Happy Birthday Elvis

Elvis had a great love for peanut butter and banana sandwiches. So to honor Elvis on his birthday I am sharing this delicious cake recipe with all of you. 

.

Banana Layer Cake with Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

Sour Cream Banana Cake Recipe

Adapted from Margaret Wehling via All Recipes 

1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature 
1 cup packed brown sugar 
1 cup granulated sugar 
4 large eggs
 4 large ripe bananas, mashed 
1 cup sour cream (I used 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups sifted cake flour 
1 teaspoon baking soda 
1/4 teaspoon salt 

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Spray three 9” round cake pans with non-stick baking spray and set aside. Cream butter and sugars together with an electric mixer until fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add bananas, sour cream, and vanilla, and beat until just combined. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt.  Sift through a sieve at least once.  Add to the wet ingredients in three additions, folding with a spatula until just combined. Pour the batter equally into the three prepared pans.  Weigh each pan to ensure that they are equal, and spread the batter in each pan as evenly as possible.  Bake in the preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean, rotating pans halfway through.  Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting. 

Peanut Butter Cream Cheese Frosting 

1 8-oz package cream cheese, at room temperature (I used reduced fat) 
1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened 
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter 
Pinch of salt 
1 cup icing sugar 

Beat the cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, about one minute.  Add the butter and beat for another minute until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.  Add the peanut butter and pinch of salt and beat until combined.  Slowly add the icing sugar and mix on low until incorporated. Taste and add more icing sugar if it’s not sweet enough for your tastes.  Store in the refrigerator until ready to use, but remove from fridge at least 10 minutes before frosting so it is easier to spread. 

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, at room temperature (I used reduced fat) 1/3 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature  
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups icing sugar, 
3/4 cup chilled heavy whipping cream 

Beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth, about one minute.  Add butter and beat for another minute until smooth.  Add vanilla and 3/4 cup icing sugar, and mix on low until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk whipping cream and remaining 3/4 cup icing sugar until medium-firm peaks form.  I did this by hand but you could use an electric mixer to make it easier. Gently fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture in 3 additions.  Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour 

1. Trim the tops of the cakes with a large serrated knife or cake leveler to level them, if necessary (I just took a bit off the top centers).  Place one cake layer on a cake stand or large plate and insert strips of wax paper or parchment paper underneath for easy clean-up later.
2. Spread about 1 cup of peanut butter frosting over the cake.  Try to make it thicker around the edges.
3. Top with second cake layer, then spread another 1 cup of peanut butter frosting on top, and top with third cake layer.  Make sure you're lining the cakes up evenly.  You should have a bit of leftover peanut butter cream cheese frosting which you can save for decorating the cake later.
4. Spread a thin layer of cream cheese frosting over the top and sides of cake to form a crumb coat.  Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes. 
5. Spread remaining cream cheese frosting over the topand sides of cake, smoothing it out as evenly as possible with a spatula.  Decorate with reservedpeanut butter cream cheese frosting and banana chips, if desired.  Remove wax paper strips from base of cake.

have a slice on us.