Banana Nut Cake
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This Banana Nut Cake is incredibly moist, tender, and packed with real banana flavor. Itโs an easy, unfussy cake and one of my favorite ways to turn those very brown bananas sitting on the counter into something everyone comes running to eat.
If you love this recipe, you should try my Banana Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting, Banana Oatmeal Cookies, and Bananas Flambe (With Grand Marnier).
Quick Look: Banana Nut Cake
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50โ60 minutes
- Total Time: About 1 hour 15 minutes
- Servings: 10โ12
- Dietary Info: Vegetarian
- Method: Baking
- Pan: 9-inch round cake pan
- Flavor: Sweet banana, buttery walnuts, vanilla, cinnamon
- Texture: Moist, tender cake with crunchy walnuts
- Best For: Using overripe bananas, brunch, afternoon treats, casual desserts, and gatherings
Why Youโll Love This Banana Walnut Cake Recipe (Incredibly Moist & Easy)!
This is exactly the kind of simple cake I love to have sitting on my kitchen counter. It feels a little more special than banana bread, but itโs just as easy to make.
The secret is starting with those very brown bananas that nobody wants to eat anymore; theyโre exactly what I want for baking! Sour cream keeps the cake wonderfully tender, while the walnuts add just enough crunch. I love it simply dusted with powdered sugar, but when I want to dress it up, I add the creamy frosting, fresh banana slices, and a few walnuts on top.
Try my Chocolate Covered Bananas and Banana Cream Pie Recipe next time!
Made With Amore,
Table of Contents
Simple Ingredients
A handful of familiar baking ingredients come together to make this moist banana nut cake full of homemade flavor.
- Overripe Bananas: The star of the recipe. Use very ripe, heavily spotted bananas for the sweetest flavor and best texture.
- Sour Cream or Greek Yogurt: Keeps the cake tender and moist. I prefer full-fat sour cream for the richest crumb, but plain Greek yogurt works beautifully.
- Butter: Melted butter gives the cake richness and makes the batter easy to prepare without a mixer.
- Granulated + Brown Sugar: Granulated sugar provides sweetness while a little brown sugar adds moisture and caramel-like depth.
- Walnuts: Add texture and a slightly earthy, buttery flavor. Pecans are also delicious.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations & Substitutions
- Greek Yogurt Substitution: Substitute plain Greek yogurt for the sour cream.
- Nut Variation: Replace the walnuts 1:1 with finely chopped pecans. Try my Pecanย Pie Brownies next!
- Nut-Free Option: Simply omit the walnuts. No other changes are needed.
- Chocolatey Banana Nut Cake: Swap some or all of the walnuts for semisweet chocolate chips. Youโll love my Chocolateย Chip Banana Bread
How to Make Banana Nut Cake
The batter comes together in a few easy steps, then the oven does the rest while the cake bakes up tender and golden. Follow the step-by step photos and see the recipe card at the bottom for a printable version.
- Preheat the oven to 350ยฐF. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas until mostly smooth. Measure out 2 cups. Add the sour cream, melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, and eggs to the mashed bananas. Whisk until smooth and well combined.
- Place a fine-mesh sieve directly over the bowl of wet ingredients. Add the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and optional nutmeg to the sieve. Sift the dry ingredients directly into the wet mixture. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Avoid overmixingโa few small streaks of flour are okay at this point.
- Fold in the finely chopped walnuts just until evenly distributed and no dry flour remains.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 45โ60 minutes. Ovens vary, so begin checking for doneness at 45 minutes.
- Insert a toothpick into the center; the cake is ready when it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If the top is browning before the center is done, loosely tent it with foil and continue baking. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then carefully remove it and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Add the butter, heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla in a bowl, mixing until fully combined and fluffy.
- Once completely cool, spread with the frosting.
- Top with fresh banana slices and walnuts. For a simple finish, skip the frosting and dust generously with powdered sugar.
Banana Nut Cake FAQs
You can bake the cake one day ahead-of-time. Make sure to cool completely, and cover tightly. Frost before serving.
Store unfrosted cake covered for 2 days. Store frosted cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving for the softest texture.
For longer storage, freeze the unfrosted cake or individual slices tightly wrapped for up to 3 months.
The browner, the better! I look for bananas with lots of dark brown spots or skins that are almost completely brown. As bananas ripen, they become sweeter, softer, and much more flavorful. Firm yellow bananas simply wonโt give this cake the same deep banana flavor.
Too much banana, too much flour, or overmixing can create a dense cake. Measure 2 cups of mashed banana and, if possible, weigh your flour.
There are two ingredients doing most of the work here: 2 cups of mashed ripe bananas and sour cream.
The bananas bring natural moisture and sweetness, while the sour cream adds richness without making the cake feel oily. Melted butter gives you that wonderful buttery flavor.
The other important step is not overmixing. Once the flour is added, gently fold the batter just until no dry streaks remain. Overmixing can turn a soft cake into a dense one.
Serving Suggestions
Before enjoying a slice of this cake, try a comforting main, like my Juicy Oven Baked Pork Chops or Creamy Chicken Orzo. This banana nut cake is delicious with a cup of coffee or tea, and it also pairs well with other homemade treats. For a dessert spread, add Bananaย Bread Cookies or Cinnamonย Swirl Bread for more cozy baked flavors. If youโre looking for something lighter alongside the cake, try my Italianย Fruitย Salad.
My Pro Tips
Recipe Tips
- Measure the bananas after mashing. You need 2 cups. Five bananas are only an estimate.
- Use full-fat sour cream for richness. Greek yogurt works well, but full-fat sour cream gives the cake an especially tender crumb.
- Donโt overmix. Fold the flour into the batter only until combined.
- Watch the center. A round cake this moist needs enough time for the middle to bake through. If the top is done before the center, tent it loosely with foil.
- Cool before frosting. Even a slightly warm cake can melt the butter-based frosting.
More Cake Recipes Youโll Love
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Banana Nut Cake Recipe
Ingredientsย
Banana Walnut Cake
- 2 cups overripe bananas, about 5 medium bananas, mashed
- 1 cup sour cream, or plain Greek yogurt
- 8 tablespoons butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ยผ cup light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 ยผ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ยฝ teaspoon ground nutmeg, optional
- 1 cup finely chopped walnuts, or your favorite nuts
Optional Frosting
- 4 tablespoons butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream, plus more as needed
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ยผ teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
Optional Toppings
- Powdered sugar, for dusting
- Fresh banana slices
- Chopped or whole walnuts
Instructionsย
- Prepare the oven and pan. Preheat the oven to 350ยฐF. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- Mash the bananas. In a large mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas until mostly smooth. Measure out 2 cups.
- Mix the wet ingredients. Add the sour cream, melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, and eggs to the mashed bananas. Whisk until smooth and well combined.
- Sift in the dry ingredients. Place a fine-mesh sieve directly over the bowl of wet ingredients. Add the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and optional nutmeg to the sieve. Sift the dry ingredients directly into the wet mixture.
- Combine the batter. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Avoid overmixingโa few small streaks of flour are okay at this point.
- Add the walnuts. Fold in the finely chopped walnuts just until evenly distributed and no dry flour remains.
- Bake. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 45โ60 minutes. Ovens vary, so begin checking for doneness at 45 minutes. Insert a toothpick into the center; the cake is ready when it comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If the top is browning before the center is done, loosely tent it with foil and continue baking.
- Cool. Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then carefully remove it and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Finish and serve. Once completely cool, spread with the optional frosting and top with fresh banana slices and walnuts. For a simple finish, skip the frosting and dust generously with powdered sugar.
Notes
- Measure the bananas after mashing. You need 2 cups. Five bananas are only an estimate.
- Use full-fat sour cream for richness. Greek yogurt works well, but full-fat sour cream gives the cake an especially tender crumb.
- Donโt overmix. Fold the flour into the batter only until combined.
- Watch the center. A round cake this moist needs enough time for the middle to bake through. If the top is done before the center, tent it loosely with foil.
- Cool before frosting. Even a slightly warm cake can melt the butter-based frosting.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
