My grandmother didn't have much of a sweet tooth, but she loved to make banana cake. Quite often when we went to visit she would have a pan of banana cake, slathered in maple frosting, waiting in the kitchen.
Then I discovered this handwritten recipe for banana cake among my great-grandmother's recipes. It seems a love of banana cake just might have been multi-generational!
Although the original cake would have been made with white flour and brown sugar, my version uses spelt and honey, but could easily be substituted with whole wheat flour.
Banana Tip: Ever have bananas turning overripe before you can get to them? Simple peel and freeze until you're ready to bake!
Vintage Honey Banana Cake Instructions
Beat together the butter and honey until smooth. Beat in eggs. Stir in lemon juice, bananas, and vanilla.
In a separate bowl, combine the remaining ingredients.
Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, stirring until combined.
Pour into greased 9×13 pan and cook at 350 degrees for 40 – 45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Cool.
Peanut Butter Frosting
Although there is no frosting mentioned on the original recipe, I like to add a little something to my cake, in memory of my grandmother. Rather than use her maple-flavored buttercream, I whip up this simple peanut butter frosting.
- ⅓ cup softened butter
- ⅓ cup natural peanut butter
- 1 Tbsp honey
- pinch of salt
Beat butter and peanut butter until smooth. Add in honey and salt. Spread over cake.
Vintage Recipe: Honey Banana Cake
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter softened
- ¾ cup honey or maple syrup
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 3 ripe bananas mashed
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups spelt flour or whole wheat
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp arrowroot flour or cornstarch
- ½ tsp salt
- Peanut Butter Frosting
- ⅓ cup softened butter
- ⅓ cup natural peanut butter
- 1 Tbsp honey
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Beat together the butter and honey until smooth.
- Beat in eggs.
- Stir in lemon juice, bananas, and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients.
- Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, stirring until combined.
- Pour into greased pan and cook at 350 degrees for 40 – 45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Frosting Directions
- Beat butter and peanut butter until smooth. Add in honey and salt. Spread over cake.
Notes
- To make these into cupcakes, pour into greased or lined cupcake tins and bake for 18 to 20 minutes.
Enjoy!
I’m always looking for spelt recipes, and often have buttermilk around I’m looking for new recipes to put it in. (I’ve switched to spelt as my main flour, trying to get away from processed foods as much as possible.) And always have bananas around and sometimes looking for new and varied things to do with my extra bananas.
My grandmother also wrote recipes down on scraps of paper, back of envelopes, whatever was handy. Your great grandmother’s handwriting is similar to my great grandmother’s, as well.
Her recipe uses sour milk, and you have obviously changed that to lemon juice. If I use the buttermilk, should I use her 4Tbl? Or less? I know in breadmaking, spelt takes less liquid than modern. There doesn’t seem to be much of a difference for other baked goods. But I haven’t made a ton of recipes meant for modern wheat but using spelt.
Thank you for this! I’m enjoying exploring your site!
Thanks Andrea for the great vintage recipe! My kids love my grandma’s chocolate chip banana muffin recipe and they love peanut butter. I can’t wait to try your recipe with the peanut butter frosting.
Is that an 8×8 glass dish you used?
Hi Michelle,
Yes, that is an 8×8 glass pan. I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Do you have the full original recipe? I didn’t see the honey on the original. Thank you!
Hi Chris, What you see in the photo is the full original recipe. I adapted it for honey because I prefer it over the brown sugar. My great-grandmother wrote all of her recipes down that way – on scraps of paper and with no directions on how to put the ingredients together!
Looks great, going to make today!!
Thank you for sharing this great recipe, can’t wait to try it. I am not big on peanut butter but love maple, could you please also give the maple butter cream recipe? Thank you for the wonderful work you always do, God Bless you
Hi Deborah, I unfortunately don’t have my grandmother’s exact recipe for maple buttercream, but found one that sounds similar: http://thissillygirlslife.com/2014/09/maple-buttercream-frosting/2/ Enjoy! 🙂
I just love your sight keep up the good work