Training and fundraising for the Great Gorilla Run burns up a lot of calories and bananas are the perfect fast recovery food.

But sometimes they just don’t get eaten and before you know it they’re turning black and buzzin’ with fruit flies.

A normal reaction would be to chuck them straight in the green bin for recycling but over-ripe bananas are in fact a superfood when it comes to baking so don’t be hasty…

Recipe for Great Gorilla Eats No.1: Banana Chocolate Chip Cake

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups  self-raising flour (625 ml)
2 tsp baking soda (10 ml)
1/4 tsp salt (1 ml)
1 cup vegetable oil (250 ml)
2 cups granulated sugar (500 ml)
4 eggs
2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 4 large) (500 ml)
1 tsp vanilla (5 ml)
1 1/3 cups semisweet chocolate chips (325 ml)
3/4 cup toasted walnuts or other nuts (optional) 175 (ml)

Cooking Instructions

1) Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C)

2) Two metal loaf pans, lined with parchment or waxed paper, greased

3) In a bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt.

4) In a large bowl, using electric mixer, beat oil and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add bananas and vanilla, beating well. Add flour mixture, beating just until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts, if using.

5) Spread batter in prepared pans. Bake in preheated oven for 60 to 65 minutes or until a tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean. Let cakes cool in pans on racks for 15 minutes. Remove from pans and let cool completely on racks.

Tip: You can easily freeze overripe bananas, skin and all. Just be sure to thaw them before mashing.

Via Pastrywiz