Banana Walnut Snack Cake*

By srumbel

This banana cake is one of mine. It has a beautiful tender crumb with a hint of cinnamon and a generous banana flavour. It is really simple and easy to make, using only common ingredients. And it freezes really well, so it's a great one for the lunchbox. It's currently my favourite way to use up those overripe bananas sitting in my fruit bowl and is a little bit lighter than banana bread. To make it a little bit special, I love to spread over a layer of creamy cinnamon frosting and sprinkle over a handful of chopped walnuts.
from sweetestmenu.com*

Ingredients

• Banana cake
• 210 grams (1 and 1/2 cups) plain flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 115 grams (1/2 cup or 1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 150 grams (3/4 cup) caster sugar
• 45 grams (1/4 cup) brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 60 ml (1/2 cup) buttermilk
• 2 large overripe bananas
• Cinnamon frosting
• 60 grams (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
• 125 grams (1 cup) powdered or icing sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 90 grams (1 cup) chopped walnuts

Preparation

Step 1

Grease and line an 8 inch square cake tin with baking or parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 180 C (360 F). In a large bowl, sift the plain flour, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon. Peel and mash the bananas well. In a separate large mixing bowl, add the butter and sugars and beat with an electric mixer for a a couple of minutes until it is creamy, pale and combined. Add the vanilla and beat again briefly. Then add the eggs, one at a time, beating in between until creamy.

Finally, add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, along with buttermilk and the mashed banana. Gently fold with a spatula until just combined. Transfer the mixture into your prepared pan and pop into the oven for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.

To make the frosting, beat together the butter, powdered or icing sugar and cinnamon, adding the milk as needed, until the frosting is nice and smooth. Spread over your cooled cake and then top with chopped walnuts.

Makes one 8 inch cake