Banana Cake with Peanut Butter Chantilly is a lighter take on banana bread, studded with bittersweet chocolate and finished with a peanut butter–white chocolate chantilly.
Happy Friday! I meant to share this Banana Cake with Peanut Butter Chantilly earlier in the week but got sidetracked by election coverage and market updates. Regardless of the outcome, a little kindness and a slice of something sweet can help brighten the days ahead.
I’m a big fan of banana bread — it’s my comfort food. When there are leftovers, I sometimes turn it into banana bread French toast for an indulgent brunch. If you prefer a lighter option, try this banana cake. I baked it as a single layer in a tart pan for a simple presentation, but the same flavors work beautifully in a layered celebration cake.
Banana cake typically bakes up lighter in color than banana bread. To achieve a deeper, caramelized tone without overbaking, I buttered the tart pan and dusted it with sugar rather than flour. This old-school technique gives the cake a lovely golden crust and a subtle crunchy edge. It also avoids the grayish residue that sometimes appears when using commercial cake release on darker cakes.
For the topping I wanted something lighter than buttercream. I made a quick chantilly by whipping cream (or coconut cream) and folding in a warm mixture of peanut butter and melted white chocolate. I piped small rounds of chantilly across the cake, then garnished with shaved chocolate and crisp pearls to add texture. That thin caramelized crust provides a pleasant contrast to the smooth chantilly.
This Banana Cake with Peanut Butter Chantilly balances moist banana flavor, bittersweet chocolate, and a creamy peanut butter–white chocolate topping. It’s simple enough for a weekday treat and elegant enough for guests. Keep smiling and enjoy a generous slice of 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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Butter the bottom and sides of a 9-inch tart pan with a pastry brush and dust the pan with a tablespoon of sugar, tapping out any excess. Place the prepared pan on a sheet pan.
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Whisk together cake flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl.
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In a separate bowl combine mashed bananas, buttermilk and vanilla.
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Add browned butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy.
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Add the eggs one at a time, beating well and scraping the bowl as needed.
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Add the flour mixture in thirds, alternating with the banana mixture: ⅓ flour, ½ banana; repeat and finish with the flour. Beat until just combined.
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Fold in the dark chocolate chips.
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Transfer batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula.
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Bake 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
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Remove from oven and cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10–15 minutes. Invert onto a wire rack to cool completely if using immediately, or wrap warm in plastic and foil and freeze until needed.
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Warm the peanut butter slightly and mix with the melted white chocolate until smooth and combined.
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Whip the coconut cream or heavy 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 plain piping tip into a bag and fill with the chantilly.
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Pipe rounds of chantilly onto the cake, then finish with shaved chocolate and crisp pearls for texture and contrast.
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