Hello friend, I Anne Carter welcome you all to Beyond The Bayou Blog with full enthusiasm to bake today’s recipe: Banana Walnut Cake.
Last month, I got the sweetest surprise when my nephew and niece decided to pay me an unexpected visit at home. I was over the moon to see their excited faces! Wanting to make their visit extra special, I bake a Banana Walnut Cake just for them.
As I gathered the ingredients and mixed up the batter, their curiosity grew. They eagerly helped me measure and pour, making it a fun activity for all of us. It took us about an hour from start to finish, but time seemed to fly by with their cheerful chatter filling the kitchen.
Want to know the end results? We all had delicious Banana Walnut Cake served along Blue Moon Ice Cream and the experience was just wow. My niece asked me to serve Almond Cookies with it and you know what? I never expected that this combination would make our day.
Are you ready to show off your cooking skills and delight your nearest and dearest with this mouthwatering recipe?
Try More Cake Recipes!
Irresistible Banana Walnut Cake Recipe
Equipment
- Mixing Bowl
- Wooden Spoon
- Measuring Cups
- Cake Pan
- Oven
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Ground cinnamon
- 10 tbsp unsalted butter, at cool room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/3 cups mashed bananas, from about 4 medium bananas
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 3/4 cup California walnuts, chopped
For the frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, at cool room temperature
- 1 stick unsalted butter, at cool room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- Chopped walnuts, for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 by 13-inch baking pan really well.
- In a medium bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugars until fluffy (about 3 minutes). Add vanilla, then eggs one by one.
- On low speed, mix in half of the dry ingredients. Then add mashed bananas, sour cream, and milk. Add the rest of the dry mix. Gently fold in walnuts—don't overmix.
- Pour the batter into the pan. Bake for around 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center. Let it cool completely. You can freeze the unfrosted cake for up to 2 months and thaw before frosting.
For the Frosting:
- In a clean electric mixer bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until smooth and creamy.
- Gradually add powdered sugar on low speed until fluffy.
- Spread the frosting over the cooled cake. Sprinkle chopped walnuts on top.
- For cleaner slices, refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes before cutting. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days. Enjoy your cake at room temperature!
What to Serve with Banana Walnut Cake?
Times for The Tips!
- Prep your Cold Ingredients: Before baking, let your cold stuff like eggs, yogurt, and maple syrup chill out on the counter for at least 15 minutes. This helps everything mix together smoothly later on.
- Banana Measurement Matters: When using mashed bananas, ensure you have exactly 1 cup. Too much banana can turn your cake into a soggy mess, and we definitely don’t want that!
- Flour Scooping Technique: When measuring flour, use a spoon to scoop it into your measuring cup. Don’t just dunk the cup into the flour bag or container. If you do, you might end up with way more flour than you bargained for.
- Maple Syrup Sweetness: I’ve given you a range for the maple syrup amount so you can sweeten your cake just the way you like it. And hey, if you’re not into maple syrup, try date syrup instead! It’s a great natural sweetener.
- Gentle Mixing is Key: Once you’ve mixed your dry and wet ingredients together, don’t go crazy with the mixing. Just gently fold everything until it’s combined. Over-mixing leads to a dense cake, and nobody wants that disappointment.
