The ‘Bunny Chow” banana bread dessert was inspired by one of my favourite cafes in South Africa. They created an adorable sweet version of a Bunny Chow and made it into a banana bread dessert. The center of the banana bread is dug out then filled with ice cream and loaded with dark chocolate and nuts. It’s not too sweet but hits just about every explosion of tastes that you want. And is a perfect pairing for one of their hot beverages (tea or coffee, I normally take a flat white with this dessert).
Honest Chocolate is located in the City Center in Cape Town. I can’t stress enough that this is a must-visit. Seriously, they have everything that you ever wanted in a cafe, plus they have a hidden gin bar in the back patio area. Yup, you heard me!
I’ve been missing Honest Chocolate and their yummy treats, so I thought since I can’t just pop over and grab a sweet that I’d bring the sweets to me!! I think I did a pretty darn good job if you ask me!
Ingredients
I created a richer version of my original banana muffins, baked them in some fancy cups and then, well followed exactly what Honest Chocolate does (minus the nuts). Then I loaded up the banana bread with (my favourite) Kawartha Dairy ice cream and drizzled 70% cocoa Lindt chocolate on top. The results… perfection my friends!!!! You have to make this once in your life, you will not be disappointed. I promise!
- Ripe bananas
- Light brown sugar
- Vegetable oil
- Sour cream (or plain yogurt)
- Eggs
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder & baking soda
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground cloves
- Salt
- Vanilla ice cream (Kawartha Dairy is my favourite)
- Dark chocolate (Lindt is my favourite 70% cocoa)
- Crushed nuts (optional)
Honest Chocolate Cafe ~ Cape Town
What is a Bunny Chow?
If you’re South African, or have spent any time in South Africa then you’ll know what a Bunny Chow is. And for everyone else, it’s a hollowed-out loaf of white bread filled with tasty curry. It was created in Durban, which is home to a large Indian community that brought the dish to life and is still a popular meal in many Indian restaurants throughout South Africa. It’s completely basic and absolutely delicious! I highly recommend sharing a dish when you plan your next visit to South Africa!
Make Ahead
You can easily make the banana bread cups ahead of time and when ready to serve simply dig out the center, add the ice cream and drizzle melted chocolate over the top. Once you scoop in the ice cream the dessert will need to be eaten (but that shouldn’t be a problem). You can also freeze the banana bread cups. Just make sure to let them come to room temperature, then dig, scoop and add the melted chocolate.
How To Make ‘Bunny Chow’ Banana Bread
Step One: Make your banana bread cups. Use a pop-over pan or fun wrappers if possible to create a taller muffin style. Be careful not to overmix the batter when making your muffins. You want the banana bread to be fluffy, and light..
Step Two: In the center of the banana bread cup use a sharp pairing knife and dig out the center. I cut cylinder shapes out of the middle. Then add a big scoop of vanilla ice cream into the center of the hole so the ice cream can drip into the banana bread. Top with melted dark chocolate (and crushed nuts if you like). Enjoy right away!
I’ve been very excited to share this recipe with all of you, so please tell me what you think of the recipe in the comments. Happy Bunny Chow’n 😉
Print‘Bunny Chow’ Banana Bread Dessert
This dessert is a sweet version of a South African Bunny Chow. It has a light and not too sweet banana bread that is dug out and filled with vanilla ice cream. Then it’s loaded with dark chocolate and topped with nuts. An explosion of flavours that pair so lovely together! Inspired by bakery/cafe Honest Chocolate in South Africa, Cape Town.
- Prep Time: 35 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 9 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: South African
Ingredients
- 3 large, very ripe bananas or 4 small bananas (lightly mashed)
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup sour cream (or plain yogurt)
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- crushed nuts, optional
Topping
- vanilla ice cream (Kawartha Dairy is my favourite)
- dark chocolate, melted (Lindt is my favourite 70% cocoa)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ËšF. Grease a popover tin or line with baking paper cups and set aside.
- In a large bowl combine mashed bananas, sugar, vegetable oil, sour cream, and eggs. Mix by hand just until ingredients are combined (don’t overmix).
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt. Mix well. Add to the banana mixture, and mix until just combined (don’t overmix, it’s okay if you see a few lumps).
- Spoon the batter ¾ full into the muffin cups.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until the tops are brown and the middle is set- when a toothpick is inserted in the middle and comes out clean.
- Using a paring knife, cut a cylinder shape out of the middle of each muffin. Add a scoop of ice cream into the centre of the hole (so it melts into the middle of the muffin). Top with melted chocolate and enjoy right away. If using crushed nuts add the nuts when the chocolate hasn’t set.Â
Notes
Undressed muffins will last 2-3 days in an airtight container or freeze up to 1 month.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Bunny Chow
- Calories: 564
- Sugar: 25.2g
- Sodium: 253mg
- Fat: 17.4g
- Saturated Fat: 8.3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 91.2g
- Fiber: 4.4g
- Protein: 11.9g
- Cholesterol: 53mg
FAQ’s
A bunny Chow is a hollowed-out loaf of white bread that is filled with curry. It was created in Durban, which is home to a large Indian community that brought the dish to life and is still a popular meal in many Indian restaurants throughout South Africa. It’s completely basic and absolutely delicious!
The exact origins of the name “Bunny Chow” aren’t completely clear, but there are a few theories. One suggests that the term “Bunny” may have been derived from the word “bania” or “baniya,” referring to the Indian merchant community involved in the dish’s creation. Another suggests that it may have originated from the word “bun” or “bunny,” which is a reference to the loaf of bread used as the base of the dish.
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Just put the banana bread in the oven. I made mini loaves so I’m kind of guessing at the baking time. Smells wonderful.