Caramelized Peanut Butter and Banana Upside-Down Chocolate Cake

This cake might have made Elvis swivel his hips, what with the peanut butter and banana. It’s one of many recipes I want to try from Peanut Butter Comfort by Averie Sunshine.

When I saw the author’s suggested option of using a cake mix, I went with it. I replaced 1/3 cup of the water called for in the mix with Kahlua to add the coffee flavor. I ignored her advice to pour the sauce over the baked mix cake and went for the upside-down version.

But the cake mix made too much batter for the 9-inch pan (duh), so I used some of it for a second cake without sauce. I wish I had thought to make two round layers, both with the sauce, and stacked them. With extra sauce on top. Yum. Maybe next time. Or I might try using a smaller amount of brownie batter because I prefer that texture to cake anyway. I also would use a second banana or a larger one.

All that said, we enjoyed this cake. My husband was in chocolate-banana heaven.

 

Caramelized Peanut Butter and Banana Upside-Down Chocolate Cake

1 large banana

6 tbsp. butter

1/4 cup  creamy peanut butter

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed

 

1 large egg

1/3 cup cream or milk

1/4 cup sour cream

1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder, sifted

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 cup brewed coffee or water, room temperature or warm (not piping hot)

 

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9-inch-square pan with foil, leaving overhang, and coat evenly with cooking spray (this is key, so your cake turns out prettier than mine and doesn’t lose the good stuff in the foil removal). Set aside.

For sauce:

Slice banana into rounds and arrange on foil. Melt the butter in the microwave-safe bowl. Stir in peanut butter till smooth (nuke briefly if needed). Whisk in vanilla and brown sugar. Pour sauce over bananas and set pan aside.

For cake:

In a large bowl, beat together egg, cream or milk, sour cream, oil and vanilla for two minutes on low or medium-low speed for two minutes.

In another bowl, combine granulated sugar, flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder and salt and stir to combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and beat on low speed till mixed, scraping down the bowl as needed. Add the coffee to the batter  and beat till mixture is smooth. Batter will be thin.

Pour batter gently over the bananas and peanut butter sauce in the pan. Bake 30 to 40 minutes, till center is set and edges have pulled away slightly from sides or toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cake cool  for at least an hour at room temperature, then chill for at least two hours (to solidify the sauce).

When ready to serve, place a large cutting board or large plate on top of pan and invert. Peel back foil carefully, slice and serve. Serve with whipped cream or ice cream if desired.