Classic Banana Walnut Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
This Classic Banana Walnut Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is a moist and flavorful dessert perfect for any occasion. Made with ripe bananas, toasted walnuts, and warm cinnamon spices, it is topped with a rich and creamy homemade cream cheese frosting. Easy to prepare and baked to perfection, this cake offers a perfect balance of sweetness and texture.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35-40 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Cake Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1.5 teaspoons baking soda
- 0.5 teaspoon baking powder
- 0.5 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 0.5 cup granulated sugar
- 0.5 cup packed light brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1.5 cups mashed very ripe bananas (about 3–4 large bananas)
- 0.5 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup chopped toasted walnuts
Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese (softened)
- 0.5 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat & Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13 inch baking pan or line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to help easily remove the cake once baked.
- Toast Walnuts: Heat a dry skillet over medium heat and add the chopped walnuts. Toast them for 3-5 minutes, shaking the pan frequently to prevent burning, until fragrant. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon until well combined.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar until fully blended. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Mash Bananas & Add Buttermilk: In a small bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until mostly liquid with some small lumps remaining. Whisk the mashed bananas and buttermilk into the wet ingredients until combined.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Pour the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients. Using a spatula, gently fold the mixture together just until no dry flour streaks remain. Avoid overmixing to keep the cake tender.
- Add Walnuts: Fold the toasted and cooled walnuts into the batter evenly.
- Bake the Cake: Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan, spreading it evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached.
- Cool the Cake: Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool completely in the pan on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. The cake must be fully cool before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting.
- Prepare the Cream Cheese Frosting: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and unsalted butter together until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar while continuing to beat until the frosting is fluffy. Stir in the vanilla extract and a pinch of salt, mixing until fully incorporated.
- Frost the Cake: Once the cake is completely cooled, transfer it to a serving platter if desired. Spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the top of the cake using a spatula or knife. Slice and serve.
Notes
- Use very ripe bananas for the best flavor and moisture in the cake.
- To easily remove the cake from the pan, line it with parchment paper with an overhang on two sides.
- Do not overmix the batter to avoid a dense cake.
- The cake must be completely cool before applying the cream cheese frosting to prevent melting and sliding.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
- Toast walnuts carefully and watch for burning as they can brown quickly.
Keywords: banana cake, walnut cake, cream cheese frosting, banana walnut cake, classic banana cake, moist banana cake, homemade cake
