recipe: banana chocolate chip cake with peanut butter frosting

I'm a big fan of salty sweet combinations so peanut butter and chocolate is a major love in my book. Add in some banana and it's pretty much the be all end all in deliciousness. Seriously, what could be better? I was in the mood to bake a cake this weekend so I thought a nice layer cake would be fun. I'm not a professional cake decorator, but I like to try. {Also, I need references to prove to Matthew that I desperately need a cake turntable!} This cake is all you can imagine, and probably more. My bet is that every one of you will fall madly in love with this decadent peanut butter frosting! I've actually been dreaming about it all day!

Banana Chocolate Chip Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting
from Bon Appetit October 2012 

INGREDIENTS
Cake
nonstick vegetable oil spray
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups mashed very ripe bananas
1 cup sour cream
1 10-oz. bag mini chocolate chips

Frosting
2 cups creamy peanut butter
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
chocolate chips, mini chocolate chips and chocolate kisses

Special equipment
Two 8x8x2-inch cake pans {I used two 9 inch round cake pans}

DIRECTIONS
Cake
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat cake pans with nonstick spray. Line bottom of pans with parchment; coat paper. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat sugar, butter, and brown sugar in a large bowl until light and flurry, about 3 minutes, Add eggs one at a time, beating to blend between additions and occasionally scraping down sides and bottom of bowl. Beat in vanilla.

Add dry ingredients; beat on low speed just to blend. Add bananas and sour cream; beat just to blend. Fold in mini chocolate chips. Divide batter evenly among pans; smooth tops.

Bake cakes until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and cool in pans for 10 minutes. Invert cakes onto racks; peel off parchment and let cool completely.

Frosting
Using an electric mixer, beat first 4 ingredients in a medium bowl until a light and fluffy frosting forms, 2-3 minutes.

Place 1 cake on a platter, Spread 1 1/4 cups frosting on top. Place remaining cake on top. Cover top and sides with remaining frosting. Garnish with chocolate chips and kisses.

Do Ahead
Cake can be made 2 days ahead. Cover and chill. Let stand at room temperature for at least an hour before serving.

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If you make this yummy cake, let me know what you think! 

I think it would be the perfect dessert for Valentine's Day or a birthday party. Or who are we kidding-any old day of the week!

xox