Ingredients

The following ingredients have 4 Servings
  • 2 large bananas (mashed)
  • 2/3 cup buttermilk
  • 2 eggs
  • 2/3 cup canola oil
  • 1 2/3 cups sugar
  • 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp sea salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
  • 1 1/2 cups smooth peanut butter
  • 5 cups powdered sugar
  • 6 tbsp whole milk
  • 1/3 cup salted peanuts (crushed (for garnish))

Instruction

  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and flour two 8" round cake pans and set them aside.
  • To a large bowl add the mashed bananas, the buttermilk, and the eggs, and whisk them together until they're combined. Stir in the canola oil and then the sugar.
  • Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and sea salt to a separate bowl and whisk until combined. Add the dry ingredients into the banana mixture and fold them together with a rubber spatula just until no more streaks of flour remain. Do not over-mix or you'll create too many air bubbles in your batter which causes a problem called tunnelling (if you can see long, gaping holes in your baked cake, it means you have over-mixed!).
  • Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans and bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of one of the cakes comes out clean.
  • Let the cakes cool in their pans for about 5 minutes and then gently turn them out upside down onto wire racks to cool.
  • While the cakes are cooling, begin to prepare the frosting by whipping the butter and the peanut butter on high speed until they're well combined and nice and fluffy.
  • Add the powdered sugar about a cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl periodically so that all the powdered sugar gets into the frosting.
  • Add the whole milk one tablespoon at a time, whipping well after each addition. Continue whipping until the frosting reaches a gorgeous light and fluffy texture that's perfectly spreadable. You may need to add slightly less or slightly more milk depending on what kind of butter and/or peanut butter you use, so it's a good idea to watch closely as you're whipping to ensure you create frosting with a spreadable texture.
  • Once the cake has cooled, cut each layer in half horizontally using a sharp serrated knife, making sure to turn the cake layer as you cut to create layers as even as possible. If cutting cake layers freaks you out, I guarantee this cake will taste just as amazing as a two-layer cake, so feel free to skip this part altogether!
  • Frost the cake, making sure to spread a nice thick, even layer of frosting between each of the layers. When making layer cakes I like to add my layers upside down so the flat end is facing upward. This creates a more even top and helps the cake stay straight.
  • Frost the top and sides of the cake, creating a simple swirl pattern if you wish.
  • Add the crushed peanuts to the top of the banana layer cake and press them into the frosting just slightly with your palm.