Mimi's Organic Eats » Recipes » Cakes & Cupcakes » Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Cake

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Cake

Cakes & Cupcakes • Gluten Free • High Altitude | Published September 25, 2023 by Mimi Council

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This Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Cake is moist and fluffy banana cake with a silky and smooth ganache frosting. This simple one layer banana snack cake is casual enough for anytime, but also decadent and delicious for a party!

If you love making snack cakes as much as I do, be sure to check out some of my other favorite recipes like my Lemon Olive Oil Snack Cake, Avocado Oil Chocolate Cake, or my Raspberry Lemon Snack Cake.

Why You'll Love This Recipe
Ingredients
Tools Needed
Step by Step Instructions
FAQ's
Baker's Tips
Craving More?

I love this organic cake because it's a quick and easy snack cake with chocolate ganache frosting! I'm obsessed with chocolate ganache frosting as opposed to regular buttercream for two reasons. The first being, it's so much easier to make (no getting out my mixer, no sifting powdered sugar, no mess). The second, being it is incredibly rich and fudgy. So, if you are a chocoholic (like me) then you will love this organic cake!

I use overly ripe bananas in this banana snack cake. This is a recipe I make often, whenever I have overly ripe bananas! As bananas ripen, their starches turn to sugars. This makes them sweeter and mushy. The mushy texture is not ideal for eating, but it lends perfectly to mixing into cake batter, like this. So, you can reduce waste and make a delicious organic cake with your overly ripe bananas!

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Rich & Creamy Frosting: If you love rich and creamy chocolatey frosting, then you will love this Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Cake! This is a simple banana snack cake with a rich and decadent chocolate ganache frosting!

Moist & Fluffy Cake: This banana cake is moist and fluffy! The addition of bananas always makes for an incredibly moist and fluffy cake. Make sure to use ripe bananas that are boardering brown or black color.

Chocolate + Peanut Butter + Caramel: This delicious Peanut Butter Caramel Chocolate Ganache Frosting is creamy, smooth, silky, and it has the addition of both peanut butter and caramel! This decadent chocolate ganache frosting is pairs incredibly well with the simplicity of this banana snack cake.

Organic Cake: I use organic ingredients in this banana snack cake. So much better than anything you'd buy at the store, you can choose your favorite organic ingredients when making this recipe at home.

Ingredients

Vegetable Shortening: I use organic vegetable shortening in this cake, but you can also use butter if you prefer. This is a cake I make frequently when I'm out of butter, as you don't need butter for the cake or the frosting.
Canola Oil: Make sure to use organic canola oil. While this is a seed oil, it's the most neutral oil, which makes it best for baking so always buy organic for the highest quality. If you are avoiding seed oils, you can swap it for avocado oil or EVOO too!
Cane Sugar: I use organic cane sugar.
Light Brown Sugar: I also use organic light brown sugar for a richer flavor in this organic cake. You can use my homemade recipe or store bought, either works.
Vanilla Extract: Use a high quality vanilla extract, not imitation.
Eggs: Use large eggs.
Bananas: You want to use overly ripe bananas whenever baking with bananas. When bananas ripen, their starches turn into sugars. This gives them a sweet flavor. This also makes bananas mushy, which is not ideal to eat, but makes them perfect for baking because they can easily be combined into cake batter like this.
All Purpose Flour: I use organic all purpose flour in this recipe because the banana adds more sugar to this, so the higher protein content of all purpose flour gives this organic cake more structure. Using a lower protein content flour, like cake flour, could cause a breaky cake or one that sinks.
Baking Powder: Be sure to sue baking powder, not soda. Be sure to check out my post the Difference Between Baking Soda and Baking Powder for more info on leavening agents.
Salt: Use fine sea salt.
Dark Chocolate: I use organic dark chocolate in the ganache frosting.
Heavy Whipping Cream: My favorite is Organic Valley, you can use your favorite.
Peanut Butter: Use organic creamy peanut butter (not chunky). My favorite is Costco!
Caramel Sauce: I make my homemade Organic Caramel Sauce for this recipe, which I highly recommend! But, if you want to use store bought, you can.

Tools Needed

Scale: Always use a digital food scale for the best results.
Stand Mixer: I use my stand mixer for ease, but you can also use a hand mixer if you prefer.
Cake Pan: I use an 8×8-inch baking pan. You can also use an 8-inch round pan if you want as well.
Parchment Paper: I always use nontoxic parchment paper so I can easily remove the cake from the pan.
Heatproof Mixing Bowl: You'll need a heatproof mixing bowl to melt the chocolate for the ganache frosting.

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Step by Step Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch cake pan with parchment paper.

Step 2

To make the batter: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the shortening, canola oil, cane sugar, light brown sugar, and vanilla extract. Mix on low until combined and there are no butter chunks.

Add the banana, eggs, flour, baking powder, and sea salt in that order. Mix on low until combined. Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan.

Step 3

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely in the cake pan. (If you're baking at high altitude, be sure to check the Notes at the bottom of the recipe for high altitude instructions).

Step 4

To make the frosting: In a heat proof bowl, melt the dark chocolate and heavy whipping cream together. You can do this in a double boiler, or in the microwave. If using the microwave, only do 30 second intervals and stir between each one to prevent chocolate from burning.

Add in the caramel sauce and peanut butter and stir to combine completely.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, making sure the plastic wrap covers the ganache completely to prevent a film from forming. Place in the fridge for at least 2 hours.

Step 5

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or using a hand mixer), whisk the ganache on high until it’s light and fluffy. Spread the frosting over the top of the cake.

FAQ's

Can I make the frosting the day before?

Absolutely, since it has to chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours (or overnight) this is a great step to do the night before. It will make the cake easier and quicker the following day.

Why do you use overly ripe bananas for cake?

When bananas begin to ripen, their starches turn into sugars. This provides a sweeter flavor (not to mention the bananas become softer) which makes them ideal for baked goods, especially cake!

How should I store this banana snack cake?

Because this has a chocolate ganache frosting, with heavy cream, it should be stored in the fridge in an airtight container.

Baker's Tips

Be ware of the size of your banana, if you have a smaller one you may need a little less baking time. For a larger one you may need a little more as bananas add moisture.
You can use an 8-inch square pan or round pan, I've made this both ways.
For the ganache frosting, you can use dark chocolate pieces (like I did), dark chocolate chips, or even use a chopped up chocolate bar.
Be sure to store this cake in an airtight container in the fridge because it has chocolate ganache frosting.