Banana Mini Bundt Cakes with Salted Caramel Peanut Butter Buttercream

So, I made these. They are pretty good. 

Ok, who am I kidding? They are amazingly good. Full of 

sweet-salty, peanut butter goodness and banana bread love. 

Elvis would be proud.

You can never go wrong with the banana and peanut butter combo, but this Salted Caramel Peanut Butter from Skippy kind of takes it to a whole other level. 

Let's talk banana bread. It never fails when I want to make it, my bananas are not ripe. They should be really ripe, so you get a sweeter and more fragrant bread {and they are just simply easier to mash up}. My method is usually to put them in a paper bag with a couple of apples overnight. Here's another solution that's even quicker from Food and Wine magazine.

These sassy little banana bundt cakes are even more delicious, once you top them with peanut butter buttercream. I could just eat this buttercream by itself.... so creamy and delicious. It would also be marvelous on a chocolate cupcake or sandwiched between two chocolate chip or oatmeal cookies. 

Hey, did you know it's Peanut Butter Lovers Month in November? All the more reason to find ways to celebrate and savor more peanut butter. 
Of course I like to bake with it, but I also get my PB joy by adding it my breakfast oatmeal or smoothie. So many ways to enjoy it with all the new items on the market, including powdered peanut butter, flavored peanut butters like maple and chocolate, and even single serving packets that you can carry in your purse or keep in your desk.

Love peanut butter and taking pictures? You seriously need to celebrate with the #myPBjoy Instagram contest this month! You can win free stuff....and who doesn't like free stuff?

Here’s how #myPBjoy works:

1. Eat peanut butter – by the spoon, paired with a snack or combined into a favorite dish!
2. Snap a photo and Instagram it using #myPBjoy
3. Win PB prizes when you follow @peanut.butter.lovers on Instagram. Southern Peanut Growers will randomly pick one winner each week of November beginning Nov. 9, who will win a mixed bag of exciting new PB products.

I love how these banana cakes look with the mini bundt shape, but you could certainly use this recipe in muffin pans {regular size or mini muffin} or a traditional loaf pan. Enjoy y'all.

Banana Mini Bundt Cakes with Salted Caramel Peanut Butter Buttercream
Makes about 9

Cakes:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons powdered peanut butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon Himalayan sea salt
1/2 cup roasted chopped peanuts
3 ripe bananas
2 eggs, beaten
7 Tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 plain Greek yogurt

Peanut Butter Buttercream {you will end up with extra buttercream - I froze mine}:
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup of creamy peanut butter {I used salted caramel}
3 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325F. Grease mini bundt pan well. {You could use butter, but I used pan spray}.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, powdered peanut butter, sugars, baking soda, salt, and chopped peanuts.

In another bowl, mash the bananas well, but leave some chunkiness. Stir in the eggs, butter, vanilla, and yogurt and blend gently.

Mix the wet ingredients into the dry and stir together till just combined. Place batter into bundt cups to fill up about 3/4 way. Bake in oven until just done, about 22-25 minutes. {Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick or skewer down the center of the cake - it should come back clean}.

Allow bundt cakes to cool in the pan for about 5-10 minutes and then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.

While cakes are in the oven, prepare the buttercream frosting. 
Place butter and peanut butter in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat the butter and peanut butter together until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides as needed.
Add in half of the confectioners' sugar and mix in on low speed. Add the other half and mix again. Turn up  the speed to medium and beat until well combined, smooth, and fluffy.

Place the buttercream in a pastry bag fitted with a star tip and pipe onto your cooled cakes.


Disclaimer: Although I received compensation for this post from Southern Peanut Growers, all opinions expressed and the recipe/recipe photos are uniquely mine.