Mashed bananas, walnuts, and cinnamon make this Banana Walnut Cake a moist and comforting treat! Decorated with cream cheese frosting, every bite is perfectly sweet with just the right amount of banana flavor.

Simple one layer cakes are my jam. They’re easy to bake and don’t need elaborate decorations to be impressive. I’ll put a vegan coffee cake and almond flour chocolate cake out at the party and every slice is gone before I know it!

This Banana Walnut Cake recipe is yet another easy cake that’s delicious and crowd-pleasing. Mashed bananas and crushed walnuts give it its signature flavor and soft crunch while yogurt, oil, and baking staples yield a moist and soft crumb. It’s a rustic cake at heart, but a healthy layer of cream cheese frosting and extra walnuts on top give it a refined finishing touch. 

Recipe features

• Making a banana cake with walnuts and cinnamon is the secret to a rustic, yet warm and comforting dessert. 
• It’s an easy one layer cake that’s decorated with deliciously sweet cream cheese frosting.
• It’s ultra moist, fluffy, tender, and warmly spiced!

Ingredients

All purpose flour – I find that all purpose flour gives me a fluffy and tender cake every time. A 1:1 mix of all purpose flour and whole wheat flour should work well, too.

Bananas – Use the spotty and overripe bananas on your kitchen counter, just like you would in this vegan banana bread recipe. They taste sweeter and more banana-y than underripe bananas, and are a breeze to mash!

Walnuts – Crushed walnuts not only add a soft crunch and nutty flavor to the cake but these brain-healthy nuts also lend a boost of plant-based omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, and plenty of other health benefits. If you don’t have walnuts, use any other crushed nuts you have on hand. Almonds, macadamia nuts, cashews, or pecans are all great substitutes.

Cinnamon – A dash of cinnamon pairs perfectly with the banana flavors and makes this easy cake super comforting. You can add a pinch of nutmeg, allspice, and/or ground ginger for extra warmth.

White and brown sugar – Using both of these sugars gives the cake the perfect amount of sweetness while complimenting its warm flavors. You can use only white or brown sugar if you don’t have both at home but the cake will taste slightly different.

Cream cheese frosting – To decorate the cake! If you want to mix things up, swap the cream cheese icing for my maple glaze or mascarpone honey icing instead.

Instructions

Step 1: Make the batter. Whisk the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. In a separate large bowl, beat the wet ingredients together.

Step 2: Finish the batter. Gently mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. To finish, fold in the walnuts.

Step 3: Bake. Pour the batter into your prepared cake pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Set it aside to cool in the pan when it’s done.

Step 4: Make the frosting. Beat the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla together in a bowl. Then, on low speed, gradually beat in the powdered sugar until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.

Step 5: Decorate. Use a spatula to spread the frosting on top of the cooled cake. Garnish with chopped walnuts, then slice and enjoy!

Tips and Banana Walnut Cake FAQs

• If you can’t have nuts, make the cake with sunflower seeds or pepitas instead.
• Decorate your banana and walnut cake with more crushed walnuts, a drizzle of maple syrup or honey, or toasted coconut shreds.

How do I make a banana walnut cake a layered cake?

Double the recipe and bake the cake in two 8-inch round cake pans instead. After they’re baked and cooled, spread the icing on top of one of the cake layers, add the second layer on top, and decorate the tops and sides with the rest of the icing.

Can I use this banana cake recipe to make cupcakes instead?

I haven’t tested it but making cupcakes out of this recipe should work well. Pour the batter into a lined standard muffin tin and bake for 22 to 28 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool before decorating them with cream cheese frosting and walnuts.

I don’t have a square pan. Can I bake the cake in a different pan?

If you don’t have an 8-inch square baking pan, you can use a round 9-inch cake pan or standard loaf pan instead. Just remember that different sized pans will require different baking times.

Can banana cake be made gluten free?

I haven’t tried making the banana cake with gluten free flour. If you want to try, use an all purpose gluten free flour blend.

Storage

Refrigerator: Wrap the cake or individual slices in plastic and keep them in the fridge. The cake stays fresh and moist for about 3 days.

Freezer: Wrap the baked and unfrosted cake in plastic wrap and freeze it for up to 3 months. Let it thaw at room temperature before decorating and serving.

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If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!