Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

I don't have all my organized pictures for this one bc I was throwing it together to take to our church Thanksgiving dinner and decided at the last minute to document and share with y'all!  This one is easy & yummy & has bananas and chocolate!!  Haha!!  I'm obsessed with that combo lately!!

For this recipe, you'll need:

• 1 package Duncan Hines Yellow Cake Mix (+ eggs and oil per box instructions)
• 2 bananas, smashed (I used three this time bc I was feeling crazy that way)
• 1 - 8 oz block cream cheese
• 2 1/2 c. powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• splash milk
• Package mini chocolate chips

Mix cake mix according to package directions

Add smashed bananas and bake according to package directions.  I usually make two round pans for this cake, but since I was taking it to church, I just made a 9x13 pan.  Bake and cool completely before frosting.

Beat powdered sugar, cream cheese, vanilla.  Keep adding milk a little at a time until you like the consistency.  Frost cake.  When I frost the two round cakes, I frost between the layers and add chocolate chips as well.  Then I frost around the cakes and put the chocolate chips all over - SO yummy!

But for the purposes of this cake, I just frosted the top and topped it with chocolate chips - still excellent!  :)  

I will say, though, that the flavors of this cake taste best if you make it a day ahead.  I made mine & took it straight to church & kept thinking it didn't taste quite right.  But the next day for breakfast dessert?  All the flavors had become friends and it was AWESOME!!

So awesome that this was the last piece of cake!  We ate it so fast this is the only picture!  Try it, you'll love it!

A Must Try for Chocolate Banana Enthusiasts...

Apparently, I now count myself as a chocolate banana enthusiast.  Never thought I was before, but anything chocolately/bananay lately has been on my mind.  Why have I NEVER tried this before?!?!  I have no idea.  But decided it was a good decision.  So yesterday, I got these...

That's right, Hershey's Special Dark chocolate chips.  It should just say "Sarah's Heaven in a bag".  

Mixed in 1/2 a bag with this recipe - and I added about an extra cup of extra ripe bananas as well...

Folded in the chips until just mixed...

Baked...

And ate WAY too much with a cold glass of milk.  Heavenly.  Seriously, why didn't I try this sooner??

Public Service Announcement for Banana/Chocolate Lovers

I'm taking a break from my football fare to share with you this very important culinary breakthrough.  You'll be glad you stopped by today!

I made banana bread the other day from my favorite red & white Better Homes & Gardens cookbook.  This would have been uneventful and not blogworthy had I not had an epiphany right there in the kitchen.  You see, I remembered while I was mixing together the ingredients, that I had this in the pantry...

Do you see what it is??  That would be Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter.  And I was making banana bread. Seriously, what could be more perfect??!?  They're made for each other!!  That just made me mix even faster.  Because I wanted it to bake.  And I wanted it to cool a little.  So I could slather it with Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter. And then I could eat it.  A lot of it.  So I mixed the batter.

Baked it.

Sliced it.

And covered it with Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter.  While the bread was still warm.  Yes, you see it oozing all over the bread right there.  That is just how it looked.  On my plate.

Oh. my. word.

If you like bananas/chocolate/peanut butter anything, you must. try. this!!!!

So, if you'd like to make the banana bread, you'll need:

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 egg
• 1 cup mashed bananas (3 medium, just beginning to turn dark)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup cooking oil
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

1.  Grease the bottom and 1/2 inch up the sides of the 8x4x2 inch loaf pan; set aside.  Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and 1/8 tsp salt.  Make a well in center of dry mixture, set aside.
2.  In another bowl combine the egg, bananas, sugar, cooking oil.  Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture and stir until just moistened.  Fold in nuts (if desired).
3.  Spoon batter into loaf pan and bake at 350 for 50-55 minutes or until wooden toothpick comes out clean.  Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes.  Remove loaf from pan, cool on rack.

Slice.  Then slather with Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter.  

One more look for good measure.

Can you believe my husband refused to try this?!?

I think he missed out.  Don't you???

Because it was amazingly yummy.  Like, seriously, amazingly yummy.

Cowtown Peeps, you can find this glorious DCPB at Super Target.  Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!  I'm off to eat some more banana bread!