Upside-Down Mexican Chocolate Banana Cake

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

• Melt the butter in a 9 in. (23 cm) deep-dish pie plate or cake pan: You can do this in the microwave if you’re using a glass dish (30 seconds on high power); a metal pan can be placed directly on the stove over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar and microwave, or cook on the stove, just until the mixture is bubbly and combined.

• Meanwhile, have your child peel the bananas. Cut each one in half crosswise, then in half again lengthwise – making 8 pieces of banana in total. Have your child arrange the pieces, cut side down, in the butter- sugar mixture in some beautiful, artistic way. Or whatever.

• Now make the cake part. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. Add the milk, vegetable oil, egg and vanilla, and beat with an electric mixer or whisk by hand until the batter is smooth. Stir in the chocolate chips, then pour over the bananas in the baking dish. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick poked into the middle of the cake comes out almost clean. (A little soft chocolatey stuff will still remain on the bottom of the pan.) Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes.

• Run a knife around the sides of the cake to loosen it from the pan, then, holding a plate over it, invert the whole thing onto the plate. (Be brave – this should be performed as a single, seamless manoeuvre.) The cake should fall right out of the pan onto the plate with the bananas beautifully embedded in the surface. Or not. If there are a few bits of soft cake left clinging to the pan, simply scrape them up and apply them to the cake.

• Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.