Banana Cake with Peanut Butter Chantilly is a lighter take on banana bread, speckled with bittersweet chocolate and topped with peanut butter white chocolate chantilly.
Happy Friday! I’d planned to share this Banana Cake with Peanut Butter Chantilly earlier in the week but got sidetracked by the election and market updates. Whatever your views, the last few days have felt heavy for many of us. A fresh day and a little kindness help — and a small slice of cake never hurts.
I’m a big fan of banana bread — it’s pure comfort. If you ever have leftovers, try turning banana bread into french toast for an indulgent brunch treat. If you want something lighter and just as satisfying, make a banana cake. This version is a simple single-layer cake baked in a tart pan, though it also works well as a layered cake for special occasions.
Banana cake usually bakes up lighter in color than banana bread. To achieve a richer brown tone without overbaking, I butter the pan and dust it with sugar instead of flour. My grandmother used to do this, and I was reminded of it during a baking course. Greasing and sugaring the pan gives the cake a lovely caramel hue and a delicate, crisp edge that contrasts nicely with a soft interior.
That thin crunchy crust pairs perfectly with the topping. I wanted something other than buttercream, so I made a quick chantilly-style cream by folding whipped cream with softened peanut butter and melted white chocolate. I piped small rounds of the chantilly across the cake, which gives a refined pastry look without much fuss.
In short, this Banana Cake with Peanut Butter Chantilly is a delightful, elegant twist on classic banana bread. Enjoy, and remember to smile — and eat cake!
Banana Cake with Peanut Butter Chantilly
Ingredients
- 320 grams cake flour
- 4 grams baking soda
- 2 grams baking powder
- 3 grams salt
- 300 grams mashed bananas I used 3 large bananas
- 61 grams buttermilk
- 5 grams pure vanilla bean paste
- 114 grams browned butter
- 285 grams granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 100 grams dark chocolate chips
- 250 grams coconut cream or 355 whipping cream
- 100 grams creamy peanut butter
- 75 grams melted white chocolate
- shaved chocolate
- crisp pearls
Method
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Preheat oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
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Brush butter over the bottom and sides of a 9-inch tart pan and sprinkle with a tablespoon of sugar, tapping out any excess. Place the prepared pan on a sheet pan.
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Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
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In a separate bowl combine the mashed bananas, buttermilk and vanilla.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the browned butter and sugar with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy.
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Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition and scraping down the bowl as needed.
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Add the flour mixture in thirds, alternating with the banana mixture: 1/3 flour, half the banana mixture, repeat, ending with the flour. Beat until combined.
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Fold in the dark chocolate chips.
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Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula.
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Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
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Remove from the oven and let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10–15 minutes. Invert onto a rack to cool completely if serving right away. To store, wrap the cake while still warm in plastic wrap and foil, and freeze until needed.
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Warm the peanut butter slightly and mix with the melted white chocolate until smooth.
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Whip the cream (or coconut cream) to soft peaks.
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Fold the peanut butter–white chocolate mixture into the whipped cream until uniform.
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Fit a piping bag with a plain round tip and fill with the chantilly.
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Pipe small rounds (kisses) of chantilly across the cooled cake and finish with shaved chocolate and crisp pearls.
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