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–+ servings

Banana Walnut Cream Cake with Whipped Cream Frosting

This banana walnut cream cake layers moist banana sponge with toasted walnuts, fresh banana slices, and clouds of whipped cream. A showstopper dessert.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 1
Course: Baking, Desserts
Cuisine: American
Calories: 690
Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

Cake Batter
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups very ripe bananas, mashed about 3 medium bananas
  • 1 cup buttermilk well shaken
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
Banana Filling
  • 2 to 3 medium ripe bananas, sliced
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
  • 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
Whipped Cream Frosting
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream kept cold in the refrigerator until whipping
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup powdered sugar adjust to taste
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Garnish (Optional)
  • as needed extra toasted walnuts, banana slices, chocolate shavings, or caramel sauce

Method
 

  1. Set the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter and flour two 9-inch round cake pans, or line the bottoms with parchment rounds.
  2. Scatter the chopped walnuts into a dry skillet over medium heat and stir for 3 to 4 minutes, until they smell toasty and fragrant. Slide them onto a plate to cool completely.
  3. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl. Leave it to one side.
  4. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter with the granulated sugar for 3 to 4 minutes, until pale and airy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract.
  5. Blend in the mashed bananas and buttermilk on low speed, stopping as soon as everything is combined.
  6. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in three additions, beginning and ending with the dry, stirring gently each time. Use a spatula to fold in the cooled toasted walnuts.
  7. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let the cakes rest in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto wire racks to cool fully.
  8. For the filling, gently toss the sliced bananas with the lemon juice and brown sugar. For the frosting, whip the chilled heavy cream with the powdered sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks hold.
  9. Set one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread whipped cream over it, arrange the banana slices on top, then add another layer of cream. Place the second cake layer over it and frost the top and sides with the remaining cream. Garnish as you like.
  10. Chill the assembled cake for at least 1 hour before slicing so the layers firm up and the slices come out neat.

Nutrition

Calories: 690kcalCarbohydrates: 64gProtein: 8gFat: 38gSaturated Fat: 19gCholesterol: 142mgSodium: 315mgFiber: 2gSugar: 39g

Notes

For the deepest flavor and natural sweetness, let your bananas ripen past the speckled stage, almost black, before mashing them.
Stop mixing the moment the last streaks of flour disappear, since an overworked batter gives a dense, chewy crumb instead of a tender one.
No buttermilk on hand? Stir 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar into 1 cup of whole milk and let it sit 5 minutes before using.
Make the cake layers up to a day ahead, wrap them tightly in plastic, and keep them at room temperature so assembly goes quickly.
Frost and fill the cake shortly before serving, because fresh whipped cream and sliced bananas hold their best texture for about 24 hours in the refrigerator.
Chill your bowl and beaters in the freezer for 10 minutes before whipping the cream, which helps it reach stiff peaks faster.
Serve slices cold with a drizzle of caramel or a few chocolate shavings, and store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 3 days.

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