Chocolate Banana Peanut Butter Cake
Chocolate Banana Peanut Butter Cake – chocolate banana cake layers with peanut butter banana cream filling and chocolate and peanut butter buttercreams.
Chocolate Banana Peanut Butter Cake
Happy Monday, friends! I hope you’re feeling happy and healthy today!
I’m so excited to finally share with you my Chocolate Banana Peanut Butter Cake. I was originally going to call this a Chunky Monkey Cake, but after further research, I learned that Chunky Monkey ice cream is made with walnuts, not peanuts! I had no idea. Ha!
Anyway, to avoid confusion, I scratched the Chunky Monkey name and went with something way more boring and super descriptive!
The idea for this cake came shortly after I published my Triple Chocolate Banana Cake. Several readers wrote in and expressed how much they’d love to see peanut butter thrown in the mix with the chocolate and banana flavors. And you know how I feel about peanut butter, so I was more than happy to oblige!
Cake Elements
- Cake layers – if you’ve made the Triple Chocolate Banana Cake, you’ll see that I used the exact same recipe for this cake. It’s so incredibly moist and flavorful. I know you’ll love it!
- Filling – the peanut butter banana cream filling is based on the banana cream filling in my Banana Cream Cake. I also use it in my Oreo Brownie Banana Trifle. The filling for both is a Magnolia Bakery knock-off of their banana cream pie dessert (one of my favorite desserts on the planet!).
- Buttercream – for the buttercream, we’re actually making two! One batch of my chocolate buttercream and a half batch of my peanut butter buttercream.
Ingredients
Make sure you have the following special ingredients on hand. These are ingredients I’m assuming aren’t in your pantry normally. For the full list of ingredients, be sure to read the recipe below.
- Banana pudding mix – this should be the INSTANT banana pudding mix, made with real sugar.
- Bananas
- Sweetened condensed milk
- Dark cocoa powder
- Buttermilk
Make Ahead Tips
- Cake layers – The cake layers are a great element to make ahead of time. I like to let my layers cool to room temperature and then wrap them well with plastic wrap. Let the layers thaw for about an hour before you decorate the cake.
- Filling – you can also make the filling ahead of time, but DO NOT add the bananas until you’re ready to fill and serve the cake. Bananas will brown easily, so this isn’t a cake that I’d make completely ahead of time.
- Buttercream – both buttercream recipes can be made a week ahead of time and stored in airtight containers in the fridge. Make sure to let the buttercreams get back to room temperature and beat them again for a few minutes to restore the fluffy texture.
How to Stack Your Cake
This is another cake with a soft filling, so you’ll want to be sure to pipe a rim of buttercream around the edge of each cake before adding the filling.
Pipe a rim of buttercream around the edge. 
Fill with the banana peanut butter cream filling. Apply a thin coat of buttercream over the entire cake. 
Freeze your crumb coated cake for 10 minutes before apply the rest of the buttercream.
Stripes Tutorial
To create your stripes, you’ll want:
- Straight scraper
- Striped scraper
- Piping bag
- Chocolate buttercream (recipe below)
- Peanut butter buttercream (recipe below)
TIP: Start with your darker color
Add the rest of the chocolate buttercream. 
Use your straight scraper to smooth the sides. Use your striped scraper to create stripes. Be sure there’s enough buttercream to touch the grooves of the scraper.
TIP: After you create the initial stripes, make sure to FREEZE your cake for about 20 minutes before you add your second color.
Make sure your cake has been frozen for 20 minutes. Pipe the peanut butter buttercream in the grooves. Use your straight scraper to smooth your sides and take away excess buttercream. Fill the top with buttercream.
TIP: Keep in mind, as you scrape, you’ll be pushing a little harder against the cake than usual. Also, keep in mind, it will look worse before it gets better. It usually takes more than a dozen or so scrapers to clean up the stripes. For a more complete tutorial on applying buttercream stripes, check out my tutorial HERE.
Filling Your Piping Bag with Multiple Colors/Flavors
To get multiple colors in your piping bag, follow the simple tutorial below.
Spread your buttercream on plastic wrap. Lift one side of the plastic and fold it over. Place the “log” of buttercream in your piping bag fitted with the Wilton 6B tip.
Piping Tutorial
Before you start piping, make sure you haven’t filled the piping bag more than 2/3rds full, twist the top of the bag and hold it with your thumb clamping the twist and your four fingers applying pressure. Your free hand is just there to be a guide. Don’t try squeezing the piping bag with your free hand too.
Make sure to hold the piping bag straight over the cake. Pipe your dollops in a circle around the cake, working your way in.
Alright! I think you’re armed and ready with all the tips and knowledge for this cake. I can’t wait for you to try it!
Chocolate Banana Peanut Butter Cake
Ingredients
FOR THE CAKE
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 ½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup (64 g) brown sugar
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups (364 g) mashed bananas about 4 medium sized bananas
- 1 tso (4.2 g) vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups (310 g) all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (75 g) dark cocoa powder
- 1 tsp (4 g) baking powder
- 2 tsp (8 g) baking soda
- 1 tsp (5.6 g) salt
- 3/4 cup (193 g) buttermilk at room temperature (can also use whole milk)
- 3/4 cup (176 g) sour cream at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (93 g) mini chocolate chips dusted in flour
FOR THE FILLING
- 7 oz (197g) sweet and condsensed milk
- 1.5 oz (42 g) instant banana pudding mix must be instant, don't use sugar free
- 1/2 cup (125 g) peanut butter
- 1/2 cup (110 g) whole milk
- 1 1/2 cups (322 g) heavy whipping cream
- banana slices optional
FOR THE CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM
- 2 cups (452 g) unsalted butter slightly cold
- 10 oz (283 g) dark chocolate chips
- 1/3 cup (77 g) heavy whipping cream
- 5 cups (625 g) powdered sugar measured and then sifted
- 1 tsp (4.2 g) vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
FOR THE PEANUT BUTTER BUTTERCREAM
- 2 1/2 cups (312.5 g) powdered sugar measured and then sifted
- 3/4 cup (169.5 g) unsalted butter slightly cold
- 1/2 cup (125 g) peanut butter
- 2 tsp (8 g) vanilla extract
- 3 tbsp heavy whipping cream
- pinch of salt
- *between the two buttercream recipes, you'll have enough buttercream to decorate and pipe on top, as pictured. No need to double any recipes.
Instructions
FOR THE CAKE
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Spray three 8-inch pans or four 6-inch pans with nonstick spray, line the bottom with parchment paper and spray again. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and the sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Gradually add the eggs, scraping the sides of the bowl with each addition, Mix for about 2 minutes on medium speed after all the eggs are added.
- Add the mashed bananas and vanilla. Stir until combined.
- In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the buttermilk and sour cream. Whisk to combine.
- With the stand mixer on low speed, alternately add the the flour mixture and the buttermilk mixture, starting and ending with the flour. Mix just until the ingredients are combined.
- Stir in chocolate chips by hand.
- Divide the batter between the three 8-inch pans (about 20 ounces in each), and bake for about 30 to 33 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs on it.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans for 15 minutes and then invert onto wire cooling rack to cool completely.
- Cake layers can be made ahead of time and wrapped in plastic wrap and stored in the freezer. Allow the cake layers to thaw for about 30 minutes before you stack and decorate the cake.
- I do NOT recommend using bake even strips on my cakes.
FOR THE FILLING
- This is best made the day before you want to assemble your cake, but do not add the bananas until you're ready to assemble and serve.
- In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the pudding mix, sweetened condensed milk, peanut butter and milk. Whisk until pudding dissolves and the mixture is uniform. Cover and place in the refrigerator until the mixture sets.
- Meanwhile, whip your whipping cream until stiff peaks form.
- Once your pudding mixture has set, fold in the whipped cream to the pudding.
- Do not add fresh bananas yet. Cover the banana cream filling and refrigerate overnight.
FOR THE CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM
- Heat the cream in the microwave for about 45 to 60 seconds. Pour the cream over the chocolate chips to melt. Stir until smooth and silky. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter for about 2 minutes on medium-high speed.
- Slowly add the chocolate mixture, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times. Mix on medium speed for about a minute after all the chocolate is added.
- Mix in the vanilla and pinch of salt.
- With the mixer on slow speed, gradually add the powdered sugar. Once all of the powdered sugar is added, mix the buttercream for another few minutes on medium-high speed. You'll notice the color lighten – don't worry, it darkens as it sits out after you decorate your cake.
- Buttercream can be made ahead of time and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Allow the buttercream to reach room temperature before using and make sure to re-beat it for a bit.If you buttercream seems soft, refrigerate for a bit.
FOR THE PEANUT BUTTER BUTTERCREAM
- In the bowl of electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and peanut butter. Beat on medium-high speed until smooth, about 45 seconds.
- Add the powdered sugar to the bowl and mix in, slowly at first until incorporated, then increasing the mixer speed to high. Blend in the vanilla extract, salt and heavy whipping cream, and continue to whip on high speed until very fluffy, about 4-5 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Beat frosting by hand with a wooden spoon to get air bubbles out.
ASSEMBLY
- Place the first cake layer, top side up, on a cake board or cake plate. Pipe a rim of chocolate buttercream around the edge of the cake. This will act as a barrier to the peanut butter banana cream filling.
- Evenly spread about 1 cup of peanut butter banana cream filling over the cake layer. If you're serving the cake same day, add sliced bananas, otherwise, leave the bananas out.
- Repeat these steps for the second cake layer.
- Place the final cake layer, top side down, on the filling. Apply a thin layer of chocolate buttercream around the entire cake. This is your crumb coat. Freeze the crumb-coated cake for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Once the crumb coat is set, continue to frost your cake with the remaining chocolate buttercream and the peanut butter buttercream.
How much sweetened condensed milk is in the filling? It is not listed under the ingredients, unless I am overlooking this. Thanks!
Thanks for catching that! I’ll add it now. It’s 7oz or 197g.
I am making 2 six inch cakes with this recipe should i make extra buttercream to cover both. This cake is very yummy cant wait to put together.
Yes double if you are doing 2 4 layer 6-inch cakes.
Did you use natural or Dutch-processed cocoa powder? Thanks!
Either is fine!
I’m planning on making this cake for just 2 of us, so we’ll be snacking on leftovers for a week. Do I have to leave the bananas out of the filling layer, then? Will they turn mushy and make the filling layer wonky if the cake is not eaten right away? Thanks!
They do go brown fast but I don’t think you need to leave them out!
I clicked on the link for the banana cream cake and nothing comes up. I’d love to try making that banana cream pie cake! Is there a different link?
So sorry! I had to take it down to update it. It’s also in my cookbook. I’ll get the recipe back up soon.
Would this cake work in a 9×13? I am thinking I would just do the filling on top of the cake layer, then pipe frosting on top but am not sure if this soft filling would still work okay layered like this? Would love to hear if you have any tips for this!
Just made this for my son’s birthday and it was amazing! I have an egg allergy so I substituted it with a chia egg per chicken egg and it turned out great! I only made the peanut butter buttercream and increased ratios just a little to make up for only one buttercream used. Will definitely make this again! Love that everything is also listed by weight, makes sticky, goopy liquids like peanut butter and the condensed milk much easier to measure without any lost product!