peanut butter-banana oat snack cake

I love when I get emails from my readers saying they love this recipe or asking me if they can swap out something and add in something else.
Love those. It's tells me you're being creative!
But the other day I got a wonderful question/comment from a reader stating they, like me, have no kitchen aid mixer and no hand mixer either. And that they are so glad that my recipes can be done without a mixer; just a strong arm is needed!
Well now I don't feel so all alone!
I honestly thought it was just me doing all this baking and cooking "little house on the prairie" style--
aka by hand.
One of the reasons I started the whole "quick & easy" category on the blog, and why I put the phrase
"one bowl easy" in my posts and recipes.
I know most people are drawn to one bowl easy PLUS tasty. I am too!
So for those of you that do not know, I do NOT have a mixer.
Do I want one?
Yes, I do, financially times are tough and the money goes to the house or the abundant student loans we have in our house.
I truly think we will be paying our student loans until age 80.....

With all that said, here is another very easy recipe, that can "almost" be classified as one bowl easy.
This snack cake is quick to make, but more importantly it isn't heavy, or too sweet.
How should I classify it?
Lightened up blondie with oats, peanut butter and bananas?!?
Yeah, that's definitely it.
My husband, who hates oatmeal, health food, and bananas loved these--so go figure.
If I had to make these again, I would add in some peanuts, pecans or walnuts.
It just needs a bit of texture/crunch.


One bowl easy and one pan easy too.

peanut butter-banana oat snack cake

print recipe

2 cups flour

½ ts baking soda

½ ts baking powder

½  ts sea salt

1 cup old fashioned oats

12 TB (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted & cooled

8 ounces cream cheese room temp.

1 and ¼ cup peanut butter (not oily peanut butter)

2 ripe bananas

1 cup light brown sugar, not packed (loose)

½  cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray with non-stick spray or generously butter a 9 x 13 pan.

In small bowl, whisk all dry ingredients and the oats together; set aside.

With electric mixer, or by hand, mix butter and cream cheese together until smooth.

Add in sugars and beat until thoroughly combined.

Add in eggs and mix, then add in the bananas and mix till all combined.

Then by hand add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.  

Pour batter into well-greased 9 x 13 pan.

Bake about 25-30 minutes; mine was done at the 25-minute mark.

You’ll know it’s done by the light golden edges.

Definitely check the cake at the 20-minute mark.

Let this cool at least 15-20 minutes before slicing.