If there is one flavour combination that stands out from my childhood, it would be bananas and peanut butter. Many-a-school-day I would ask for peanut butter and banana sandwiches and there was never a better after school snack than dripping a banana into melted peanut butter. Now, 20-some years later, Olive has created her own version of my favourite childhood sandwich. She loves taking a whole banana and wrapping it with a tortilla smothered in peanut butter – and lucky for us, our little school is the only school in our school board that is not peanut free! I guess it is no secret that I love this combination. I’ve posted about it many, many times in one form or another, so one more is not going hurt, right?
(Have I convinced you to love it yet?)
Lately I’ve been feeling a little nostalgic as I watch the winter pass us by. The seasons seem to get shorter as every year passes and while I’m not sorry to wish away this particularly cold and icy winter, it is making me realize just how quickly my kids are growing and changing. So, as yet another snow day falls upon us (the second of this week!) Olive and I sat down to come up with a sheet cake inspired by our mutual love of bananas and peanut butter. We prefer the crunch of chunky peanut butter, but you are welcomed to use smooth while making your buttercream!!
BROWNED BUTTER BANANA BREAD WITH PEANUT BUTTERCREAM
makes one sheet cake
ingredients
banana cake:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. baking soda
2 eggs
1/2 cup butter, browned
2/3 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla
2 ripe bananas
1/3 cup dark chocolate, chopped
peanut buttercream:
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. butter, softened
3/4 cup natural peanut butter
3 Tbsp. heavy cream
1 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
steps
banana cake:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13 baking pan with oil, line with parchment paper and spray again.
Place butter in a heavy bottom saucepan and bring to boil over medium heat while continuously stirring. The butter will start to foam. Using a spoon to pull the foam back to check doneness, continue to boil until butter is a caramel colour. Transfer to a heat proof bowl and let cool.
sift together the flour, sugars, salt, baking powder, and baking soda in a large bowl. Whisk to combine.
Add the egg, browned butter, milk, and vanilla to a blender and blend until the banana is broken down – not completely smooth but so that there are only very small lumps.
Add the mixture to the dry ingredients and whisk in just until smooth.
Place chocolate in a heat proof bowl and place over top of a sauce pan with boiling water (to create a double boiler). Continue to stir the chocolate until completely melted. Remove from heat and set aside.
Pour the banana batter into the prepared pan. Stream the melted chocolate over top of the cake. Using a toothpick make horizontal lines through the chocolate and then vertical lines to create an eye-pleasing design.
Place pan in the preheated oven and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until puffed and firm on top and a tester inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Remove and let cool completely.
peanut buttercream:
Using a stand mixer, mix butter and peanut butter until combined.
Gradually add confectioners’ sugar and continue to mix.
Slowly add in milk to prevent mixture from getting overly thick.
Continue to mix until all ingredients are combined and thickness is as desired. To thin out the buttercream further, add more heavy cream, 1 tsp. at a time.
assembly:
Once the banana cake is completely cooled, spread the peanut buttercream over top to desired thickness.
Slice and serve!
