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Loaded with fresh bananas and walnuts, this cake is a celebration of flavors and textures. The ingredients required for Banana Walnut Cake are commonly found in most kitchens making it a convenient recipe to whip up without needing to make a special trip to the store.
This Banana Walnut Cake comes together quickly, in just 20 minutes with a couple of bowls and a mixer. Whether you’re an expert baker or a first timer, this cake is easy to make for dessert, a snack, or even as a coffee cake alternative at breakfast.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It’s rich. With butter, Greek yogurt, and cream cheese, this cake has a luxurious quality to this dessert.
- It’s flavorful. Several ingredients contribute to the deep flavors of this cake – bananas, cinnamon, vanilla extract and plenty of sugar make this a sweet delight!
- It’s crunchy. The addition of chopped walnuts gives this cake a wonderful combination of textures.
Ingredients Needed for Banana Walnut Cake
- Dry Ingredients: All-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt get mixed together, forming the base of the cake. You could switch up the flavor profile by adding some nutmeg and ginger.
- Wet Ingredients: Creaming together butter and sugar gives the cake a light and airy texture. The cake’s moistness comes from eggs, vanilla, and Greek yogurt. If you prefer, substitute sour cream for the Greek yogurt.
- Mashed Banana: Use a ripe banana for the best texture and sweetness.
- Chopped Walnuts: Adding walnuts into the batter before baking keeps them distributed in the batter and gives the cake a nice texture.
- Frosting: Butter and cream cheese are the base for the frosting. The frosting gets its flavor from powdered sugar and vanilla extract.
- Garnish: Some additional chopped walnuts on top help guests know that the cake contains nuts.
How Do You Make Banana Walnut Cake
Step 1: Prepare the equipment. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 10-inch springform pan with baking spray. You could also use a greased and floured bundt pan.
Step 2: Mix the dry ingredients. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl.
Step 3: Cream the butter and sugar. Using a mixer, beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
Step 4: Mix in the wet ingredients. Add the eggs one at a time to the butter and sugar, then add the vanilla extract, Greek yogurt, and mashed bananas until well incorporated.
Step 5: Combine the wet and dry mixtures. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in batches until well mixed. Stir in the chopped walnuts.
Step 6: Bake. Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top. Bake for 55-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Let the cake cool for 20 minutes on a wire rack.
Step 7: Mix the frosting. While the cake cools, use a mixer to beat the cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract, and confectioner’s sugar into a fluffy frosting.
Step 8: Frost the cooled cake. Remove the springform pan by gently loosening the sides. Frost the cake and top with chopped walnuts.
Tips To Make This Recipe
- Use ripe bananas for maximum flavor and texture.
- For a deeper, nuttier flavor, toast the walnuts before adding them to the batter.
- Don’t Overmix the Batter. Overmixing the batter once you’ve combined the wet and dry ingredients can develop gluten in the flour, leading to a dense and tough cake. Mix just until the ingredients are combined.
- Use room temperature ingredients for a smoother batter and frosting.
- Cool the cake completely before topping with the frosting.
What to Serve with Banana Walnut Cake
This Banana Walnut Cake goes great with a cold glass of milk or a cup of coffee or tea. For an extra special treat, serve it with a deliciously rich Dalgona Coffee!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can make this Banana Walnut Cake gluten free by substituting the flour for a cup-for-cup gluten free flour.
Absolutely! Prepare the muffin tins by greasing them and placing a paper liner in each hole. Fill each tin ⅔ full. Bake the muffins for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the muffins cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes before frosting.
You can swap the Greek yogurt for an equal amount of natural yogurt or buttermilk.
Yes. Wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, then freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before serving.
Store the cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For maximum flavor, let the cake come to room temperature before eating.
More Cake Recipes
- Chocolate Cake with Pears
- Pear Bundt Cake
- Easy Blueberry Breakfast Cake
- Best Moist Carrot Cake
- Cinnamon Apple Crumb Cake
Easy to make and loved by many, Banana Walnut Cake is a timeless classic that brings warmth to your kitchen. This recipe is an excellent way to use up overripe bananas that might otherwise go to waste.
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Banana Walnut Cake
Ingredients
For the cake
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ¾ cups granulated white sugar
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cup Greek yogurt
- 2 cups mashed banana
- ¾ cup chopped walnuts
For cream cheese frosting
- 8 ounce cream cheese, at room temperature
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cup confectioners sugar
- 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts, to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and grease a 10-inch springform pan with baking spray, then set it aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar using a hand mixer until light and fluffy.
- Slowly add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Add vanilla extract, yogurt, and mashed banana, then beat for a couple more minutes.
- Gradually add the flour mixture in batches, mixing until everything is well incorporated.
- Stir the chopped walnuts into the cake batter and fold them in.
- Transfer the cake batter to the prepared springform pan and smooth the top.
- Bake the cake for 55-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Once done, allow the cake to cool for 20 minutes on a wire rack. Slowly remove the springform pan by loosening the sides.
- Meanwhile, prepare the frosting: In a medium bowl, add the cream cheese and butter, then beat them together for 2-3 minutes using a hand mixer.
- Add the vanilla extract and gradually add the confectioners sugar in batches until the frosting turns light and fluffy.
- Top the banana walnut cake with the prepared cream cheese frosting and sprinkle the chopped walnuts on top.
- Slice and serve the cake.
Notes
- Use ripe bananas for maximum flavor and texture.
- Grease the springform pan so the cake doesn’t stick.
- Cool the cake completely before topping with the frosting.
- Store Leftover cake in an airtight container in the fridge.
