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There is something quietly magical about baking with bananas. A homemade banana walnut cake feels familiar, comforting, and wonderfully unfussy. It is the sort of bake you make on a lazy weekend, with music playing softly in the background and a hot cup of tea waiting nearby.
If you have a few ripe bananas on the counter and a handful of walnuts tucked away in the cupboard, you already have the beginning of something special. This cake brings together soft banana sweetness with the rich crunch of toasted walnuts, creating a bake that feels simple yet completely satisfying.
And if you have been searching for a banana walnut cake recipe that feels approachable, cosy, and full of flavour, this one might just become your new favourite.
- Cuisine: European
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
Ingredients
- 3 ripe bananas, mashed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup caster sugar
- 1 and a half cups plain flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of bicarbonate soda
- 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- A pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled.
- 1/2 a cup of whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon plain flour for coating walnuts
- Icing sugar for dusting
- Honey or maple syrup, optional
Baking Steps
1. Preheat the oven and prepare your tin
Start by preheating your oven to 180°C. Grease and line an 8-inch round cake tin with baking paper. It may seem like a small detail, but this makes lifting the cake out later feel effortless.
2. Prepare the bananas
Peel your bananas and mash them in a bowl until smooth. A few little lumps are perfectly fine because they add lovely pockets of flavour throughout the cake. The sweeter and softer the bananas are, the richer the flavour becomes. Those slightly spotty bananas that no one wants to eat are often the real heroes here.
3. Prepare the walnuts
Place your chopped walnuts in a small bowl and toss them gently with brown sugar and a spoonful of flour. This helps them stay beautifully suspended in the batter rather than sinking to the bottom. It also gives the nuts a subtle caramel note once baked, making every bite feel extra special.
4. Mix the wet ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and caster sugar until pale and smooth. Add the melted butter, milk, vanilla extract, and mashed bananas. Stir gently until everything comes together into a silky mixture.
5. Combine the dry ingredients
In another bowl, sift together the plain flour, baking powder, sodium bicarbonate, cinnamon, and salt. Slowly fold the dry mixture into the wet ingredients using a spatula. Mix just until combined. Overmixing can make the cake dense, and this cake deserves a soft, tender crumb.
6. Fold in the walnuts
Add the prepared walnuts and fold them through the batter gently. You know every slice is going to have that perfect nutty bite.
7. Bake the cake
Pour the batter into your prepared tin and smooth the top. Place it in the oven and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the top turns a beautiful golden colour and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
8. Cool and decorate
Leave the cake in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack. Once cooled, dust lightly with icing sugar. If you feel like making it a little more indulgent, drizzle a touch of honey or maple syrup over the top.
How to Know When It Is Done?
- The top should look golden and slightly springy when touched.
- A skewer inserted into the centre should come out clean.
- The edges should pull away ever so slightly from the tin.
- The walnuts should smell lightly toasted and rich.
Tips for the Best Results
- Use very ripe bananas for maximum sweetness and flavour.
- Do not skip coating the walnuts with flour, as it helps them stay evenly spread through the batter.
- If you enjoy a deeper flavour, lightly toast the walnuts before adding them.
- Let the cake cool before slicing if you want cleaner, neater pieces.
- If you like extra texture, keep a few walnut pieces aside to sprinkle on top before baking.
Serving Ideas That Always Work
- Serve a warm slice with a cup of strong tea on a rainy afternoon.
- Add a spoonful of vanilla custard for a comforting dessert after dinner.
- Pair it with coffee for a simple weekend treat.
- Spread a little butter over a warm slice for something wonderfully nostalgic.
- Top with whipped cream and fresh banana slices if guests are coming over.
Basically, this is your official excuse to stop judging overripe bananas or healthy walnuts and start seeing their potential. They are not just healthy munchies, but also delicious cakes waiting to happen!