Amazing Banana Walnut Snack Cake topped with cream cheese frosting. This quick and easy snack cake is the perfect way to use up the overripe bananas sitting in your fruit bowl. Stays moist for days!
Hello banana cake 🍌
Everyone needs a few good go-to recipes up their sleeve, and this Banana Walnut Snack Cake is one of mine. It has a beautifully tender crumb, with a hint of cinnamon, generous banana flavour and crunch from the walnuts.
Add a thick layer of cream cheese frosting and you have one mouthwatering treat.
This Banana Snack Cake is easy to make and it freezes really well – so it’s a great one for the lunchbox.
Why you will love this recipe
- Simple ingredients: You only need pantry staples to make this simple snack cake, including a few spotty bananas!
- Moist and tender: You can expect a lovely tender crumb that stays moist for days. It’s lovely at room temperature, cold from the fridge.
- Oodles of flavour: Using very overripe bananas, crunchy walnuts, and plenty of cinnamon makes this bananarama cake full of flavour and crunch.
Recipe testing
Instead of always using my overripe bananas to make Banana Bread, I wanted to use them to make a snack cake instead. One that’s a little bit special, but also really approachable.
And that’s exactly what we have here. An unassuming Banana Walnut Cake recipe that is truly lovely and moist. Using overripe bananas makes the cake burst with flavour.
And to make it the best banana cake ever, we’ve covered it in cream cheese frosting. This is the same frosting that I use in my Hummingbird Cake. It’s rich, creamy and super easy to make. You will love it.
Enjoy a slice cold – and it’s reminiscent of the frozen Sara Lee banana cake we use to have as a kid!
Ingredients
You’ll find a list of all the ingredients you need to make this easy Banana Snack Cake from scratch below.
But here’s a little more information about the key ingredients that make this cake extra special – including any substitutions you can make.
- Butter: Instead of vegetable oil, this recipe uses butter for extra flavour. If you use salted butter, omit the salt included in the recipe.
- Brown sugar: This recipe uses brown sugar and caster sugar. Light brown sugar is the way to go here.
- Bananas: Be sure to use VERY ripe bananas for maximum flavour and sweetness. You’ll want to use fresh bananas that are very black or brown and spotty.
- Buttermilk: I recommend using full fat storebought buttermilk for best results. If you don’t have access to buttermilk, you can use 1/4 cup regular milk and 1/4 cup full fat Greek yogurt or sour cream. Otherwise, you can try a DIY buttermilk substitute, by adding 2 teaspoons of white vinegar to 120 ml (1/2 cup) of whole or full fat milk.
- Walnuts: You can use raw or roasted walnuts for this recipe.
- Cream cheese: Be sure to use a block (or brick) of full fat cream cheese. It will work much better and hold its shape so much more than spreadable or light cream cheese.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How to make Banana Snack Cake
My Banana Snack Cake recipe is quick and easy to make. You will need a handheld electric mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. You can also use a 8-inch square baking pan.
Here’s a quick overview of how to make our Banana Snack Cake:
Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, add butter and sugars. Beat using an electric mixer on medium speed until combined and cream – approximately 2 minutes.
Step 2: Add vanilla and eggs. Beat on medium speed just to combine.
Step 3: Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, along with the mashed banana and buttermilk.
Step 4: Gently stir until combined. Finally, stir through chopped walnuts.
Step 5: Pour batter into prepared pan and gently smooth the top with a spatula.
Step 6: Bake Banana Cake for approximately 40-45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Cream cheese frosting
You only need four simple ingredients to make my Cream Cheese Frosting recipe. The most important thing to be aware of is choosing the right cream cheese.
Cream cheese: Choose a full fat block or brick-style cream cheese rather than a light version or the spreadable kind. This cream cheese will produce the best and most stable results.
Icing sugar: Only use icing sugar, powdered sugar or confectioner’s sugar when making cream cheese frosting. And be sure to sift it (even twice) before adding it to your frosting.
Here’s a quick breakdown of how to make cream cheese frosting from scratch:
Step 1: In a large bowl, add butter and cream cheese. Beat using an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy.
Step 2: Add vanilla and sugar. Start to beat on low speed until combined.
Step 3: Turn mixer up to medium speed and beat until frosting is smooth and creamy.
Step 4: Spread cream cheese frosting onto cool cake using a small spatula. Decorate with more chopped walnuts.
Storage instructions
This Banana Walnut Snack Cake keeps well for days.
Storage: You can keep the cake itself in an airtight container at room temperature. Once frosted, store any leftover cake in the fridge.
Make ahead: You can freeze Banana Snack Cake once cooked and cooled. Bring back to room temperature before serving or warm slices up in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.
You can also make the cream cheese frosting ahead of time and keep it covered in the fridge – or even the freezer.
Simply bring it back to room temperature and mix briefly until it comes back to spreadable consistency.
Recipe tips
- Use VERY ripe bananas: The key to flavourful banana cake or bread is using VERY overripe bananas. The blacker, spottier and smellier the better.
- Weigh your ingredients: For best results, I highly recommend weighing your ingredients using a baking scale. It’s very easy to over-measure ingredients like flour when using cup measurements.
- Avoid over-mixing your cake batter: Once your batter is combined, you can stop mixing. Over-mixing can result in a dry or tough cake.
- Don’t over-bake your cake: You’ll know your cake is ready when a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Your cake should no longer have a sticky or wet top but be golden brown.
Frequently asked questions
This Banana Cake recipe should produce a moist and tender cake, thanks to the bananas and the buttermilk. If your cake is dry, it is likely you overmeasured the dry ingredients. It is very easy to add too much flour if using cup measurements, so always use a baking scale. It is also important not to overmix your cake batter or overbake it. Both will result in a dry or tough cake.
Yes. Simply omit the nuts from the cake batter and don’t use them to decorate the cake. It still tastes fabulous without the nuts. Or you could add a handful of chocolate chips instead.
Yes. Instead of a square pan, you can bake this recipe using a round 8-inch cake pan. The cook time will be around the same.
More banana recipes we love
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Let’s Bake
Banana Walnut Snack Cake recipe
Soft and moist Banana Cake topped with cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
Banana cake
- 115 grams (1/2 cup or 1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 150 grams (3/4 cup) caster sugar or granulated sugar
- 45 grams (1/4 cup) brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 210 grams (1 and 1/2 cups) plain flour or all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) buttermilk
- 160 grams (2/3 cup) mashed banana, (2–3 overripe bananas)
- 45 grams (1/2 cup) walnuts, roughly chopped
Cream cheese frosting
- 60 grams (1/4 cup) butter, softened
- 250 grams (1 and 1/4 cup) full fat cream cheese, softened, roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 250 grams (2 cups) icing sugar or powdered sugar, sifted
- 90 grams (1 cup) walnuts, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 C (350 F) standard / 160 C (320 F) fan-forced. Grease and line an 8-inch square pan with baking or parchment paper, ensuring two sides overhang.
- In a large mixing bowl, add butter and sugars. Beat using an electric mixer on medium speed until pale and creamy. Add vanilla and eggs, and beat briefly until combined.
- Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt to the butter mixture, along with buttermilk and mashed banana. Gently stir using a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined. Stir in walnuts.
- Transfer to prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for approximately 40-45 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
- Carefully transfer cake to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the cream cheese frosting, add butter and cream cheese to a large mixing bowl.
- Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla and sugar and beat on a low speed to combine.
- Turn mixer up to medium speed and continue to mix until frosting is smooth and creamy.
- Spread frosting using a small spatula on cooled cake. Sprinkle chopped walnuts on top.
Notes
Bananas: Be sure to use VERY ripe bananas for maximum flavour and sweetness. You want bananas that are very black or brown and spotty.
Buttermilk: I recommend using full fat storebought buttermilk for best results. If you don’t have access to buttermilk, you can use 1/4 cup regular milk and 1/4 cup full fat Greek yogurt or sour cream. Otherwise, you can try a DIY buttermilk substitute, by adding 2 teaspoons of white vinegar to 120ml (1/2 cup) of whole or full fat milk.
Walnuts: You can use raw or roasted walnuts for this recipe.
Cream cheese: Choose a full fat block or brick-style cream cheese rather than a light version or the spreadable kind. This cream cheese will produce the best and most stable results.
Storage: You can keep the cake itself in an airtight container at room temperature. Once frosted, store any leftover cake in the fridge.
Make ahead: You can freeze Banana Snack Cake once cooked and cooled. Bring back to room temperature before serving or warm slices up in the microwave for 10-15 seconds.
You can also make the cream cheese frosting ahead of time and keep it covered in the fridge – or even the freezer. Simply bring it back to room temperature and mix briefly until it comes back to spreadable consistency.
Nutrition Information
Jill says
First attempt and it came out beautifully, very easy to make, will definitely be added to my favourite recipes
Jessica Holmes says
I’m so pleased to hear that Jill!
Adrienne Whiteford says
Just wondering if you can use plain yoghurt instead of the buttermilk..
Thanks
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Adrienne, yes you can!
Ali says
Hi. I’m in the heat if the Gold Coast, Australia! I have made this cake for the second time in 10 days, this time for a friend’s birthday tomorrow.
It’s so easy, delicious and freezes well.
Best Banana cake recipe I’ve made.
Thanks!
Jessica Holmes says
I’m so glad to hear that Ali! Thank you for the lovely feedback.
Barbie says
Delicious. Easy. Will make again!
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
Love hearing that!
KerryAnn says
Hi Jess
I just wanted to let you know that there’s an anti sharing script running on the webpage for this cake, so the address can’t be saved to my New York Times recipe box (I’m Australian in Australia, but I really like the way NYTRB works to save recipes so I can find them easily).
It’s a real shame, because this is the best banana and walnut cake recipe I’ve found, but the website makes it harder to access easily.
Any chance you can alter the script? This really is a great recipe!
Cheers, hope you’re staying dry!
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
Hi KerryAnn, I’m so pleased you enjoyed the cake! Unfortunately, I think that’s in place to prevent site scraping websites from stealing and copying content, which happens alot. I’m sorry for the inconvenience!
KerryAnn says
Letting you know that I’ve probably made twenty of these cakes over this year. Amazing cake!
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
Aww that makes me so happy!
Julie says
I added a half cup of moist coconut flakes..
Just because I could. 😋
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
That sounds amazing Julie!
Jess says
I’ve made this cake twice now, and I think I’ll be making it many more times, it’s so tasty!!
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
So happy to hear that Jess!
Nick says
Great easy recipe 5 stars Thanks for sharing.
Jessica Holmes says
Love that!
Wendy says
I had one very brown, sad-looking banana in the bowl and everything else in the cupboard except walnuts – but I did have pecans, so went with those. I made a half recipe and I put mine in a small loaf tin, so it took a little longer to bake. But, boy was it worth the wait?!!! It is absolutely delicious and the pecans add joy! Definitely being added to my go-to regular recipes. 😀
★★★★★
Jessica Holmes says
Aw love hearing that Wendy! Thank you for the kind review.
Josh says
So tender!
★★★★★