I keep coming back to this Maulwurfkuchen, a simple chocolate cake hollowed and filled with fresh bananas and cream so it resembles a crumbly molehill and has become my go-to Easy Chocolate Cake.

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I never thought a mound of crumbs could be so addictive, but my German Cake does exactly that. It’s an Easy Chocolate Cake that hides slices of bananas inside and gets its depth from unsweetened cocoa powder.

Every time I cut into it friends get weirdly excited, they always want to know if it’s store bought or some old family secret. It’s imperfect looking, a little crumbly and somehow better for it, you’ll want to poke the top and scoop right in.

I love serving it for coffee because its chaos always starts conversation.

Ingredients

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All purpose flour gives structure, mostly carbs, some protein, low fiber, plain taste
Unsweetened cocoa adds chocolate bitterness, antioxidants, little sugar, rich chocolatey depth
Bananas add natural sweetness, fiber and potassium, soft texture, mash for moisture
Heavy cream brings fat and richness, thickens filling, very caloric and silky
Eggs bind, give protein and structure, yolks add fat and flavor
Sugar is pure carbs, makes it sweet, helps browning and texture
Oil keeps cake moist, neutral flavor, unsaturated fats, adds calories
Milk gives moisture and lactose carbs, adds calcium and softer crumb

Ingredient Quantities

250 g all purpose flour

60 g unsweetened cocoa powder

2 tsp baking powder (about 8 g)

a pinch salt

200 g granulated sugar

4 large eggs

125 ml vegetable oil or sunflower oil

150 ml milk

1 tsp vanilla extract or 1 packet vanilla sugar

4 medium ripe bananas peeled

600 ml heavy whipping cream

3 tbsp powdered sugar

1 packet instant vanilla pudding powder about 37 g

1 tbsp lemon juice optional

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F). Grease and line a 26 cm springform pan with parchment, set aside.

2. Whisk together 250 g all purpose flour, 60 g unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 tsp baking powder and a pinch of salt in a bowl, sift if you can.

3. In a separate large bowl beat 200 g granulated sugar with 4 large eggs until pale and a bit fluffy, about 3 to 5 minutes. Slowly add 125 ml vegetable oil, 150 ml milk and 1 tsp vanilla extract, mix until combined.

4. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet just until no streaks remain. Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top.

5. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out mostly clean. Let the cake cool completely in the pan on a rack, cooling is important so the cream wont melt.

6. Using a spoon or small knife scoop out the center of the cake leaving about a 2 to 3 cm rim and bottom intact, keep the removed cake pieces and crumbs in a bowl for topping.

7. Slice 4 medium ripe bananas and toss gently with 1 tbsp lemon juice to stop browning, set aside.

8. Chill a mixing bowl and beaters for best results. Whip 600 ml heavy whipping cream with 3 tbsp powdered sugar and 1 packet (about 37 g) instant vanilla pudding powder until thick and stable, don’t overbeat or it will get grainy.

9. Fill the hollow with banana slices, pile or pipe the whipped cream over the bananas into a rounded mound to look like a molehill, then crumble the reserved cake pieces finely and sprinkle all over the cream to get that crumbly soil look. Chill at least 1 hour so the cream firms up before serving.

Equipment Needed

1. 26 cm springform pan, lined with parchment paper
2. Digital kitchen scale plus measuring spoons and a 250 ml measuring cup
3. Set of mixing bowls, at least one large for wet and one medium for dry
4. Electric hand mixer with beaters, chill the bowl and beaters for best results
5. Whisk and a sturdy rubber spatula for folding and smoothing
6. Fine mesh sieve or sifter for flour and cocoa powder
7. Cooling rack to let the cake cool completely
8. Small paring knife or spoon (or melon baller) to scoop out the cake center
9. Piping bag or large spoon and a small offset spatula for shaping the cream mound

FAQ

Q: How do I keep the cake moist? A: Use the vegetable oil not butter, dont overmix the batter and dont overbake it. Bake until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs not totally dry. If layers seem dry, brush them lightly with a little milk or simple syrup before adding the cream.

Q: How do I make the whipped cream stable enough to hold the bananas? A: Chill the bowl and beaters first, whip the 600 ml cream to soft peaks, then add the 3 tbsp powdered sugar and the packet of instant vanilla pudding while whipping to stiff peaks. The pudding powder stabilizes the cream so it wont weep quickly.

Q: Can I assemble the cake ahead of time? A: Bake the sponge a day ahead and keep it wrapped in the fridge or frozen. But dont assemble more than a few hours ahead because the bananas will brown and the cream will soften the cake. If you must assemble early, brush banana slices with a little lemon juice and store the finished cake tightly covered in the fridge for up to 24 to 48 hours.

Q: Any good swaps for milk, eggs or oil? A: You can use plant milk for the 150 ml, and 125 ml neutral oil is best for moistness but melted coconut oil works too. For eggs try flax eggs (1 tbsp ground flax + 3 tbsp water per egg) but the crumb will be a bit denser. Instant pudding is usually dairy so swap for a vegan instant pudding if you need it.

Q: What oven temp and baking time should I use? A: Preheat to 175 C (350 F). Pour batter into a 20 to 24 cm pan or divide between two pans and bake about 25 to 35 minutes, times vary by pan size. Start checking at 20 minutes and use the toothpick test.

Q: How do I get clean slices and stop the bananas from turning brown? A: Chill the assembled cake at least a couple hours so the cream firms up. Use a long knife warmed under hot water and wiped dry between cuts for neat slices. Brush banana slices with lemon juice before layering to slow browning, but even with that serve within a day for best look.

German Mole Cake Recipe Substitutions and Variations

250 g all purpose flour: swap with 250 g cake flour for a lighter crumb, or mimic cake flour by using 240 g AP flour plus 10 g cornstarch sifted together before mixing.
125 ml vegetable oil: use 125 ml melted unsalted butter for a richer, butterier taste, or 125 ml unsweetened applesauce to cut fat (the cake will be a bit denser and moister).
4 large eggs: replace with 4 flax eggs (4 tbsp ground flaxseed mixed with 12 tbsp water, wait 5 minutes) for an egg free version, or use about 240 g pureed silken tofu for similar moisture and structure.
600 ml heavy whipping cream: substitute with 600 ml canned full fat coconut cream (chill and scoop the solids) for a dairy free option, or use 300 ml heavy cream plus 300 g mascarpone for a more stable, very rich filling.

Pro Tips

1) Cool the cake completely before you even think about scooping the center, otherwise the cream will melt and youll end up with a soggy mess. Level the top with a serrated knife first so you get an even rim, then heat a spoon in hot water and use it to scoop smoothly. Keep those crumbs, they add great texture on top.

2) Chill your bowl and beaters and stop whipping the cream at firm peaks, not rock hard. The instant pudding powder helps stabilise it, but if you need the cake to hold up for many hours or in a warm room, dissolve 1 tsp powdered gelatin in 1 tbsp water and fold it in cold (dont add hot) to the whipped cream for extra staying power.

3) Use bananas that are ripe but still slightly firm, not brown and mushy. Toss the slices with lemon juice or a light simple syrup so they dont darken and so they sit nicely in the cream instead of turning to mush. Slightly thicker slices also keep their shape better.

4) To boost the chocolate flavour without making the cake bitter, sift the cocoa with the flour and try adding 1 tsp instant espresso powder to the milk. Bake just until a toothpick comes out mostly clean to keep the crumb moist, and rotate the pan halfway through if your oven has hot spots.