Chocolate Banana Cake with Peanut Butter Cream Frosting

Ripe or overripe bananas sitting in your fruit basket means it is time to use them in your baking! Banana bread is perfect for breakfast and baking a cake is even better but a Chocolate Banana Cake is the ultimate.

If you are looking for a delicious and super quick dessert or to enjoy at tea time then this is what you should bake just the way I do. This cake combines the sweetness of ripe mashed bananas with cocoa powder and makes it so full of chocolate that anyone who bites into this moist cake will take a while to realize that it has bananas. It is the oil which gives the cake a moist texture, tender crumb and keeps the cake soft when refrigerated.

The Peanut Butter Cream Frosting is perfect for this Chocolate Banana Cake. The frosting is soft, fluffy. It is buttery but not greasy, not too sweet and is just right for this cake. This frosting can be prepared in advance and refrigerated. You need to bring to room temperature before using it. Peanut Butter and Bananas are nutritious and healthy. They are excellent for growing and school going children. Everyone can truly enjoy this combination in a cake. You can even consider baking this for a child’s birthday party.

Here’s the recipe to this gorgeous cake which can be put together in 15 minutes. 😀

For the Chocolate Banana Cake:

• 1 ¾ cups Maida (All Purpose Flour)
• 2 cups Sugar pwd.
• ¾ cups Cocoa pwd.
• 1 ½ tsp. Baking pwd.
• 1 ½ tsp. Soda Bi-carb (Baking Soda)
• ½ tsp. Salt
• 2 large Eggs
• 4 ripe Bananas ( peeled & mashed)
• 1 cup warm Water
• ½ cup Milk
• ½ cup Refined Cooking Oil
• 1 ½ tsp. Vanilla Essence

Procedure :

Grease and line a 23 x 33 cm baking pan.

Preheat oven at 180 C.

In a large bowl, sift and whisk flour, cocoa powder, sugar, baking powder, soda bi-carb and salt.

In another large bowl, whisk eggs, mashed bananas, water, milk, oil and essence.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir to combine.

The batter will be thin. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 40 mins. or until a toothpick/skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

Cool on a wire rack.

When completely cooled, ice the cake with Peanut Butter Cream Frosting.

Slice or cut into wedges and serve.

For the Peanut Butter Cream Frosting :

• 2 large Egg Whites
• ½ cup packed Brown Sugar
• 1/8^th tsp. Salt
• ¼ cup Peanut Butter
• ½ cup unsalted Butter (softened)
• ½ tsp. Vanilla Essence
• Chocolate Sprinkles for decorating (optional)

Procedure :
In a heat proof bowl, whisk together egg whites, sugar and salt.

Place over a pan of simmering water and whisk continuously until the sugar is dissolved and warm to the touch.

Beat the mixture with an electric hand whisk on medium speed until fluffy. This will take approx. 15 mins.

Raise the speed to high and beat until fluffy peaks form; approx 5-7 mins.

Add vanilla essence and peanut butter, a tablespoon at a time and beat on medium speed until fluffy.

Frost the cake and pipe designs on to the cake.

Decorate with chocolate sprinkles.

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