Banana Birthday Cake

Ingredients 
For the Banana Cake
1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas, 3 medium ones
1 cup buttermilk, or 1 cup milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

For the Mascarpone Frosting
6 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla extract
4 oz cold mascarpone, or cream cheese

Equipment Needed
Mixer or Stand Mixer 
9×13-inch Baking pan
2 Bowls

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
2. Grease a 9×13-inch baking pan. Set aside.
3. In a bowl, cream butter and sugar together at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
4. Add eggs, mashed bananas, buttermilk, and vanilla extract. Mix at low speed until combined.
5. In a small bowl combine flour, baking soda, and salt.
6. Add flour mixture in three additions to the wet mixture, mix just until combined.
7. Pour batter into the baking dish and bake for 20-25 minutes. When the cake is done a skewer inserted in the middle should come out clean with only a few crumbs attached. Let the cake cool down completely before frosting it.
8. To make the frosting, beat together butter and confectioners’ sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until light and fluffy
9. Add vanilla extract and mascarpone and beat until blended. Frost cooled cake.

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Banana Chocolate Chip Ice Cream Bites

Ingredients
6 very ripe bananas
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips
Non-stick cooking spray

Food processor or blender
Baking sheet
Mini muffin pan

Instructions

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Slice the bananas into 1/2-inch slices and lay flat on the parchment-lined baking sheet.

3. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 1.5 hours.

4. Remove frozen bananas from the freezer and let set out for about 5 minutes while you set up your food processor or blender. (Bananas should be softened just a bit, but still be frozen.)

5. Place the bananas in the food processor and pulse/blend until smooth and creamy.

6. Remove frozen bananas from the freezer and let set out for about 5 minutes while you set up your food processor or blender. (Bananas should be softened just a bit, but still be frozen.)

7. Stir in 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips.

8. Grease a mini muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray.

9. Scoop the banana ice cream into each cup, filling each one almost full, then sprinkle the top of each cup with a few more mini chocolate chips.

10. Place the muffin pan in the freezer for an hour.

11. Remove the pan from the freezer and pop each bite out with a knife. Stack the banana ice cream bites in a freezer safe container with a lid, placing parchment paper between each layer of bites to keep them from sticking together.

12. When ready to eat, remove however many bites you want from the freezer container and let set out for a few minutes before eating.


Tip: Store bites in the freezer for up to 3 months.

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The Yummiest Non-Alcoholic Banana Piña Colada Ever

Ingredients
1 1/2 cup pineapple juice (not from concentrate)
1 cup cream of coconut
1 ripe banana, cut in half
maraschino cherries
4 cups ice

Instructions

1. Slice fresh pineapple into triangles with a slit in the center (this will help it sit along the rim of the cup). (optional)

2. Add all of the main ingredients into a blender.

3. Blend on medium for approx. one minute, until everything is smooth.

4. Pour your drink into the cups and add cherries. Serve immediately.

Equipment Needed

A strong blender

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Healthy Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie

Ingredients
1/2 cup milk of choice
1/2 large banana
1 tablespoon peanut butter
1 tablespoon cocoa powder
1/2 cup ice

Instructions

1. In a high-speed blender, add all your ingredients, except for the ice.

2. Blend until combined. For a thicker smoothie, add ice and blend once more.

3. Transfer the smoothie into two glasses and serve immediately.

Equipment Needed

A strong blender

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Bursting with Banana Pudding

Ingredients

• 1 ½ boxes Vanilla Wafer cookies*
• 6–7 ripe bananas, sliced
• 2 cups cold milk, dairy or non-dairy
• 1 ( 5 oz. ) box Instant French vanilla pudding
• 1 ( 8 oz. ) package cream cheese, softened**
• 1 ( 14 oz. ) can sweetened condensed milk^†
• 1 ( 8 oz. ) container whipped topping

• 9” Trifle bowl or 5 quart glass bowl
• 2 mixing bowls

1. Cover bottom of glass bowl with 2 layers of vanilla wafers.

2. Layer half the bananas over wafers.

3. In one mixing bowl, combine the milk with the pudding mix – blend well using a handheld electric mixer, stand mixer or whisk.

4. In the second mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese and condensed milk together and mix until smooth.

5. Fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture.

6. Add the cream cheese mixture to the pudding mixture and stir until well blended.

7. In the glass bowl with the cookies and bananas, layer half of whipped pudding mixture over bananas.

8. Over the whipped pudding mixture, add a layer of Vanilla Wafer cookies.

9. Add a layer of sliced bananas.

10. Repeat the whipped pudding mixture layer, cookies and bananas so the last layer is sliced bananas.

11. Chill in refrigerator until set.

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Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bites

Ingredients
3 medium bananas (cut into ¼-inch slices)
⅓ cup peanut butter
1 11oz. package semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 teaspoons solid vegetable shortening or vegetable oil
½ cup finely chopped salted peanuts 

Instructions

1. Peel and slice the bananas into ¼-inch-thick rounds. Have nearby a sheet pan lined with wax paper.

2. Place peanut butter into a microwave-safe bowl. Melt in the microwave for 15-20 seconds or just until it's easily spreadable (it doesn't have to be hot).

3. Sandwich together two slices of banana with ½ teaspoon of peanut butter. Arrange on sheet pan. Repeat with the remaining slices. Freeze for at least 1 hour or until firm.

4. Place chocolate chips into a medium-size microwave-safe bowl with vegetable shortening or vegetable oil. Microwave on 50% power or using the melt function for 1 minute. Stir and continue to microwave in 30-second intervals until melted and completely smooth.

5. Using a fork, dip each frozen banana bite into the melted chocolate, covering completely. Return to the baking sheet. Sprinkle the tops with chopped peanuts while the chocolate is wet.

6. Freeze for 30 minutes or until chocolate is set.

7. Transfer to a freezer-safe container to store for up to 2 months.

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Peanut Butter Banana Ice Cream

Ingredients
3 large, ripe bananas
3 tablespoons natural peanut butter
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
Super teeny-tiny dash of cinnamon
Sea salt to taste
Roasted peanuts for topping

Equipment needed:
A strong blender

Instructions

1. Cut the bananas into small chunks and freeze until solid, at least 1-2 hours.

2. Transfer the bananas to a very strong blender and blend until smooth and creamy. This will take a few minutes and may require periodic pauses and adjustments. It’s very loud and intense, since the bananas are frozen, similar to adding ice cubes to a blender. Within a few minutes, you should be seeing a thick, creamy ice-creamy mixture in the blender.

3. Add the peanut butter, vanilla extract, cinnamon, sea salt, and anything else you might like in there.

4. Pulse the blender quickly to stir the ingredients all together, and when everything is mixed, serve immediately.

5. Top with additional peanut butter and crushed roasted peanuts.

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Pumpkin Banana Bread with Streusel

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Calories: 3133 kcal
Author: Chad Montano


Ingredients
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 ripe bananas
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup light brown sugar
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter melted and cooled
1/4 cup coconut sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. pumpkin spice
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 large eggs

Streusel
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 cup light brown sugar
6 Tbsp. cold butter cubed

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Spray 9”x5” loaf pan with cooking spray and line with parchment paper (optional).
• In large bowl, whisk together bananas, pumpkin, butter, brown sugar, coconut sugar and eggs until blended.
• In medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and pumpkin spice. Add to wet mix. Gently fold until fully combined.
• Transfer batter to loaf pan. Smooth top with spatula.
• In small bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon and cold butter. Use hands to mix into crumble.
• Sprinkle crumble over loaf pan, spreading evenly.
• Bake 40 to 45 minutes, until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Let cool 15 minutes before removing.

Berry and Banana Cupcakes with Vanilla Frosting

Prep Time: 45 min.
Cook Time: 1 hr. 30 min.
Yields: 8 cupcakes
Author: Nancy Macklin, RDN

Ingredients
½ of a 12- to 14-oz. package extra-firm light silken tofu
2 tbsps pure cane sugar
2 tsps lemon juice
½ tsp pure vanilla extract, or seeds from half of a vanilla bean pod
½ cup mashed banana
⅓ cup unsweetened, unflavored plant-based milk; such as almond, soy, cashew or rice
⅓ cup pure maple syrup
¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
1 tbsp flaxseed meal
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp regular or sodium-free baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp sea salt
½ cup fresh raspberries
½ cup fresh blueberries


Instructions


Creamy Vanilla Frosting:
In a blender or food processor, combine the tofu, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla. Cover and blend until completely smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Cupcakes:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the next five ingredients (through flaxseed meal). Let stand 5 minutes.

3. In a large bowl, combine pastry flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add banana mixture; stir just until combined. Fold in ⅓ cup each of the raspberries and blueberries.

4. Spoon batter into eight 2½-inch nonstick muffin cups.

5. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean.

6. Cool in cups for 10 minutes.

7. Remove cupcakes from cups and cool completely on a wire rack.

8. Top cooled cupcakes with Creamy Vanilla Frosting and the remaining raspberries and blueberries.

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Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

Prep Time: 5 min.
Cook Time: 0 min.
Total Time: 5 min.
Calories: 380 kcal
Author: Erin Clarke

Ingredients
3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 large banana cut into chunks and frozen
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Ice optional

Optional mix-ins: 
1/2 scoop protein powder (vanilla or chocolate)
1 tablespoon flaxseed meal
1 tablespoon chia seeds


Instructions

1. Place all of the ingredients in a blender in the order listed:

• Almond milk
• Banana
• Peanut butter
• Greek yogurt
• Cinnamon
• Any extra mix-ins

Banging Banana Mug Cake

Prep Time: 3 minutes
Cook Time: 3 minutes
Author: Christina & HurryTheFoodUp




Ingredients
1 ripe banana
1 egg
1 tbsp butter
4 tbsp flour
1 tsp maple syrup (or honey or sugar)
2 tbsp milk (any kind works)
½ tsp baking powder
Salt to taste
1 large microwave-safe mug

Topping Ideas
(optional – it’s also great on its own!)
1 tbsp of your favorite topping:

Raisins
Hazelnut spread
Peanut butter
Walnuts
Almonds
Coconut shavings
Grated dark chocolate

Directions

1. Slice the banana.

2. Using a bowl or large mug, melt the butter in the microwave for about 20 seconds.

3. Then add the egg, sliced banana, flour, maple syrup, milk, baking powder and salt to taste.

4. Give it a good whisk with a fork, hand blender or food processor. Make sure the banana gets crushed..

5. Pop the mug or bowl into the microwave for 1 minute 30 seconds, using a 1000 watt microwave (adjust as appropriate for your microwave).

6. Take it out, turn it around and give it another 1 minute blast.

7. Use none, some or all of the toppings and enjoy!

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