I know from experience that some recipes are hard to follow. I also know that many are hard for some people, and not for other people. There is definitely a special language that recipes use. For example, most don’t use full sentences and often shorten them by saying “to oven”, and not “to the oven”. Most of us who read recipes understand them exactly the way they are written.

From time to time recipe instructions are written in a way that makes them impossible to follow. I prefer recipes that have the directions listed step-by-step, rather than in paragraph form. This way you are more likely to succeed and not miss a step! When I copy a recipe down for my blog, I always break the paragraphs into steps so it is easier for my you to follow.

This particular recipe was written without the reader in mind, and boy did I have a hilarious time making this cake. The recipe originally tells you to use an electric mixer, which could mean a hand-held mixer. If you used one, the sugar and butter would get so caught up between the wires of the whisk beaters. I know this because since they did not advise you to use the paddle attachment, I started with the whisk attachment and that is exactly what happened to me.

There were so many frustrating details left out of the instructions. I will tell you the funniest one that happened. The author instructs you to place the first four ingredients of the frosting in the mixer and beat them. Easy enough, right? But when I turned on the mixer, even at a slow speed, there was powdered sugar everywhere! In my hair, on my face, on the floor, on my dogs, (who stand under the mixer so they can catch any tidbit that falls), on my walls, even inside some cabinets that were closed! I definitely should have caught that one. That was something that had never happened to me before and I know will never happen again.

That said, I carefully changed the directions so none of these things happen to you. So, you can feel free of worry when you make this outrageously delectable dessert.

This cake is too good for words! The banana and chocolate are surrounded by this exquisitely fluffy peanut butter frosting. It is topped off with Hershey’s Kisses and more chocolate chips. It doesn’t get much better than this! Do not let the number of ingredients stop you. Do your mise en place and it is actually very easy to make. If you are intimidated about frosting it, no worries, your family will love this cake no matter what it looks like. Promise!

This recipe is courtesy of Bon Appetit, and will serve 16 people who will be grinning with delight between bites.

Ingredients for Banana-Chocolate Chip Cake with Peanut Butter Frosting:

For the cake:

Nonstick vegetable oil spray
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup light brown sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups mashed very ripe bananas ( about 5 bananas)
1 cup sour cream
1 (10-ounce bag) mini chocolate chips

For the frosting:

2 cups creamy peanut butter
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Chocolate chips, mini chocolate chips, and chocolate kisses (for decorating cake)

Make the Cake:

Preheat oven to 350°.

Coat cake pans with nonstick spray.

Line the bottom of pans with parchment paper; coat paper.

Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt.

Using the paddle attachment of a standing mixer, beat sugar, butter, and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Add eggs one at a time, beating to blend between each one and occasionally scraping up and down sides.

Beat in vanilla.

Add dry ingredients a little bit at a time; beat on low speed just to blend.

Add bananas, and sour cream, beat just to blend.

Fold in mini chips.

Divide batter evenly among pans; smooth tops.

Bake cakes about 35 minutes or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.

Transfer to wire racks; let cool in pans for 30 minutes.

Invert cakes onto flat surface. 

Let cool completely.

Make the frosting:

Using the whisk attachment of a standing mixer, beat peanut butter, butter and vanilla extract.

Turn mixer to low speed and slowly add in the powdered sugar, and mix until a light and fluffy frosting forms; 2 to 3 minutes.

Spread 1 1/4 cups frosting over 1 cake.

Place remaining cake on top.

Cover tops and sides of cake with remaining frosting.

Garnish with chocolate chips and kisses.

It’s that simple! (It really is!)