Bananas are surprisingly popular in Amish kitchens. You wouldn’t think a fruit more typically associated with the tropics would enjoy a deep culinary history with the Amish. But, bananas ship well, and that makes all the difference. Especially when it comes to bananas going into recipes like this banana cake (the only place in the tropics, where fruits like bananas, grapefruit, etc could grow, that the Amish live in the US would be in Florida)
First, though, for much of the 20th century, most Amish either sourced their own food at home, meaning they grew it, or raised it. But they would also go to local generally Amish-owned neighborhood “grocery store. Now, these are not your local Safeway or Kroger Marketplace. These little groceries often tucked away into an outbuilding or basement of a house. These little groceries specialized in bulk foods, like flour in 20 pound sacks, chocolate chips, and other baking essentials. You could also buy boxes of oranges, and bananas, both fruits would be considered treats and they ship well.
Even today most Amish settlements have these small community "grocery stores." The Amish are, however, more mobile these days so the little groceries face the same competition from Walmart and Kroger that other smaller non-Amish groceries feel.
Now, back to bananas...of course, what do you do when the bananas begin to go bad? Well, those ripe beauties can go into banana bread, pudding, and then there’s also this prize winning blue ribbon banana cake. Man, this was good. Had peanut butter frosting and, yeah, it’s been a hit in our house. This Banana cake with peanut butter frosting recipe was given to me by a Mennonite woman in Virginia years ago.
📜 Step By Step Banana Cake
Making this cake is a piece of cake. Use ripe bananas for the best consistency and flavor. Creamy peanut butter or crunchy can be used.
These bananas were getting ripe and once they start to turn brown, forget it, my kids won't eat them. But they had zero problem eating Banana cake with peanut butter frosting.
I tried to mash the heck out of the bananas before putting them into the batter, but still don't feel like I did a great job.
My little kitchen helper giving the banana mixture batter a good stir!
I could have stopped right here and just eaten the batter. The batter flavor tasted amazing. Use a medium bowl or large bowl and a whisk or if you have stand mixer on medium speed at first and then low speed, now is the time. Use large eggs in the batter.
The peanut butter frosting was thick and amazing on this cake, complemented the banana taste perfectly. I can see why this is blue-ribbon banana cake! You could use a buttercream frosting or cream cheese frosting, but I think the peanut butter was perfect!
Cool the cake with on a wire rack when it is out of the oven. Use the toothpick test for doneness. Banana cake with peanut butter frosting is a great tender cake.The cake can be stored at room temperature.
🍌 Banana Cake with peanut butter frosting
- ¾ cup shortening
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup mashed bananas
- 2 cups flour
- 1 /2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 /2 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Peanut Butter Frosting
- 2 cups of peanut butter
- 2 cups of confectioners sugar
- 1 cup of milk (adjust to desired consistency
- 2 teaspoons of vanilla
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
📋 Cake Instructions
- Cream shortening and sugar. Add eggs and beat 2 minutes.
- Add banana.
- Add dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk and vanilla.
- Beat 2 more minutes and pour into greased, floured 9 X 13 inch pan.
- Bake at 375 for 25 to 30 minutes.
FROSTING: In a bowl, mix peanut butter, milk, and sugar. You will need to adjust milk and sugar according to the consistency you prefer. Stir in vanilla and brown sugar after you've reached desired. consistency. Spread onto cooled cake.
🍌 More Amish Recipes with Bananas
Basic Banana Bread - Delicious!
Banana Muffins - Wonderful!
Frosted Banana Bars - So good!
Blueberry Banana Bread - Wow!
🖨️ Cake Recipe
Blue-Ribbon Banana Cake
Ingredients
- ¾ cup shortening
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup mashed bananas
- 2 cups flour
- 1 /2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 /2 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Frosting
- 2 cups peanut butter
- 2 cups confectioners sugar
- 1 cup of milk (adjust to desired consistency
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
Instructions
- Cream shortening and sugar.
- Add eggs and beat 2 minutes.
- Add banana.Add dry ingredients alternately with buttermilk and vanilla.
- Beat 2 more minutes and pour into greased, floured 9 X 13 inch pan.
Peanut Butter Frosting
- In a bowl, mix peanut butter, milk,and sugar.
- You will need to adjust milk and sugar according to the consistency you prefer.
- Stir in vanilla and brown sugar after you've reached desired.consistency.
- Spread onto cooled cake.
Judy Horras
Frosting ingredient amounts have been omitted from Blue Ribbon Banana Bread Recipe. Please update to include. Thank you.
jamie l kempema
Kevin, I seen this pick regarding the butter, but didn't see butter in the recipe ingregient list?
Kevin Williams
Oops, no...butter, that picture is for tomorrow's recipe. I deleted it, thanks!
tink davenport
About how many bananas make a cup for the cake recipe?
Kevin Williams
I used two large bananas, that was a little more than a cup.
Cathie Kukec
Hi Kevin,
I’m with your girls regarding bananas. Green just turned to yellow are great for out of hand eating. Once they develop spots or turn brown, they move to the good for baking category!
Kevin Williams
Yep that is how my girls are, at least they liked the banana cake!