large egg, and continue mixing again on medium-high for another 2 to 3 minutes.

Lower the mixer speed to its lowest setting. In a liquid measuring cup, combine 1/2 cup (4 fluid ounces) buttermilk, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, and 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, whisking briefly before streaming into the butter and sugar mixture. Once all the mixture has been added, increase the mixer speed to medium-high and paddle for another 5 to 6 minutes, until the mixture is practically white and completely homogeneous. You're basically forcing too much liquid into an already fatty mixture that doesn't want to make room for it, so if it doesn't look homogeneous after 6 minutes, keep mixing. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl every few minutes or so.

Once the mixture is homogeneous, reduce the mixer speed back to its lowest setting once more. Add 9 ounces of mashed banana and mix for 45 to 60 seconds to ensure that the bananas are scattered throughout the batter.

Still on low speed, add the flour mixture (from the 2nd step) and mix for 45 to 60 seconds, just until the batter comes together. DO NOT OVERMIX. Mix just until the dry ingredients have disappeared, before stopping the mixer, scraping down the sides of the bowl, and incorporating any remnants of dry ingredients by hand with a rubber spatula. Scatter 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips over the mixture and mix them in by hand until fully incorporated throughout the batter.

Divide the batter evenly between the three prepared cake pans, using an offset spatula to smoothen out the top of each cake.

Bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes. The center of each cake should no longer be jiggly, but be careful not to overbake since the cakes will continue to cook after you've taken them out of the oven — it's better to pull them out on the slightly early side than later. Allow cooling completely in the pans on a wire rack before turning out.

For the Instant Fudge Frosting: In the bowl of a food processor, combine 3 ounces melted and cooled 100% unsweetened chocolate, 2 1/4 cups (9 ounces) confectioner's sugar, 3/4 cup (6 ounces) unsalted butter, 3 tablespoons whole milk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Pulse the ingredients together to incorporate. At first, it will seem like there are too many ingredients in the food processor and that they will never incorporate together, but continue processing until the frosting is smooth and a uniform brown color. It will happen! Use immediately.

For the Chocolate Drippy Glaze: Place the 3 ounces roughly chopped chocolate, 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon water, and 2 teaspoons light corn syrup in a medium, microwave-proof bowl. Melt in 20-second increments in the microwave, whisking after each time, until completely melted and smooth. Use immediately.

a food processor(makes a three-layer, 6-inch cake)1 1/3 cups (6.65 ounces) all-purpose flour3/4 teaspoon baking powder1/2 teaspoon baking soda1/2 teaspoon kosher salt1 cup (7 ounces) granulated sugar6 tablespoons (3 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature1 large egg, at room temperature1/2 cup (4 fluid ounces) whole buttermilk, at room temperature2 tablespoons vegetable oil1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract9 ounces super ripe peeled bananas, mashed (I used 3 medium-small bananas — see baker's notes)1/2 cup (3 ounces) mini chocolate chip(makes about 2 1/2 cups, enough for one triple layer cake)3 ounces 100% unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled to slightly warm2 1/4 cups (9 ounces) confectioner's sugar3/4 cup (6 ounces // 1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature3 tablespoons whole milk1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract(makes around 1/4 cup, enough for one cake)3 ounces 70% cacao dark chocolate, roughly chopped2 tablespoons (1 ounce) unsalted butter1 tablespoon water2 teaspoons light corn syrupsource here