Banana cake with peanut butter & chocolate frosting

Did you ever have banana with peanuts (groundnuts)? Yes? A staple snack, you say? Then you just know this is going to be the bomb! No? Never tried it? Well, say no more. Get to baking while I wonder what the heck you’ve been doing with snack time all these years!

Prep Time: 30 mins

Cook/ Bake Time: 45 mins

Ingredients

Banana cake:

• 3 large ripe bananas - approx. 1.5 cups(mashed)

• 3 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 3/4 cup (170g) unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar

• 1/2 cup (100g) brown sugar

• 3 large eggs

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 1 cup (360ml) buttermilk (To substitute, add 1 tablespoon lemon juice to 1 cup of milk)

Peanut Butter & Chocolate frosting:

• 1/3 cup butter, softened

• 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter

• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

• 2 cups icing/ powdered/ confectioners' sugar

• 1/3 cup cocoa powder*

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 4 tablespoons milk

*Note: For a pure peanut butter frosting without the chocolate, substitute the cocoa powder with additional powdered sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 175 degrees Celsius and grease a 9 by 13 inch pan.

2. Mash the bananas.

3. In a separate bowl, lightly whisk the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt together

4. Using a handheld or stand mixer (paddle attachment), beat the butter on high speed until smooth and creamy. This takes about 1 minute. Add brown and white sugars and beat on high speed for 2 minutes until creamed together, making sure to scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl to ensure proper combination. 

5. Add the eggs and the vanilla. Beat on medium-high speed until combined

6. Add the mashed bananas

7. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients in and the buttermilk in turns, alternating up to three rounds, allowing each batch to incorporate just before adding the next. 

8. Once incorporated, stop mixing. The batter will look lumpy and thick. 

9. Spread batter into the prepared pan. Bake for about 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 

10. Set the cake on a wire rack to cool completely. 

    Frosting:

11. In a large bowl, cream butter and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Stir in half of the confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder and salt. 

12. Add milk gradually, alternating with the rest of the confectioners’ sugar to achieve a spreading consistency.

13. Spread the frosting on the cooled cake. 

14. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.

Did you try this recipe? Let’s continue the conversation on Instagram, using the hashtag #goodlivingwithmae