Baking with B: Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Cake

Back in college when my ex-boyfriend’s mom was visiting we knew it could only mean one thing- she was going to be bringing this famous cake that I dubbed “Mama B Cake”. It earned its fame mainly because it was the only thing that “Mama B” could (or would) bake. When she made it for you, you knew it was something kind of special. The cake was its own kind of love so I imagine that’s why it always tasted so good. Try as I might, my version will never be delicious as hers. (I’ve searched around for the original recipe for ages, but this one I found here was the closest I could get.)

Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Cake

1 c. all-purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1 c. overripe bananas, mashed (about 3)

1/4 c. vegetable oil

1/2 c. smooth peanut butter

3/4 c. brown sugar

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

2 tbsp cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour a 9×5 loaf pan and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. In another medium bowl, whisk together peanut butter, banana, oil, sugar, egg and vanilla until thick and yellow. Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry, one spoonful at a time, until well combined. Pour half of the batter into prepared pan. Add cocoa to the remaining batter, stirring until combined. Dollop the chocolate batter onto the peanut butter batter, then swirl to combine using a wooden skewer.

B’s Tip: If you don’t have skewers lying around, use a chopstick, a cake tester, a knife, the handle of your mixing spoon- anything that’s long and thin!

Bake for approximately 50 minutes until knife comes out clean in the middle. Cool for approximately 10 minutes in pan before turning out onto wire rack. Let cool completely before serving.

Baking with B appears every other Monday on the Keeping Busy with B Blog. Find out why I like baking so much here. For more of my baking, click here. And for even more recipe inspiration, check out my Pinterest full of food eye candy that will have you licking your computer. Promise.

Baking with B: Zucchini Bread

This recipe brings back fond memories of the summer when I was eleven years old, and my family used to trek up to this old farmhouse outside of Toronto that was owned by some friends of ours.

Remember when you were a kid summer used to feel like it went on for years and years? That’s how it felt up at this farmhouse. My little sister and I used to float on our backs in the pool for hours, explored the neighboring cornfield and ran shrieking and laughing through the farmhouse’s ramshackle rooms.

And the zucchini bread. Oh, the zucchini bread. We gobbled this like it was banana bread, because it’s honestly so nutty and sweet and good you don’t even realize you’re eating zucchini. Then it was too late to protest when we served zucchini at dinner, because of course we ate it- it was in the bread- and thus began my love for zucchini, and this recipe which I have made over and over again since then.

Even my dad loved it. I still don’t think he figured out he was eating vegetables.

Zucchini Bread (makes one loaf)

1 ½ c. all-purpose flour

1 ½ c. whole-wheat flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp cinnamon

1 ½ tsp nutmeg

1 tsp salt

½ c. raisins

3 eggs

1 c. oil

1 tbsp vanilla

1 ½ c. brown sugar

2 c. grated zucchini (about two small ones)

In a medium bowl, mix together flours, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Add in raisins and eggs. Beat until light and fluffy. Add oil, vanilla and brown sugar and stir well. Add zucchini last. Pour into greased 9×5 loaf pan. Bake at 350F for 45-60 minutes.

Happy baking!

B

KBwB-Flower-50

Baking with B appears every other Monday on the Keeping Busy with B Blog. Find out why I like baking so much here. For more of my baking, click here. And for even more recipe inspiration, check out my Pinterest full of food eye candy that will have you licking your computer. Promise.