blissful eats with tina jeffers: Banana cake with peanut butter frosting

We should all have a cake in our repertoire that we can whip up at a moments notice, one you can keep on the counter for after school snacks, last minute guests or even for breakfast if you are a bit of a glutton like myself.  This is a super simple cake that my son asks for again and again whenever I have overripe bananas sitting on my counter.  Rich, moist and delicious it tastes way more decadent than it is.  The only drawback to making this cake is that it never lasts for more than a day or two; we find ourselves sneaking back time and again for just one more little slice.  The cake is delicious with or without the peanut butter topping but it adds a richness and decadence that we can’t usually refuse. 

Banana cake with peanut butter frosting          

Ingredients:

For the cake:

2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

¾ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ cup natural cane sugar

¼ cup maple syrup

1/3 cup vegetable oil

½ cup buttermilk

2 eggs

2 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)

For the frosting:

½ cup creamy peanut butter

½  cup milk

¼ cup confectioners sugar

 

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 300 degrees.  In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and sugar.

In a separate bowl, combine the buttermilk, maple syrup, vegetable oil, eggs and bananas and then add the flour mixture to the liquid in three additions stirring after each addition.

Place the batter in a greased 9x13x2-inch pan.  Bake for 30-35 minutes, check for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the middle of the cake, it should come out clean.  Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting.

To make the frosting combine the peanut butter, milk and sugar in a small bowl and mix until creamy and smooth, adding more milk if needed to achieve the desired consistency.  Spread the frosting over the top and serve.  Store the cake in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.