Peanut Butter and Banana Cake

I had scheduled both the Elders and the Sisters for tea appointments this week, two days in a row and so I set about to do a dessert to serve them that I could actually use two days in a row and decided that a large cake would do the trick.   I could cut it into squares and serve it with ice cream both nights.   Whatever works, right?

 

Peanut Butter and Banana is a popular flavour combination in North America, and Todd actually also really enjoys it.  I had some black nicely ripened bananas that needed using up and so I set about to creat a peanut butter and banana cake with great success! 



 Yay!  I love it when that happens, and trust me when I say . . .  it doesn't always!    I used my favourite banana cake recipe an subbed some peanut butter (smooth) for a portion of the butter, and I used the peanut butter icing recipe from my favourite peanut butter cake.



The end result was a deliciously moist and dense banana cake with a light peanut butter flavour . . .  topped with a rich and nutty icing, which I then topped with crushed banana chips, for just a bit of crunch!  It went down a real treat to all concerned!  Whew!

This would be a great "after-school" cake!

 

*Peanut Butter and Banana Cake*

Serves 16

Printable Recipe 

Moist and dense cake, with mild banana and peanut butter flavours, topped with a fab peanut buttercream icing! 

For the cake:

3 medium very ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)

420g of plain flour, sifted (3 cups)

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

125g of butter, softened (1/2 cup)

60g of smooth peanut butter (1/4 cup)

385g of sugar (2 cups)

3 large free range eggs,beaten

2 tsp vanilla extract

340ml of buttermilk (1 1/2 cups) 

For the peanut butter icing:

60g of butter (1/4 cup)

60g of peanut butter (1/4 cup)

325g of icing sugar (2 1/2 cups)

60ml of milk (1/4 cup) 

First bake the cake.  Preheat the oven to 165*C/325*F/ gas mark 3.  Butter and flour a 9 by 15 inch baking tin.  Set aside.

Cream together the butter, peanut butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Beat in the eggs a third at a time.   Beat in the vanilla.    Sift together the flour and the baking soda.   Add this to the creamed mixture in thirds, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with dry ingredients.   Stir in the bananas to combine.  Pour into the prepared baking tin.  Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and fifteen minutes.   Remove from the oven and place onto a wire rack to cool.


 

For the icing beat together all of the icing ingredients until you have a soft spreadable icing.  Only add as much milk as you need to get the right spreading consistency.  Spread the icing on the cooled cake.  Cut into squares to serve.  Enjoy!