A soft and moist Banana Walnut Snack Cake topped with cream cheese frosting. This easy banana cake is the perfect way to use up the overripe bananas sitting in your fruit bowl.
Hello banana cake.
Everyone needs a few good go-to recipes up their sleeve. This banana cake is one of mine. It has a beautiful tender crumb with a hint of cinnamon and a generous banana flavour.
It’s really simple and easy to make, using only common ingredients. And it freezes really well, so it’s a great one for the lunchbox.
This cake is truly lovely and moist. Using overripe bananas makes the cake burst with flavour, add a little crunch from the walnuts and a hint of cinnamon just sends it over the top.
And to make it the best Banana Snack Cake ever, we’ve covered it in cream cheese frosting. The same frosting that I use in my Hummingbird Cake. It’s rich, creamy and super easy to make. You will love it.
So whether you need a way to use your overripe bananas or an easy cake to feed the kids, this is your answer. To be honest, I could eat handfuls of this cake even without any frosting – it’s that good.
But once you add a generous layer of cream cheese frosting and crunchy walnuts, you’ve got one decadent treat. An altogether unassuming Banana Walnut Cake that will wow your friends and family.
Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Hungry for more? Join me on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and Twitter for more amazing recipe ideas.
Let's Bake
Banana Walnut Snack Cake
Soft and moist Banana Cake topped with cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
Banana cake
- 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
- 115 grams (1/2 cup or 1 stick) 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
- 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
- 435 grams (3 and 1/2 cups) icing sugar or powdered sugar, sifted
- 90 grams (1 cup) chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Grease and line an 8 inch square cake tin with baking or parchment paper. Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F) standard / 160 C (320 F) fan-forced.
- In a large bowl, add plain flour, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, add butter and sugars and beat with an electric mixer for a a couple of minutes until pale and creamy. Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time, beating until combined.
- Add dry ingredients to the butter mixture, along with buttermilk and the mashed banana. Gently fold with a spatula until just combined. Stir in walnuts. Transfer mixture to prepared pan and bake for approximately 30-35 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
- To make the cream cheese frosting, add butter and cream cheese to a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer for 2-3 minutes until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla. Add sugar, 1 cup at a time, and continue to beat until smooth.
- Spread frosting on cake and use a small spatula to spread to the edges. Sprinkle over chopped walnuts.
This recipe was first published on Sweetest Menu in April 2016.
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!
★★★★★
Lynn @ Fresh April Flours says
Ok FIRSTTTTT of all, so much "yes" to this cake. I would die over that cinnamon frosting, and I love that this is a simple snack cake I could throw in a baking pan. And all those walnuts! It’s like a more fun banana bread! Second of all… We don’t have any vacations planned for this year because, well, the baby will be here, haha, BUT we are hoping to get out to Australia in October 2017 for Amy’s wedding. HOPING. We will see how that works out. It’s on our dream list right now!
Please come back to America soon! You have me, Leah, and Cate all to see! Plus all 3 of our babies! We are all on the east coast (Leah and I live 45 mins from each other) so it would be easy to see all of us… Just sayin’… 🙂
Lucy says
This reminds me of a cake that I always used to buy at the bakery – the walnuts definitely make it!! Yum!
Jessica Holmes says
Ah love the food memories!! 🙂
Amanda says
I am longing to explore the Canadian Rockies. I’ve seen such beautiful photos and videos, and every time I see it I get the urge.
This is such a lovely cake, and I always like when a cake freezes well. I’m in but heaven with all those walnuts on top!
Jessica Holmes says
Oh ME TOO Amanda! The Canadian Rockies are right up there on our bucket list. They just look incredibly magical 🙂
Adina says
I love banana cake and that frosting sounds delicious. We are going to England this summer, I really can’t wait, we lived in London for one year before our kids were born and haven’t been there since. I still miss it so much!
Jessica Holmes says
Wow England! That sounds amazing Adina! I hope you have a wonderful time and get to relive some of your favourite memories! 🙂
Kristy says
I am so with you! Everyone needs a collection of banana recipes to turn to when you have brown spotty bananas laying about! Banana cake with cream cheese frosting is one of my favourite cakes, however, I’ve got to try your cinnamon frosting instead!
Jessica Holmes says
Thanks Kristy! I LOVE cream cheese frosting too! This cinnamon frosting is so simple and great to throw together last minute 🙂
Lisa @ Chocolate Meets Strawberry says
Oh yes, I so feel you on the holiday front, Jess! It has been forever since we’ve been away, and when we do get away it’s usually only for a weekend and very rarely at that, so we don’t end up getting the chance to unwind. I can barely imagine what that wanderlust would be like if I was actually writing about holidays all day long!! Hope you get away soon. And how delicious does this cake look?! I particularly love that you have smothered it in delicious cinnamon icing and a whole lot of walnuts – YUM!
Jessica Holmes says
That is so true Lisa! Weekends away are great but they don’t quite have magic as a long holiday. I’ve found that holidays overseas, while they are tiring, are so much more refreshing 🙂