No‑bake banana-cocoa cake. Thrill your guests with an effortless dessert

Does a no-bake cake sound unprofessional? Admittedly, this type of cake isn't typically associated with elegance or refinement. However, let's dismiss the notion that an entire day must be dedicated to cake preparation. A no-bake cake is an excellent suggestion - jot this down, and you're sure to agree.

If you lack the time, patience or knack for baking sponge layers for a cake, consider our no-bake cake recipe. Since it doesn't require baking, it can be made without any sponge. In this variation, a velvety custard cream (enriched with butter, of course) is layered between sweet pancakes.

These are no ordinary pancakes - they're based on bananas and condensed milk, with the addition of bitter cocoa to balance the sweetness. When frying these pancakes, ensure they're roughly the size of a traditional cake base. Also, aim for uniform shape and size among all the pancakes. That way, it will be much easier to assemble the layers of the no-bake cake.

Ingredients:

FOR THE PANCAKES

• 2 eggs,
• 1 ounce of condensed milk,
• 3 ripe bananas,
• 2 tablespoons of bitter cocoa,
• 1 cup of milk,
• 1.5 cups of flour,
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder,

FOR THE CREAM

• 2 cups of milk
• 1 stick of cold butter,
• 1 ounce of condensed milk,
• 3 tablespoons of sugar,
• 0.4 cups of custard powder,
• bitter chocolate for decoration.

Preparation:

1. Peel the bananas and cut them into smaller parts. Mix with eggs and condensed milk, blending everything into a smooth paste.
2. Add milk, flour, cocoa, and baking powder to the paste. Mix the dough before setting it aside for 15-20 minutes to rest.
3. Next, use the dough to fry pancakes of a similar size and shape.
4. Meanwhile, mix the milk with custard powder and sugar, cooking until the mixture thickens, then set aside to cool.
5. Add butter and condensed milk to the cooled custard, blending everything into a smooth cream.
6. Once cooled, fill the pancakes with the cream, covering the entire cake with the remaining mixture.
7. Finally, decorate the no-bake cake with finely grated bitter chocolate.