PB&J cake, anyone? Yes, your favorite childhood sandwich for lunch, snack, and, who are we kidding, dinner now comes in a beautiful cake form! This peanut butter and jam banana cake has all my favorite flavors wrapped into one delicious cake. This is a traditional layer cake, so it’s perfect for celebrating birthdays and really any occasion. This cake is moist and full of flavor. So instead of using your ripe bananas for the usual banana bread (which is still a great option!), take things to another level and surprise your family with this elegant peanut butter and jam banana cake.
Other cake recipes to try:
Banana Cake Recipe
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (scoop and level to measure)
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cups mashed overripe bananas (from about 4 medium bananas)
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cups (350 ml) buttermilk
Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Icing Recipe
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 2 packages Cream Cheese (total weight for both- 452g), slightly softened
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
Strawberry Jam Filling
- 2 cups of fresh or frozen strawberries
- ¼ cup of sugar
Cake Directions:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Butter two 9-inch round cake pans then line bottom with a round of parchment paper, butter parchment and dust lightly with flour.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt for 30 seconds. Set aside.
- Mash bananas in a separate bowl.
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, whip together butter, 2 Tbsp vegetable oil, granulated sugar and light brown sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy.
- Stir in remaining 2 Tbsp vegetable oil then add in eggs one at a time.
- Stir in vanilla and mashed bananas to the egg/sugar mixture.
- With mixer set on low speed, slowly add flour mixture alternating with buttermilk in 3 separate batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture and mixing just until combined after each addition.
- Divide batter evenly among prepared cake pans and spread batter into an even layer.
- Bake in preheated oven 45 – 50 minutes or until toothpick insert comes out clean.
- Let cool completely before cutting the cake to make layers.
Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Icing Directions
- Cut the butter into slices and add to the bowl of your mixer. Mix on low to medium speed until the butter is softened and smooth. Add in the peanut butter and mix until blended.
- Cut the softened cream cheese into pieces and add to the butter and peanut butter mixture, beating at low to medium speed until incorporated. If you are using a hand mixer you may need to soften the cream cheese a bit more.
- Add the vanilla. Gradually add the powdered sugar beating on low speed until blended.
- Increase mixing speed to medium and mix until fluffy. Don’t over beat or it will become too soft. If it becomes too soft, just refrigerate a short while to firm it up a bit.
- You can add your icing to the cooled cake.
Strawberry Jam Filling:
- Place strawberries in a sauce pan and heat on med heat
- Once the strawberries start releasing liquid add sugar and let the strawberries caramelize and fall apart.
- Using a hand held blender, blend up the strawberries until it comes to a chunky sauce like consistency, not pureed, leave some strawberry chunks.
- Taste test the jam to make sure it’s not too sour. If sour add a Tbsp of sugar at a time until you get your desired sweetness.
- Stir the strawberries on the stove top until all liquid is evaporated
- Set aside to cool completely.
Cake Assembly:
- Once cake is completely cooled take the two 9inch cakes and cut them into half so you have 4 layers
- Take your peanut butter cream cheese icing and spread it over your first layer and then top it with a few scoops of the strawberry jam filling
- Place your next cake layer over the cream cheese and jam filling and repeat until you get to the last layer where you will coat it with the peanut butter cream cheese filling on top and sides.
- Decorate your cake to your preference. I used some Reese’s pieces candy sprinkled on top.
- Let the cake cool for an hour or two in the fridge before cutting into it.