Banana Cake with Peanut Butter Honey Frosting

I was in a serious baking craze yesterday. I only have two days off this week and want to make them count. I figured that I would challenge myself with some intense cake decorating. I had never attempted anything like this, but I didn't fail completely for a first try. I actually really enjoyed the decorating portion of this cake and am excited to try another design on whatever I make next.

As for the taste of the cake and frosting.... As usual, it is to die for. The cake has a more subtle banana flavor with a punch of semi-sweet chocolate chips. The frosting is the star of the cake in my opinion. (and I don't even like frosting!) It is very sweet, but still light and fluffy.

For the Cake:

1 yellow cake mix

3/4 cup water

1/3 cup oil

3 eggs

1/8 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

1 cup bananas, ripe and smashed

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

To make the Cake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine cake mix, water, oil and eggs. Beat on low for one minute. Add baking soda and cinnamon, then continue mixing on medium speed for two minutes. Fold in smashed bananas and chocolate chips.

Use non-stick spray to coat two 9-inch round pans. Bake cakes according to instructions on box. Once done baking, let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove cakes from pans and let them finish cooling.

For the Frosting:

1 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup peanut butter

4 tbsp water, divided

3 tbsp honey

1 tsp vanilla

1/8 tsp salt

4 cup powdered sugar

To make the Frosting:

Cream the butter and peanut butter. Add 2 tbsp water, vanilla and salt. Cream again. Add the powdered sugar in parts. Once all of the sugar has been mixed in, beat in the remaining 2 tbsp water. Beat the honey in until creamy. 

***You could always just do a simple coating of the cake, but this recipe make a ton of frosting so there would probably be leftover***

I went ahead and just did a simple crumb coat of the cake to start the frosting process. Then I pulled out my tips and decided on attempting the basket weave pattern. It was actually fairly simple once you get the hang of it. I used the star tip to do a way pattern on the top rim of the cake.

The website where I found this recipe and how to do the basket weave technique is http://insidebrucrewlife.blogspot.jp/2012/04/chocolate-chip-banana-cake-with-honey.html

I topped the center of the cake with some chocolate chips and viola! It tasted even better than it looked. I took this bad boy to work and it was non-existent by the end of the day!