Banana Peanut Butter Layer Cake

Triple-Layer Banana Cake, Peanut Butter Buttercream Filling, Whipped Chocolate Ganache Buttercream, Peanut Butter Ganache Covering, and Dark Chocolate Drizzle

Test Kitchen Cake!!

I wanted to try a new Banana Cake recipe...and this one is nearly perfect!  It's dense yet fluffy like cake, easily stackable, and super moist.  I'm definitely sticking with this winner.

I added 1 t. baking soda to 1 c. buttermilk...oh the science that ensued!

With three 6" round layers baked, there was enough batter left over for almost a dozen cupcakes!  I think I'll send them to school with our youngest daughter.

 

Peanut Butter Buttercream Filling

The peanut butter buttercream filling was purposely made with a bit more powdered sugar so the cake would hold up evenly.

I was so undecided on how to decorate the outside of this cake.  I knew the flavors of banana and peanut butter is an outstanding combination - it's like the perfect after school snack.  Adding chocolate is a no-brainer.  Originally I wanted to frost with peanut butter and cover the top with chocolate ganache - but I just did an almost identical combination two days ago.  Ugh.  Time to try something different.

Frosting with whipped chocolate ganache is a fabulous treatment for this cake.  The colors of the cake, peanut, and whipped chocolate...were essentially the same...a light brown.  Again, I wanted to add much dark chocolate - but, I just did that.

Exploring recipes, I discovered a peanut butter ganache (peanut butter, heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla) and said, "Why not?"  It whipped up easily, but I wasn't crazy about the flavor.  Texture was a bit funny and I'm not sold on it.

Because all the colors were still the same, I gave myself permission to add a dark chocolate drizzle.  Next time, I'll go with my gut and frost with whipped chocolate and cover with dark chocolate.  It'll be pretty and quite yummy.

Variation for next time:  Omit chocolate and add bacon crunchies to make this an Elvis Presley Cake.

Yeah...I had fun with this cake.  I'm totally psyched to have a go-to Banana Cake recipe.  We gave this cake to our friends at Starbucks and the cupcakes found a good home too.

What a great life to have fun baking and have fun sharing.  I have amazing support from my family when it comes to baking and blogging. Our oldest daughter helps me with the photographs and graphics...her super cute blog is here.

 

Here's a shout-out to my life partner who makes my baking possible.  And a gratitude shout-out for sobriety.