Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (254 grams)
- 1/4 cup cornstarch (25 grams)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (98 grams)
- 1 1/3 cups sugar (266 grams)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup (about 2) mashed bananas
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 3/4 cup chopped hazelnuts (84 grams)
For the Frosting:
- 1/2 cup flour (63 grams)
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
- 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter (339 grams)
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (NOT powdered sugar, 300 grams)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/3 cup Nutella or hazelnut spread (98 grams)
- 1/3 cup chopped hazelnuts (37 grams)
Directions
For the Cake:
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Preheat oven to 375°F (350° if your pans are dark). Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans.
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In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, starch, baking powder, soda, and salt. Set aside.
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In a medium mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together. Beat in the eggs until smooth and then add the bananas and buttermilk, mixing until fully incorporated. Stir in the flour until just combined. Fold in the hazelnuts. Spread equally into two pans.
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Bake for 22-25 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Let the cakes cool in the pans for 5 minutes on a cooling rack and then remove from pans onto rack to cool completely.
For the Frosting:
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In a small sauce pan, whisk together cream and flour. Add milk and heat over medium-high heat whisking constantly. Cook until it turns into a thick sauce like pudding. Remove from heat and pour into a shallow container. Place in fridge or freezer and stir every 5 minutes until it has cooled to at least room temperature.
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In the bowl of a standing mixer, use the whisk attachment to beat the butter and sugar for 2 minutes or until fluffy. Add the cooled milk mixture, Nutella, and vanilla and beat for 6-10 minutes until it comes together and is fluffy. If the frosting is too airy, switch to using the paddle attachment and beat on low for 2-4 minutes.
Assembling the Cake:
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Place one cake on a cake stand and top with one fourth of the frosting. Place the second cake on top upside-down. Apply a thin layer of frosting on the top and sides of cake to create a crumb layer. Place cake in the fridge for 30-60 minutes and then frost the top and sides. Pipe additional decorations on top. Sprinkle the top of the cake with chopped hazelnuts and press more into the sides.
Recipe Notes
Banana Cake- adapted from Sweet Serendipity; Frosting- inspired by Our Best Bites
For the cake, Only mix the butter and sugar together? Or together until light and fluffy?
Hi Monique! Thanks for noting this – this is an older recipes in need of a little update 🙂 We recommend creaming the butter/sugar until light and fluffy (without over-creaming), about 2-3 minutes on your mixer’s medium setting. Check out this post Tessa wrote about perfectly creaming. Enjoy your cake!
Love this recipe, these flavors and the Ermine frosting (my new fav). The butter is not specifically stated and because it called for salt in the recipe I used unsalted butter in the batter and because there was no salt in the frosting I used salted butter there. Tasted perfect. I doubled and used a (2) 12” pans and baked for 13 min at 350. I did switch all the measurements to grams (which isn’t difficult with google) as I think that guarantees a perfect outcome.
These flavors are sooo good.
I’m absolutely thrilled you loved your cake, Cindy! I just updated the recipe with metric conversion for future use 🙂
Hey! The cake looks amazing! I would love to make one by myslef, but I have one essential question – how many grams has one cup? (Sorry, in my country we don’t use this)
Delicious recipe. Made it yesterday. My daughter liked it so much!
Hi, I have some ripe bananas handy so i want to whip this great looking cake up. Question, can I just use a Nutella Swiss M, or do you suggest I should take the extra time and make the frosting you have in the recipe?
Have you tried toasting the hazelnuts first? Would that be better or are the just as great Untoasted?
Do you think I could replace a couple of tbsp of flour with cocoa powder? I have a request for a banana chocolate cake.
It looks stunning! I want this to be my weeding cake, for sure. I’ll do it!
AS a huge fan of icing I was all “Hello lover!” when I saw this. One day I want to make feta too 🙂
This is indeed simple yet delicious. Definitely one to try for yourself! I think this will get me through many an afternoon-tea. Thanks for sharing, Melanie!
I feel as if that is slice is calling me to take a bite.. Looks absolutely delicious, and eating it would be bliss I guess
Melanie, this cake looks divine! Aren’t hazelnuts the best? Especially with chocolate. I’m going to need to find an excuse to make this as soon as possible.
: )
Gorgeous!
I made this cake for Mother’s Day and it was a hit! I thought it was so yummy! It was impressive and delish! The only thing I would change is the amount of sugar in the frosting (instead of 1 1/2 c. of sugar I might do 1 c. or 1 1/4 c.). Other than that the recipe is perfect! Your guests will love you for making this! 🙂
It looks stunning! I want this to be my weeding cake, for sure. I’ll do it!
Holy cow…I can’t even tell you how in love I am with this cake!! 🙂 It looks absolutely delicious!!
Heck. Yes. What a gorgeous cake! And you’re so right about Nutella- whoever invented it deserves a medal… and a big old scoop of Nutella.
I totally want a giant slice of this for breakfast right now!!!