I made a classic German cake today – a cake that is quite popular here in Germany: German Mole Cake with Bananas. Most people here probably know this cake from the supermarket where you can find it in the aisle with baking ingredients… as a box cake mix ;) Well. Nothing we are using here, so this one is made from scratch, of course. And much better than the one from the box I have to add ;P
Even though this cake is really popular here in Germany, I have absolutely no clue where the mole cake has its origin. The internet does not really know either it seems. Some sources say there is a similar cake in the UK, but the English recipes I could find, refer to a German mole cake ;) Well… who cares. It’s more important that one of these cakes is somewhere close to you so you can grab a large slice. That is the only thing to worry about ;P
If I am asking in my group of friends most of them know this cake from birthday parties when they were young. Popular bake for that kind of celebrations I guess. In my days, however, there was never a mole cake on a birthday I attended. Or let’s say I don’t remember seeing it on any birthday. Well. Doesn’t matter. Guess I am a late bloomer when it comes to mole cakes. Worse things happened ;P
There is always a first time in life. And sometimes there is love at first sight… or bite. I love chocolate cake, I love bananas and whipped cream even more – and this cake has it all! I could have realized earlier that this cake would be good and that I would like it a lot… I could have baked it so many years earlier than I actually did. Bummer ;) Well… as a kid I thought it was cooler to bake “Donauwelle” – another cake with chocolate and cream ;)
Anyway. A tiny bit of chocolate cake meets maximum cream filling. That’s how you could describe the delicious cake. Somewhere in between are a few bananas, but you could theoretically replace them with other fruits or berries. So if you ever want to make it – there are options and they probably all end up being very delicious!
INGREDIENTS / ZUTATEN
1/2 cup (120g) butter, softened
1/2 cup (100g) brown sugar
3 medium eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups (160g) all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. cocoa powder
3 tsp. baking powder
1 pinch of salt
5 tbsp. milk
1.8 oz. (50g) semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
For the filling:
21 oz. (600g) heavy cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
0.7 oz. (20g) cream stiffener (depending on the strength)
1.8 oz. (50g) semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
about 3 ripe bananas, sliced
120g weiche Butter
100g brauner Zucker
3 Eier (M)
1/2 TL Vanille Extrakt
160g Mehl (Type 550)
2 EL Kakaopulver
3 TL Backpulver
1 Prise Salz
5 EL Milch
50g Zartbitterschokolade, fein gehackt
Für die Füllung:
600g Schlagsahne
1 TL Vanille Extrakt
20g Sahnesteif (auf Packungshinweise achten)
50g Zartbitterschokolade, fein gehackt
etwa 3 reife Bananen, in Scheiben geschnitten
DIRECTIONS / ZUBEREITUNG
2. Add butter and sugar to a large bowl and mix on high speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one after another and mix well after each addition. Add vanilla extract and mix in. Mix the flour with cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt, then add together with the milk to the bowl and mix on low speed until just combined. Add the chopped chocolate and fold in. Pour the batter into the prepared springform tin, smooth out the top and bake for 25-28 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Take out of the oven and let cool down completely on a wire rack.
3. Add the cold heavy cream and vanilla extract to a bowl and mix until frothy. Add the cream stiffener and whisk until stiff peaks form. Add the chopped chocolate and fold in.
4. To assemble the cake you have to scoop out some of the insides of the cake layer – you should leave a base with a thickness of about 0.4 inches (1cm) and a border of about 0.4-0.8 inches (1-2cm) – you should get something like a very shallow bowl. Gather the cake scraps. Peel the bananas and cut them into 0.4 inches (1cm) thick slices. Place the banana slices in the hollowed-out cake layer to get an even layer that covers the base. Add a small portion of the whipped cream on top of the banana slices and press into the gaps between them. Pile up the remaining cream to create a dome that is flush with the edges. Crumble the cake scraps to get fine crumbs and press them gently all over the cream to cover the dome completely. Place in the fridge for about 30 minutes before serving.
2. Butter und Zucker in eine große Schüssel geben und auf höchster Stufe hell und luftig aufschlagen. Die Eier einzeln dazugeben und jeweils gut unterrühren. Vanille Extrakt dazugeben und unterrühren. Mehl mit Kakao, Backpulver und Salz vermischen, dann zusammen mit der Milch zur Schüssel dazugeben und nur kurz unterrühren. Die gehackte Schokolade unterheben. Den Teig in die vorbereitete Form füllen, glatt streichen und dann für 25-28 Minuten backen – mit einem Holzspieß testen, ob noch Teig kleben bleibt und den Kuchen erst herausholen, wenn dieser sauber herauskommt. Den fertigen Kuchen auf einem Kuchengitter komplett abkühlen lassen.
3. Für die Füllung die kalte Sahne mit dem Vanille Extrakt kurz anschlagen, dann das Sahnesteif dazugeben und so lange aufschlagen, bis die Sahne standfest ist. Die gehackte Zartbitterschokolade dazugeben und unterheben.
4. Für den Zusammenbau des Kuchens die Kuchenschicht so weit aushöhlen/abtragen, dass ein etwa 1cm (0.4 inches) hoher Boden bestehen bleibt – dabei auch einen 1-2cm (0.4-0.8 inches) breiten Rand stehen lassen. Kuchenreste sammeln. Das Ganze sollte jetzt aussehen wie eine sehr flache Schale. Die Bananen schälen und in etwa 1cm (0.4 inches) dicke Scheiben schneiden. Die Bananenscheiben dicht aneinander in den ausgehöhlten Kuchen legen – bei mir haben mit dem Rand des Kuchens eine mehr oder weniger ebene Fläche gebildet. Etwas von der aufgeschlagenen Sahne auf die Bananenscheiben geben und in die Lücken dazwischen drücken, dann die restliche Sahne zu einem kleinen Berg auftürmen, der schön mit dem Rand abschließt und dem Kuchen im Idealfall die Form einer Halbkugel gibt. Die verbliebenen Kuchenreste zu Bröseln verarbeiten und dann auf der Sahnekuppel verteilen und leicht andrücken. Bis zum Servieren mindestens 30 Minuten in den Kühlschrank stellen.
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German Mole Cake with Bananas (Maulwurfkuchen)
- Prep Time: 00:25
- Cook Time: 00:25
- Total Time: 02:00
- Yield: 1 1x
- Category: Cakes
- Cuisine: Germany
Description
A classic German bake everyone loves: German Mole Cake with Bananas aka. Maulwurfkuchen
Ingredients
For the cake batter:
1/2 cup (120g) butter, softened
1/2 cup (100g) brown sugar
3 medium eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups (160g) all-purpose flour
2 tbsp. cocoa powder
3 tsp. baking powder
1 pinch of salt
5 tbsp. milk
1.8 oz. (50g) semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
For the filling:
21 oz. (600g) heavy cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
0.7 oz. (20g) cream stiffener (depending on the strength)
1.8 oz. (50g) semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped
about 3 ripe bananas, sliced
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 9.5 inches (24cm) springform tin with baking parchment and grease lightly. Set aside.
2. Add butter and sugar to a large bowl and mix on high speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one after another and mix well after each addition. Add vanilla extract and mix in. Mix the flour with cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt, then add together with the milk to the bowl and mix on low speed until just combined. Add the chopped chocolate and fold in. Pour the batter into the prepared springform tin, smooth out the top and bake for 25-28 minutes or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Take out of the oven and let cool down completely on a wire rack.
3. Add the cold heavy cream and vanilla extract to a bowl and mix until frothy. Add the cream stiffener and whisk until stiff peaks form. Add the chopped chocolate and fold in.
4. To assemble the cake you have to scoop out some of the insides of the cake layer – you should leave a base with a thickness of about 0.4 inches (1cm) and a border of about 0.4-0.8 inches (1-2cm) – you should get something like a very shallow bowl. Gather the cake scraps. Peel the bananas and cut them into 0.4 inches (1cm) thick slices. Place the banana slices in the hollowed-out cake layer to get an even layer that covers the base. Add a small portion of the whipped cream on top of the banana slices and press into the gaps between them. Pile up the remaining cream to create a dome that is flush with the edges. Crumble the cake scraps to get fine crumbs and press them gently all over the cream to cover the dome completely. Place in the fridge for about 30 minutes before serving.
Notes
Enjoy baking!
Why mole cake? I get that the outside looks like a mole hill, but its German name has to do with throwing it into your gullet. “Maul” is more like, say, ‘fat yap.”
The name Mole Cake is coming from a mole hill. Nothing else ;)
It has nothing to do with a mouth or yap ;)
I subscribe to Apple news and for some reason this recipe appeared. I’ve never seen anything quite like it but I recognize a good recipe when I see one! I made this today and it’s absolutely divine. Since our household consists of only myself and my husband I have half of it to our neighbors and they are in love with it. Next time I think I’ll try cherries instead of bananas just for variety. Thanks for a new favorite!
I made this today for my husband’s bday and it was so good! Thank you!
Hi Marc, I made this cake yesterday and let me tell you it was better than the cakes I used to make using the Dr. Oetker’s store bought cake mix. I literally had 3 slices in one go, it was that good. My boyfriend couldn’t stop eating too, and insisted that this was the best banana cake he has ever tasted. Absolutely delicious! Thank you so much for the recipe. I can’t wait to try your other cake recipes, which I’m sure will turn out to be just as good as this one.