There’s no wrong way to combine peanut butter, chocolate, and bananas.
Maybe one day I’ll run out of ways and ideas, but thankfully that hasn’t happened.
I love baking with bananas because everything turns out so soft and fluffy.
This easy, one-bowl, no-mixer cake is another example of how bananas are such workhorses.
I loathe dry cake and in addition to juicy bananas, there’s a single-serving container of banana Greek yogurt, a bit of oil, and peanut butter. They all help keep this cake moist, bouncy, and springy.
I used banana yogurt, which helps to boost the banana flavor profile. I’m traveling even found it in an Aruban grocery store, but if you can’t find it, vanilla or plain Greek yogurt (or sour cream) will work.
The cake has a nice banana flavor, but the peanut butter flavor also shines. There’s one-half cup of peanut butter in the cake batter, and before baking, one-quarter cup is swirled in on top.
When you’re swirling, easy does it because the peanut butter seeps down while the cake bakes and if you over-do it before baking, you’ll never see the swirls after the cake comes out of the oven.
As it is, it’s hard enough to see the peanut butter because of the chocolate chunks on top. Chocolate is a perfect pairing with peanut butter and with banana. Okay, with anything.
I just sprinkled the chunks on top of the cake because I’m not that fond of chocolate chips or chunks inside cake. I like cake interiors buttery soft and smooth, but you could stir in a handful of chocolate chunks to the batter before turning it out into the pan.
I wanted to keep the cake more along the lines of a coffee cake than an uber-decadent cake, but feel free to get more gung-ho with the chocolate.
You’ll rarely go wrong with more chocolate.
By design, you don’t need to frost this cake. I made sure there’s enough going on between the sweet banana cake base, the peanut butter swirls and rich dark chocolate on top, that no frosting or glaze is necessary, for either taste or cosmetic purposes.
It’s always a nice bonus and time-saver when you don’t have to frost a cake.
Maybe it’s because she got to eat cake for breakfast, but my 6-year old daughter gave it a 10/10. I told her that if she thought it was a 7, that would be fine, too.
And she said, It’s a 10, mom. Okay, I’ll take it.
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Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Banana Cake
Ingredients
- ½ cup creamy peanut butter
- 3 tablespoons canola, vegetable, or melted coconut oil
- 1 large egg
- 5 to 6 ounces banana
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup mashed banana, about 2 medium, ripe bananas
- 1 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- pinch salt, optional and to taste
- ¼ creamy peanut butter, for swirling on top
- about 4 ounces dark chocolate, roughly chopped (semi-sweet chocolate chips may be substituted)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line an 8×8-inch pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray; set aside.
- In a large, microwave-safe mixing bowl, combine 1/2 cup peanut butter, oil, and heat on high power for about 30 seconds, just long enough to nicely soften peanut butter so it can be whisked together easily with the oil. Whisk until smooth and combined.
- Add the egg, yogurt, sugar, vanilla, and whisk until smooth.
- Add the mashed banana and stir to combine; batter will be lumpy because of the bananas.
- Add the flour, baking powder, optional salt, and stir until just combined; don’t overmix.
- Turn batter out into prepared pan, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula; set aside.
- To a mixing bowl (the same one used for the cake batter is fine, no need to wash it provided you scraped it fairly well with a spatula) add 1/4 cup peanut butter and heat on high power to melt it, about 30 seconds.
- Drizzle peanut butter over cake and lightly swirl it in with a knife, going up and back in a zigzag pattern. Don’t get too carried away with swirling or peanut butter will sink into the cake while baking and won’t be visible.
- Evenly sprinkle the chocolate over the pan.
- Bake for about 30 minutes, or until done. The top will be domed and golden, the center set, and a toothpick inserted should come out mostly clean, or with a few moist crumbs, but no batter. At any point if your cake is getting a bit too golden or dark before the center is setting, tent with foil (lay a sheet of foil over the top of your cake; I didn’t need to, but ovens and ingredients vary). Baking times could vary from 25 to 40 minutes based on water content of the bananas, yogurt, climate, and oven variances; bake until done. Watch your cake, not the clock.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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This just made my stomach growl– seriously. Thanks for sharing! Do you think this is a good recipe for Christmas morning?
LOL on the growling :)
Yes it would be great! Or for more breakfasty, there’s this I posted yesterday https://www.averiecooks.com/overnight-gingerbread-french-toast-breakfast-bake/
Love these flavors, and how you cut the cake into those cute wedges! Merry Christmas, Averie!!
I love that you cut the square pan into triangles – it’s more like a scone, but looks so moist!
I’m wishing I had bananas now, eeven though I don’t like them!
I make so many cakes and banana things, had to try to mix it up a little :)
Looks delicious Averie, perfect treat for the holiday season. Thanks for sharing and Happy Holidays!
Happy Blogging!
Thanks Eric! Happy Holidays to you too!
This looks amazing! Three of my most favorite things, all in one cake!
Averie– this bread looks wonderful! Let me guess.. you love peanut butter?? I’m a huge fan of peanut butter myself and love putting it in everything! peanut butter and bananas are a great combo!
all of my favorite ingredients!!
You can never go wrong with pb, chocolate, and bananas—this cake looks like a sophisticated version of banana bread! And I love how you cut this cake into wedges instead of the normal squares…so tempting!
Thanks for noticing the wedges. I tried to mix it up! And yes, sophisticated version of banana bread is accurate I think :)
I think this one’s a classic–and I love the big chunks of chocolate on top!! It definitely looks moist and has those little air pockets (making the texture just right for my taste). I also like the wedges–I’m such a creature of habit and always cut squares…need to remember to try angles!
Thanks for noticing the wedges and the air pockets – that open crumb means moist and soft! Those little details, when I’m reading blogs and see things like those too, I know whether or not something will be soft and moist enough for me :)
Wow, that overhead shot is amazing! I love how you cut it into triangles – doing that next time. I always love your pb/choc/banana recipes. This one is no exception! All those melty chocolate chunks are making me drool over here and I completely understand why this got a 10! Pinned!
Thanks for pinning and the chocolate was especially melty b/c I’m at my house in Aruba and it’s 89F in my kitchen :)
You are right ~ there is no wrong way to combine those ingredients & you did a very tempting job!
Thanks, Marla. When I’m in Aruba, I try to keep things as easy as I possibly can with everyday ingredients. Which is why I make cakes on vacation, you know, but I digress :)
I’m laying in bed, post ice storm, wishing this cake would magically appear near my face.
Waiting… waiting… waiting…
Stay warm in the ice storm! Gah! I grew up in MN and know exactly what that means….Brrr!!
You are right, there is no wrong way to combine pb, banana and chocolate. However, there are some ways that are more right than others and this cake is definitely one of those ways! I am all over using the Greek yogurt to keep it moist and fluffy plus I am totally pretending that it balances out all the chocolate on top! I need this cake in my face PRONTO! Pinned!
Thanks for pinning and the great comment, Taylor! And yes, the Greek yog totally balances out the chocoalate :)
Haha I did a peanut butter chocolate combo too for my blog today too. Intend I combined mine with Tim tams and made gluten free quinoa base. Never too much peanut butter in my books especially with creamy goodness of bananas.
Wow your recipe looks awesome! Just took a peek. Glad we both have PB + choc on the brain :)
Peanut butter + Banana + Chocolate is pretty much the best combination ever. What a great recipe Averie!! :)
You never cease to amaze me with your peanut butter banana combo! It’s been a while since I made any kind of banana/bread or cake (I had to stop buying bananas because they kept rotting too quickly) but once the holidays are over, I’ll have to make this! I’m sure Jason and I could use a slice of cake for breakfast!
When I’m down here in Aruba, there’s a few ingredients that are always available…pb, bananas, chocolate. So…I got busy with them. I so wanted to just make a smoothie but took things an extra step and you know, made a cake on vacation :)