Triple-Layer Banana Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting

Christmas is coming and I usually have trouble deciding what gifts to ask for. Our family doesn’t like wasting brainpower pondering what gift would so and so like; we just ask directly.

Although there’s lots of things I want, mom has ingrained in us that we must only buy things if we need it. Thus, my iron willpower mom’s-voice-in-the-back-of-my-head stops me from buying much of anything, despite spending a lot of time looking, to my brother’s annoyance.

Hans: How can you look all day without buying anything? You’ve just wasted 5 hours walking around!
Chef Uy: Well, it could be worse, I could be buying everything during those 5 hours, right?
Hans: It’s simple. You decide what you want. You buy it. Done. Now isn’t that efficient?

I made this Triple Layer Banana Cake ages ago, but never got around to posting it. This was my first layer cake with frosting that didn’t fall apart when sliced. And you can even see layers! This layer cake is very stable since the banana cake is like a poundcake and bakes flat, and the peanut butter also stabilizes buttercream  (plus, you can’t ever go wrong with peanut butter flavor). I wanted to frost the whole cake, but it was a hassle, so I left it as a naked cake.

Decorating supplies have always been on my “want” list, but as I attempted decorating this cake, I decided that an icing spatula and turntable had crossed over to the “need” list. Since it’s now December, I kindly informed my brother of this “need” (a direct Christmas request makes any boy very happy).

So I’m now eagerly awaiting new kitchen toys, so I can decorate cakes for real. Until Christmas Day, however, naked cakes it is. Adapted from From Taste of Home.

Triple-Layer Banana Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting

Ingredients
BANANA CAKE:
3/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1-1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium)
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk

PEANUT BUTTER FROSTING:
1 cup peanut butter
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
1 oz package cream cheese (I used fat free)
1 1/4 cup powdered sugar
3-6 Tablespoons milk

Directions
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in bananas and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition.

Pour into three greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. Before frosting, chill cake completely in the refrigerator or freezer.

For frosting, in a large bowl, beat the peanut butter, butter, and cream cheese until smooth. Beat in confectioners’ sugar and enough milk to achieve spreading consistency. Frost between layers and top of cake. Garnish with peanuts and chocolate sprinkles.