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Banana Bundt Cake with Caramel Popcorn
Sweet, salty, and incredibly moist, this peanut butter banana Bundt cake brings a playful twist to a classic dessert. You'll love how the rich, chocolate-studded crumb contrasts with a crunchy topping of caramel peanut popcorn. It's an impressive centerpiece for weekend gatherings that looks elaborate but comes together easily. The secret is using extra-ripe bananas for natural sweetness and a tender texture that won't dry out.
Ingredients
- 175g unsalted butter
- 50g peanut butter
- 200g golden caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 4 eggs, lightly beaten
- 4 medium very ripe bananas
- 3 tablespoons soured cream
- 225g plain flour
- 50g cornflour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 100g chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon sunflower oil
- 50g popcorn kernels
- 100g caster sugar
- 40g unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 75g salted peanuts, roughly chopped
- 75g dark chocolate, chopped
- 75g milk chocolate, chopped
- 25g unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons whipping cream
- 2 tablespoons golden syrup
- 2.5-litre Bundt or kugelhopf tin
Instructions
- 1Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan or gas mark 4) and arrange a rack just below the center. Place a 2.5-liter Bundt or kugelhopf tin in the freezer for 5 minutes or the refrigerator for 15 minutes to chill. Chilling the tin helps the melted butter set into a thick, even layer so the cake doesn't stick.
- 2Melt 25g of the unsalted butter and brush it generously inside the chilled cake tin, coating every crease and corner completely.
- 3In a large mixing bowl, beat the remaining unsalted butter, peanut butter, 200g of golden caster sugar, and vanilla extract until pale and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then slowly mix in the lightly beaten eggs, ensuring each addition is fully incorporated before adding the next.
- 4Mash the very ripe bananas in a separate small bowl using a fork until mostly smooth, then stir in the soured cream.
- 5Sift the plain flour, cornflour, baking powder, and bicarbonate of soda directly into the butter mixture. Pour in the mashed banana blend and beat until smooth, then gently fold in the chocolate chips.
- 6Transfer the batter into the prepared tin, using the back of a spoon to smooth the top into an even layer.
- 7Bake for 45 to 50 minutes. The cake is ready when it turns golden brown and a skewer inserted into the thickest section comes out clean.
- 8Let the cake rest in the tin for 20 minutes before carefully inverting it onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Resting allows the crumb to firm up so it won't break apart.
Notes
- Ingredient swap: Smooth or crunchy peanut butter both work well, depending on what you have in the pantry.
- Variations: You can use either milk or dark chocolate chips in the batter.
- Tip: Make sure your bananas are extremely ripe. Under-ripe bananas are difficult to mash smoothly and lack the deep sweetness needed for the cake.
- Shortcut: If you're short on time, use store-bought caramel popcorn for the topping instead of making it from scratch.