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Banana Chocolate Chip Cake with Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting

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Banana Chocolate Chip Cake with Peanut Butter Chocolate Frosting is the perfect snack cake to enjoy as an afternoon treat, or serve at your next gathering. It combines the sweetness of bananas with semi-sweet chocolate chips and the creamy goodness of peanut butter chocolate frosting.

Finish with a sprinkle of sea salt flakes for the ultimate, easy-to-make-dessert that everyone will fall in love with!

A slice of banana chocolate chip cake with chocolate frosting on a stack of small plates with a cake stand in the background.

Do not let the long list of ingredients intimidate you. This peanut butter banana cake recipe is super easy to make and well worth the effort.

Be sure to check out these other banana treats too! Banana Nut Bread, Bananas Foster Belgian Waffles, and Frozen Banana Daiquiri.

What you’ll need

Ingredients needed to make banana chocolate chip cake with peanut butter chocolate frosting.

For the cake:

  • All-purpose flour
  • Granulated sugar – there is less sugar than usual to make up for the sweet frosting that goes on top.
  • Baking powder and baking soda create the light, fluffy texture of this cake.
  • Pure vanilla extract and ground cinnamon
  • Oil adds moisture and creates a delicate crumb.
  • Greek yogurt or sour cream – adds richness and a bit of tang.
  • Lemon juice adds the acid needed to create a chemical reaction with the baking soda.
  • Ripe bananas – this is the perfect way to use up those overripe bananas you have sitting on the counter.
  • Egg – adds richness and color to the cake.
  • Semisweet chocolate chips – who doesn’t love a pop of chocolate when they bite into their cake?

For the frosting:

  • Smooth peanut butter – homemade or store-bought.
  • Unsalted butter
  • Powdered sugar
  • Unsweetened cocoa powder – I used Hershey’s
  • Vanilla
  • Milk – you can use regular or dairy-free in this recipe.
  • Sea Salt Flakes – adds a bit of saltiness to balance out the sweetness.

Be sure to check out the detailed printable recipe card below

Looking down on a banana chocolate chip cake topped with chocolate frosting cut into squares on a wood cake stand with a slice of cake on a small plate in the background.

How to make Chocolate Chip Banana Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting

Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray a 8 x 8 x 2 baking pan with nonstick spray, set aside.

Banana Chocolate Chip Cake

Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon together in a large bowl. Set aside.

Flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon in a large bowl.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, vanilla, lemon juice, egg, and oil until well combined.

Greek yogurt, vanilla, and oil in a medium sized bowl.

Next, mix in the mashed banana and stir to combine.

Mashed bananas on top of the liquid ingredients mixture.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix just until well combined.

Banana mixture mixed with the dry mixture.

Stir in the chocolate chips.

Cake mixture with chocolate chips on top.

Pour cake batter into the prepared baking dish and smooth the top to even it out.

Banana chocolate chip cake mixture in a square baking pan.

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow cake to cool completely before frosting.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Frosting

Beat peanut butter and butter together until light and smooth with an electric mixer.

Peanut butter and two squares of butter in a mixing bowl.

Add half of the milk (3 tablespoons) and vanilla and beat to combine.

Peanut butter, milk, and vanilla blended in a mixing bowl.

Mix in the powdered sugar and cocoa powder.

Powdered sugar, and cocoa powder mixed into the peanut butter mixture.

Gradually add the remaining milk until fluffy frosting forms.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Frosting in a mixing bowl.

Spread frosting over the completely cooled cake.

Peanut butter chocolate frosting spread over the banana chocolate chip cake sitting on a wire cooling rack.

Sprinkle sea salt flakes over the top of the cake, if desired, slice and serve.

A slice of banana chocolate chip cake with chocolate frosting on a stack of small plates with a cake stand in the background.

Recipe Tips

  • Cake can be made up to two days in advance. Cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to use. Allow cake to come up the room temperature for atleast one hour before serving.
  • Store leftover cake in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
  • Cake can be decorated with chocolate chips and chopped peanuts if you prefer.
  • To make without frosting: increase sugar to three-quarters cup.
  • All ovens cook differently, your cooking time may be different than mine.
  • If using a 9 x 9-inch pan, cooking time may be different.

Tools used

More delicious peanut butter and chocolate recipes

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Enjoy!!

A slice of banana chocolate chip cake with chocolate frosting on a stack of small plates with a cake stand in the background.

Banana Chocolate Chip Cake with Peanut Butter Chocolate Frosting

Banana Chocolate Chip Cake with Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting is the perfect easy-to-make snack cake to enjoy as an afternoon treat or dessert.
5 from 1 vote
Print Rate
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Keyword: banana chocolate chip snack cake
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 9 Servings
Calories: 464kcal
Author: Lisa Johnson

Ingredients

For the Cake

  • 1.5 cups all-purpose flour
  • .33 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 0.6 cups Greek yogurt or sour cream – 2/3 cup
  • .33 cup light oil
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1 cup ripe bananas mashed – about 2 medium
  • 0.5 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

For the Frosting

  • 0.5 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 6 tablespoons milk regular or dairy-free
  • 1.5 cups powdered sugar
  • .25 cup cocoa powder

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350° F. Spray a 8 x 8 x 2-inch baking pan with nonstick spray, set aside.

For the Cake

  • Whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon together in a large bowl. Set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt, vanilla, lemon juice, egg, and oil until well combined. Mix in the mashed banana and stir to combine.
  • Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix just until well combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
  • Pour into the prepared baking dish and smooth the top to even it out. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow cake to cool completely before frosting.

For the Frosting

  • Beat peanut butter and butter together until light and smooth with an electric mixer.
  • Add half of the milk (3 tablespoons) and vanilla and beat to combine. Mix in the powdered sugar and cocoa powder.
  • Gradually add the remaining milk until fluffy frosting forms.
  • Spread frosting over the completely cooled cake. Sprinkle sea salt flakes over the top of the cake, if desired, slice and serve.

Notes

  • Cake can be made up to two days in advance. Cover and store in the refrigerator until ready to use. Allow cake to come up the room temperature for atleast one hour before serving.
  • Store leftover cake in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
  • Cake can be decorated with chocolate chips and chopped peanuts if you prefer.
  • To make without frosting: increase sugar to three-quarters cup.
  • All ovens cook differently, your cooking time may be different than mine.
  • If using a 9 x 9-inch pan, cooking time may be different.

Nutrition

Calories: 464kcal | Carbohydrates: 58g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 30mg | Sodium: 203mg | Potassium: 346mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 141IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 2mg

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16 Comments

  1. Seriously yummy!…. Oh… I didn’t mean us in that picture from the 80’s, I meant the Banana cake with Chocolatey-Peanut butter goodness 😉 – I’m going to try this out. Of course I’ll have to change it up to accomodate my freakish allergy list, but it should work out :). Thanx for sharing it…. Not sure I can say the same for the picture. Lol. *Whew* I’m glad the 80’s are over!

    From big hair to Grey hair (that we’ll dye of course), here’s to good food with good friends. =]

  2. I love what you did with my Banana Chocolate Chip Cake! This looks amazing, Lisa. 🙂
    Actually one of the best cakes I ever made was a vegan one- it was a coconut cake made with tofu and coconut milk- so good & moist!

  3. Oh my gosh, how great are those pictures of the two of you? You both look so much like your high school selves, I love it! And this cake and frosting combination sounds insane (in a good way). Love the dairy-free adaptations!

  4. Peanut butter chocolate frosting? Now that is more of my kind of “frosting.” That is amazing that you have such a long time and great friend!! 🙂

  5. Pretty sure the hubby would love this recipe! He loves bananas, chocolate, and peanut butter. So glad you linked up to Give Me The Goods Monday! Can’t wait to see what goods you bring next week! Hope you have a great weekend! Jenna @ Rain on a Tin Roof

  6. oh Lisa that looks good. And since you were with your bff of 32 years at the age of 29, we forgive you for being MIA 😉
    LOL
    Thanks so much for linking up at Swap N Share Sunday this week. Great recipe. Pinned it
    Dawn

  7. That looks delicious. Bananas and chocolate, two of my favorites. I definitely will be trying this out soon! Thank You so much for sharing at A Bouquet of Talent this week! Happy Friday!
    Hugs,
    Kathy

  8. Aren’t life long friendships so vital to us as women! I would die w/o my good friends and I’m sure the cake is amazing too! Thanks so much for coming to share at Super Saturday Show & Tell last week… I hope you’ll come back to party with me again tomorrow! Have a great night! xoxo~ Ruthie

  9. G’day! Can’t go wrong with the flavor combinations here Lisa YUM!
    Thanks for sharing as part of Foodie Friends Friday Snack Party!
    Cheers! Joanne

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