I created this Vegan peanut butter cake recipe for Easter this year and my family FELL IN LOVE with it- the whole cake went in a matter of minutes! The bananas made it super moist and the peanut butter adds a little saltiness to stop it tasting too sweet.
I recommend trying out this Vegan peanut butter cake recipe for any special occasion as it really does impress, yet it isn’t hard to make at all! Layering the cake makes it look really decadent too, especially as vegan cakes don’t tend to rise as much as dairy ones.
I usually find that shop bought vegan cakes tend to be dry, boring and/or overpriced. This vegan peanut butter cake is none of those things and is also super chocolatey too, so it will do a good job at satisfying any chocolate cravings!
This recipe is a slight variation of my previous single layered Chocolate Banana Cake but the icing was more of a drizzle rather than a frosting. You can also try out my Vegan Pina Colada Cake if you fancy trying out something tropical.
I used a few chopped dates and figs for some added sweetness but feel free to leave these out if you prefer a more traditional tasting chocolate cake.
Let me know in the comments below what you think of this vegan peanut butter cake recipe and tag me on Instagram if you try it out!
Vegan Peanut Butter Cake
This vegan peanut butter cake is super chocolatey and moist. The saltiness in the peanut butter balances the sweetness of the icing sugar which makes this cake so moreish!
Ingredients
For the cake
- 4 cups plain flour
- 2 cup brown sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla essence
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup sweetened almond milk
- 40 g dates chopped
- 20 g dried figs chopped
- 60 g walnut chopped
- 1 cup sunflower or coconut oil
- 3 tsp bicarb of soda
- 4 tsp baking powder
- 2 ripe bananas
- 1 tsp salt
- 5 heaped tbsp cocoa powder
For the peanut butter glaze
- 20 g vegan margarine
- 200 g icing sugar, sifted
- 20 ml almond milk
- 10 ml water
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 80 g crunchy or smooth peanut butter
To decorate
- 1/4 bar vegan dark chocolate (optional)
- 1 handful dried banana chips (optional)
- 1 tbsp desiccated coconut (optional)
Instructions
For the cake
-
Pre-heat oven to 180 C (350 F). Lightly grease a 9-inch square baking pan.
-
In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the sugar and oil, then add bananas. Add water, almond milk and vanilla, stirring to combine.
-
Add the flour mixture, stirring just until wet. Then stir through the dried fruits and nuts
-
Split the mixture in half and pour the first half in the baking tin
-
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean.
-
Once cooled transfer the first cake half on a cooling rack then repeat the baking process with the second cake mixture after washing and re-lining the cake tin
For the peanut butter frosting
-
Add vegan margarine to the icing sugar and beat until combined
-
Mix the water, vanilla extract and almond milk and slowly add them to the icing sugar mix until it reaches a smooth thick consistency
-
Microwave peanut butter for 20 seconds on medium heat until it becomes runny. Then stir through the peanut butter
-
Once the banana cake has completely cooled evenly spread the icing equally on both cakes using a spoon then place one of the cake on top of the other. Decorate with the banana chips
For the decoration
-
Break up the chocolate in a microwave save bowl then microwave on low for 4 minutes or until melted (stirring in between).
-
Pour the chocolate in a sandwich bad and make a tiny cut with scissors in the corner of the bag. Twist the bag and apply pressure so that you can pipe out the chocolate into whatever shapes you like (I went for heart shaped!)
-
Decorate with the banana chips or your choice of toppings
Andri x