Old-Fashioned Banana Snack Cake

2 c. flour

2 T. Ceylon cinnamon

1 t. baking soda

1/2 t. baking powder

1/2 t. salt

1 c. + 2 T. mashed banana (about 3 medium bananas)

1/2 c. canola oil

2 lg. eggs

1/3 c. buttermilk

2 t. vanilla extract

1/2 c. granulated white sugar

1/2 c. light brown sugar

1/2 c. miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 T. cinnamon sugar (2 3/4 t. sugar + 1/4 t. cinnamon)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray an 8 x 8″ baking pan with baking spray (or butter and flour pan).

2. Sift together flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

3. Whisk together bananas, oil, eggs, buttermilk and vanilla. Add sugars and stir until well combined. Stir in dry ingredients until well moistened, then stir in chocolate chips.

4. Scrape batter into prepared pan. Level batter using the back of a spoon. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar. Bake for about 40 – 50 minutes or until a cake tester inserted near the center comes out clean or with large crumbs that look cooked through. (It might take a few tries to miss the chocolate chips.)

5. Cool on a wire rack before serving.

Note: If you have overripe bananas, freeze them for use in recipes for baked goods. To use, thaw bananas, tear open, and squeeze bananas out of their peels.

Variations: Substitute any of the following for chocolate chips: finely chopped chocolate-covered toffee, peanut butter chips, finely chopped walnuts, raisins or dried cranberries.