Scrumptious Banana Cake

Those brown-spotted bananas sitting on your counter are about to become your best baking decision this week.

Three mashed bananas go into a buttermilk-based batter with chopped walnuts, creating a cake that’s incredibly moist and packed with real banana flavor.

Bake it as a sheet cake for a crowd or split it between two round pans for a layered showpiece, then slather the whole thing in buttercream frosting.

The crumb is tender without being fragile, and the banana flavor actually intensifies as it sits. Good luck keeping it around long enough to find that out.

Pro Tips

• The riper the bananas, the better. You want them nearly black on the outside for the most intense sweetness and moisture.
• Don’t overmix once the eggs go in. Two minutes of beating is plenty. More than that develops too much gluten and toughens the crumb.
• No buttermilk? Stir a tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice into regular milk and let it sit for 5 minutes.

Variations

• Fold in chocolate chips along with the walnuts for a banana-chocolate combo.
• Swap the walnuts for toasted pecans for a warmer, more Southern flavor.
• Top with cream cheese frosting instead of buttercream for a tangier finish.