This peanut butter banana cake is a tender banana cake with peanut butter cream cheese frosting and swirls of creamy peanut butter on top! Overripe bananas add lots of moisture and a sweet banana flavor, which is perfect paired with peanut butter and tangy cream cheese.
This peanut butter banana cake is my take on the nostalgic combo made famous by the Elvis sandwich- sweet bananas, creamy peanut butter, and crispy bacon. The cake is soft, moist, and packed with ripe banana flavor, giving it that classic banana bread feel in sheet cake form.
Topped with a tangy peanut butter cream cheese frosting that's not too sweet and (totally optional but delicious) crumbled bacon for a salty crunch, it hits that sweet-salty balance in every bite. Since it's a single layer cake, it's super easy to make!
I made this cake to use up some overripe bananas I had. If you're in the same predicament and have more bananas to use after making this delicious cake, try this banana caramel cake, sour cream banana muffins, or banana bars with cream cheese frosting!
How to Make It
1: Mash the bananas. You can use a fork, potato masher, or even a stand mixer.
2: Cream the room temperature butter and oil in a large bowl. Then beat in the granulated sugar and brown sugar until fluffy and pearlescent. The pearly sheen means enough air has been beat in for a light cake.
3: Mix in the wet ingredients. Add the mashed banana last.
4: Add the dry ingredients. Mix them in just until the dry streaks of flour disappear.
5: Bake! Make sure your sheet pan is lined with parchment paper before adding cake batter so it's easy to take out of the pan after baking.
6: Cool the cake on a wire rack. It needs to be completely cool before frosting, or the frosting might melt.
7: Make the peanut butter frosting. Beat the butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer and add the peanut butter. Then gradually add the powdered sugar followed by vanilla extract and salt. Slowly add the sugar so it doesn't fly out of the bowl and make a mess.
8: Ice the cake. Spread the frosting on top of the cake, then add dollops of peanut butter and swirl with the frosting. Top with bacon if desired, slice, and serve!
Expert Baking Tips
- Use overripe bananas. Your bananas need to be very ripe for the sweetest, best flavor. Brown bananas or bananas with brown speckles are the best. Don't use any with even a hint of green!
- Measure the flour correctly. It's easy to overmeasure flour in measuring cups, so that's why I always recommend measuring it in grams with a kitchen scale for the best results. Too much flour makes the cake dry! If you don't have a scale, fluff up the flour and gently scoop it into your measuring cup. Swipe off the excess with a flat edge.
- Don't overmix. Once the flour is incorporated, stop mixing. The cake might be dense if you overmix the batter.
Flavor Variations
Chocolate: You can add 1 cup of chocolate chips to the batter after mixing in the dry ingredients and spread chocolate ganache swirls on top of the frosting.
Different frosting: Instead of peanut butter frosting, frost the cake with banana buttercream for a classic take, salted caramel buttercream, or cinnamon cream cheese frosting for a bit of spice.
Frequently Asked Questions
If your bananas aren't quite ripe enough, bake them unpeeled at 300ยฐF for 15-20 minutes until the skins turn black. Let them cool before squeezing out the fruit to use in your cake!
You can make this banana cake recipe in two 8-inch round cake pans or three 6-inch round pans. For a layer cake, you might want to double the frosting recipe so you have enough for piping decorations.
More Cake Recipes to Try
๐ Recipe
Peanut Butter Banana Cake
Equipment
- 1 9X13-inch sheet pan lined with parchment paper
- 1 Electric hand mixer or stand mixer with the paddle attachment
- 1 offset spatula
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Ingredients
Banana Cake
- 3 overripe bananas about 1 ยฝ cup mashed
- 114 grams unsalted butter room temperature
- 70 grams vegetable oil
- 250 grams granulated sugar
- 50 grams brown sugar light or dark
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 120 grams plain Greek yogurt room temperature
- 120 grams whole milk room temperature
- 385 grams all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ยฝ teaspoon salt
Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- 113 grams unsalted butter room temperature
- 226 grams full-fat cream cheese room temperature
- 90 grams creamy peanut butter
- 300 grams powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ยผ teaspoon salt
- 4 strips cooked bacon optional
Instructions
Banana Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350ยฐF and line a 9X13-inch sheet pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Mash 3 overripe bananas in a medium bowl. You can use a fork or potato mashed.3 overripe bananas
- Add butter and oil to the bowl of a hand mixer or stand mixer and beat for 3 minutes until creamy.114 grams unsalted butter, 70 grams vegetable oil
- Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar, beating on high until fluffy with a pearly sheen, about 3 minutes.250 grams granulated sugar, 50 grams brown sugar
- Add the eggs, vanilla, and Greek yogurt. Then stream in the whole milk and mix in the mashed bananas on low speed.2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 120 grams plain Greek yogurt, 120 grams whole milk
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low until no dry streaks of flour remain.385 grams all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ยฝ teaspoon salt
- Spread the cake batter into the pan. Bake for 28-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs attached.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- Beat the butter and cream cheese together with a stand mixer or hand mixer on medium-low speed until creamy. Then mix in the creamy peanut butter.113 grams unsalted butter, 226 grams full-fat cream cheese, 90 grams creamy peanut butter
- With the mixer on low, add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time until completely combined and smooth. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.300 grams powdered sugar
- Add the vanilla and salt and mix well on medium-low speed.1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ยผ teaspoon salt
- Spread the frosting over the cooled sheet cake. Spoon dollops of peanut butter on top of the frosting.
- Chop the bacon or crush it in your hands and sprinkle it on top of the cake. Slice and serve!4 strips cooked bacon
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