If there’s one thing that I appreciate over and over again about blogging, it’s the incredible community and love it brings together. Some of my good friends have come out of meeting through blogging, and I’m even lucky enough to have a few local friends who came about through both being obsessed with food, photography, and all the things in between, so I’m counting myself pretty fortunate. One of the loveliest ladies I’ve met through blogging has to be Christina from Dessert for Two, who came out with this recipe for banana cake in her latest cookbook, which I’ll be forever grateful to her for. I don’t remember when I first started reading her blog, but since she’s also a dessert lover like me, I knew we would be kindred spirits from the start. Christina has nailed small batch baking unlike anyone else and her recipes keep me from accidentally eating a dozen cookies in a day..it’s more confined to like, 6 cookies in a day.
Christina is also one of the kindest people you will ever meet,always willing to take a few minutes out of her day to chat over e-mail about blogging, business, and everything in between. She’s always answered my questions about all of the above, writing back the most in-detail replies that show she truly cares. Really, I’m just saying that this girl is a gem! She also has one of the cutest little girls I’ve ever seen and loves lemon desserts as much as I do.
Moving onto this banana cake! As I was flipping through Christina’s book, I bypassed the usual chocolate peanut butter cookies (I’ve made them, they are amazing!) and Texas sheet cake (another favorite of mine) and instead went right for this banana cake. I loved that it was kind of like banana bread, but just a bit different and something that I could perhaps pass as breakfast. The next logical step was to drizzle the whole banana cake in chocolate peanut butter ganache, because what else would be the logical thing to do? The combination of the ganache and the sweet banana cake came together in a perfect combination of naturally sweet and just a little salty, thanks to the healthy dose of peanut butter in the recipe. I would highly recommend eating a slice of this after a long day at work while avoiding laundry (not that I did that). You should also probably order Christina’s book, along with her first book, they have both been in constant rotation in my kitchen! The best thing about her recipes is that they are easy, approachable, and I almost always can make them vegan with just a few simple swaps.
Happy Friday! I hope you have lots of banana cake, sunshine, and fun planned into your weekend. I’m going to be working on a few new recipes, so I’ll be back next week with more!
PrintBanana Cake with Chocolate Peanut Butter Ganache
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Dessert
Description
Banana Cake with Chocolate Peanut Butter Ganache- A sweet, fluffy vegan banana cake with the easiest chocolate ganache!
Ingredients
- For the cake:
- 1 large banana (smushed)
- 6 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground flax seed
- 3 tablespoons warm water
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup full fat coconut milk
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- For the ganache:
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. and line a bread loaf pan with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, combine the ground flax seed and water together. Set aside.
- In a medium size bowl, smash the banana very well until almost no lumps remain.
- Next, stir in the sugar, flax seed+ water, oil, and vanilla extract. Stir very well until blended.
- Add the full fat coconut milk and stir until evenly incorporated.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
- Add the dry ingredients to the bowl of wet ingredients and stir until combined.
- Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 28-32 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool on a wire rack.
- While the cake is cooling, make the ganache by combining the chocolate chips, peanut butter, and coconut oil in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 30 second intervals, stirring between each time until chocolate is fully melted.
- Once cake has cooled and ganache has been made, cut the cake and pour ganache over each piece.
Julia says
This cake looks soooo lovely! I just adore Christina and her work, too. I haven’t had a chance to meet her yet, but she seems like one of those people you feel like you’ve known forever once you do meet. You definitely did justice to this tasty cake recipe – I’ll have to whip it up soon for the ol’ bf and I to enjoy 😉
Heart of a Baker says
YES! That’s exactly how it feels 🙂
Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen says
This cake is totally gorgeous! I’m a huge fan of Dessert for Two, too. I have the same issue as you when it comes to cookies :). And cupcakes, and cake. . .Thanks for sharing this recipe!
Heart of a Baker says
She makes it ok to eat them all..maybe! 🙂
Tessa | Salted Plains says
I have never had banana cake but I already know I would LOVE it. And that peanut butter ganache – dead! Christina works magic, that’s for sure. Happy weekend, my friend! <3
Heart of a Baker says
Happy weekend dear friend! You have to try it, it’s so so good!
heather (delicious not gorgeous) says
chocolate peanut butter ganache?! sounds good to me (: i thought they were scones at first because of how the slices were cut (mmm banana scones with chocolate pb ganache sound good too!).
Heart of a Baker says
Ohhh that would be amazing!
DessertForTwo says
You are the SWEETEST, and I’m so glad we met in this crazy blogging world! Thank you for posting! I appreciate you ❤
Heart of a Baker says
Agreed girlfriend! xoxo
whiskandshout says
Bananas and chocolate were made to be together and I love the peanut butter in the ganache. This is lovely! Pinning 🙂
Heart of a Baker says
You are SO right!
amanda says
i’ve had my eye on that cake in her book! i made the coconut sugar cookies, a gf version, and we loved them.
your styling of this banana beauty is gorgeous!
Heart of a Baker says
You are so sweet, I was struggling with this one! xoxo
Sara @ Cake Over Steak says
That blue background! So pretty! Christina’s book is way too much fun and I’ve had a few spontaneous baking sessions with it.
Lyndsay // Coco Cake Land says
Hehe, yes chocolate peanut butter ganache IS the logical thing to do! This looks so yummy. The flax seed is to mimic the addition of eggs, is that correct? Could I just add an extra banana (as I’ve used banana to mimic eggs before…), or omit the flax? Beautiful photos! ^__^
meleakuabeth c says
This turned out delicious & didn’t even last a day- I made it yesterday afternoon & the kiddo & I are finishing the last piece for breakfast today! Great recipe- thanks! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Sandy says
Can you make this in a 9” round cake pan? In the pictures it does not look like it came out of loaf pan.
Heart of a Baker says
Hi Sandy,
This would work in a round cake pan just fine!