Banana Cake with Gooey Walnut Filling

This simple layer cake is full of flavor! Moist layers with sweet filling in between are topped with a whipped cream cheese frosting that is out of this world delish!

Banana cake with gooey walnut filling and whipped cream cheese frosting is not an incredibly elegant dessert recipe. It is not low calorie nor low carb.

It is pure comfort food, straight from grandma's kitchen — that is if you had a grandma that baked. Tender layers of banana cake are filled with a walnut filling (similar to pecan pie), and frosting with a tangy-sweet whipped cream cheese frosting that's so light it's like biting into a cloud.

While I was baking it the whole house was banana scented. The flavor is intensely banana swathed in a cloud of whipped cream cheese - I'll tell you what, I couldn't keep my fingers out of it.

And, moist? Listen, if this was a state it would be Washington, o.k.?This banana walnut cake is extremely moist — and it stays that way.

The texture changes from the tender cake to the crunchy walnuts and the creamy frosting make it interesting. Drooling yet? Yeah,

I am ready for another piece.

Tips

We don't often have over-ripe bananas around but when we do I make this cake. Here are some tips and tricks to ensure success!

• Use ripe bananas - the riper the better. Mine were almost liquid on the inside by the time I got around to making this cake.
• If you find yourself with extra bananas that are about to be too ripe for anything just pop them in the freezer, peel and all. You can thaw them and use them as needed.
• Replace 1 to 2 tablespoons of the buttermilk in the cake with rum for a delicious variation.
• The cake freezes well but the frosting and filling do not. Wrap the unfrosted layers in plastic wrap and freeze to use as needed.
• Adding a layer of greased and floured parchment to the cake pan ensures that the cake comes out easily.
• Substitute pecans or macadamia nuts for the walnuts.

Related recipes

If there's one thing I love it's a good, old fashioned cake recipe. Sure, those pretty cakes that look like unicorns or shoes are gorgeous but I like a simple layer cake swirled with creamy frosting that looks like mom just carried to from the table to the counter. Here are some of my favorite cake recipes here on Restless Chipotle.

• The absolute BEST chocolate mayonnaise cake ever.
• Pretty orange layer cake with a burst of fresh citrus flavor.
• Pig Pickin' Cake is an old fashioned southern favorite.
• Pineapple Upside Down Cake like mom used to make for Canasta parties.
• Old fashioned Chocolate Sheet Cake is perfect for potlucks.

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This is a pretty easy recipe but there are a few things that make it even easier. I love these Wilton layer cake pans because they are heavy and cakes cook evenly. I've had mine forever and they still work great.

I used to just use my pans until they were awful but I've learned to cut myself some slack and "treat " myself to new pans when I need them. Try these pans and I know you'll love them.

Leftover Bananas

Sooner or later it happens to all of us - you walk in the kitchen one morning and the bananas have gone past the point of no return. You've got to do SOMETHING and SOON.

Never fear! I've got you. Here are some great recipes to help you use up those leftover, over ripe bananas!

• Peanut Butter Banana Bread
• Oreo Banana Bread
• Banana Baked Donuts

Kaffeeklatch

Have you noticed that bananas are not considered upscale? I mean not that many five star desserts start out with a banana. Nope. It is the after-school milk and cake crowd that loves these things. And so do I.

O.k.. seriously. What is not to like about a banana? They are primo comfort food for almost everyone. You bite into  creamy, sweet yumminess and in return? You get a ton of potassium. Gotta love bananas.

In fact, you may find this hard to believe BUT my family once ate a whole case of bananas in two days....and lived to tell the tale. If you love bananas even half as much as we do you are going to adore this banana walnut cake.

Banana cake is an old fashioned cake. It isn't fancy, or difficult but it is really, really good. I promise. Good enough for cozy family dinners or dessert to impress the mother-in-law. C'mon... you know you want some of this....

If you love banana flavor as much as I do give this old fashioned banana pudding a try, too.

📖 Recipe

4.69 from 19 votes

Banana Cake

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This banana cake with walnut filling is tender, buttery, and full of banana flavor. The tangy cream cheese frosting is the perfect finish for this sweet comfort food.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American - Southern

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes minutes

Servings:12 servings

Calories:651

Author:Marye Audet-White

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Ingredients

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Cake

• ▢ ¾ cup butter
• ▢ 1-½ cups sugar
• ▢ 1 cup banana, , very ripe and mashed
• ▢ ½ cup buttermilk
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ▢ 2 eggs
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 2 cups cake flour, , or all-purpose
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder

Walnut Filling

• ▢ ½ cup sugar
• ▢ 2 tablespoons flour
• ▢ ½ cup heavy cream
• ▢ 2 tablespoons butter
• ▢ ½ cup walnuts, , chopped
• ▢ ⅓ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla

Cream Cheese Frosting

• ▢ 16 ounces cream cheese
• ▢ ½ cup butter, , unsalted
• ▢ ¼ cup heavy cream
• ▢ 2 cups Confectioner’s sugar
• ▢ 1 tablespoon vanilla
• ▢ 2 teaspoons vanilla instant pudding powder

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Instructions

Cake

• Preheat the oven to 375F.
• Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans.
• Set aside.
• Cream together the sugar and butter.
• With mixer on low speed add the eggs, beating well to completely mix them in.
• Blend in the banana and vanilla.
• Stir dry ingredients together until well blended.
• Add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients.
• Spoon the batter into the pans.
• Bake in 375°F oven 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Filling

• Combine sugar, flour, butter, and cream in a heavy saucepan.
• Cook until thickened, stirring constantly.
• Add the nuts, vanilla, and salt.
• Cool .
• Spoon between the layers of cooled cake.

Frosting

• Beat the cream cheese, butter, and cream until well blended and fluffy.
• Add the confectioner’s sugar and instant pudding; continue to beat until smooth. You may need to add a bit more or less than specified to get the proper texture.
• Beat in the vanilla.

Assembly

• Spoon the walnut filling thickly on top of one of the cooled cake layers.
• Cover with the second layer, pressing down gently.
• Frost thickly with the whipped cream cheese frosting.
• Sprinkle more walnuts on top if desired.
• Store in the refrigerator.

You'll find more helpful tips and variations in the body of the post.

Nutrition Facts

Calories: 651kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 43g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Cholesterol: 118mg | Sodium: 585mg | Potassium: 231mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 40g | Vitamin A: 1405IU | Vitamin C: 1.7mg | Calcium: 87mg | Iron: 0.6mg

Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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This post has been updated from the original July 2010 version. Last updated Feb 15, 2023 for editorial improvements.