A moist and flavorful cake, perfect for using up ripe bananas. The walnuts add a delightful crunch and nutty flavor.
Ingredients:
- For the Cake:
- 1 1/2 cups (190g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
- 1/2 cup (1 stick or 113g) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (about 2-3 medium) mashed ripe bananas
- 1/2 cup (120ml) buttermilk (or 1/2 cup milk with 1.5 teaspoons of lemon juice, let sit for 5 minutes)
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, plus extra for topping.
- Optional Frosting:
- Cream cheese frosting, or a simple dusting of powdered sugar.
Instructions:
- Preheat and Prepare:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Grease and flour a 9×9 inch square baking pan or a 9-inch round cake pan. You can also line it with parchment paper for easier removal.
- Combine Dry Ingredients:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon (if using).
- Cream Butter and Sugar:
- In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla:
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract.
- Combine Wet Ingredients:
- In a seperate bowl, mash the bananas very well.
- Measure out the buttermilk.
- Alternate Wet and Dry Ingredients:
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Stir in the mashed bananas.
- Add Walnuts:
- Fold in the chopped walnuts.
- Bake:
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Sprinkle extra walnuts on top if desired.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool:
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Frost (Optional):
- Once the cake is completely cooled, frost it with your favorite cream cheese frosting or dust it with powdered sugar.
- Serve:
- Slice and enjoy!
Tips for Success:
- Use very ripe bananas for the best flavor and moisture.
- Don’t overmix the batter, as this can result in a tough cake.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting.
- Buttermilk adds a nice tang to the cake, but the lemon juice and milk substitution works well.
- To check if the cake is done, lightly press the top of the cake. It should spring back.
- You can add chocolate chips to this recipe for a banana walnut chocolate chip cake.