Easy Banana Walnut Cake With Caramel Frosting

This elevated and comforting Banana Walnut Cake has everything you are looking for!  You will love this easy, moist banana bundt cake with a hint of cinnamon, crunchy walnuts and quick homemade caramel frosting.

Table of Contents

• What goes into this Recipe
• How to make a Banana Walnut Cake
• Expert Tips
• Storage and Freezing
• Recipe FAQs
• Do you love a good banana recipe? Try these…
• Easy Banana and Walnut Cake

There are lots of awesome banana recipes on Practically Homemade because I’m a huge banana fan. All of them are amazing but this new banana walnut cake recipe just might be my family’s all-time favorite.

There’s something special about banana cake. It’s comforting, homey, and always a hit with holiday meals. This recipe takes that classic flavor and kicks it up a notch with the addition of salted caramel.

Starting with a box mix saves time and the added spice – cinnamon – brings warmth to the banana flavor.

The moist and delicious banana cake with walnuts is topped with cream cheese caramel frosting for the perfect combination of flavors and textures.

What goes into this Recipe

• Yellow Cake Mix: This is the base of our banana and walnut cake recipe and saves time and effort.
• Ripe Bananas: Make sure they’re ripe – the more spots, the better. Overripe bananas are sweeter and mash easily with a potato masher, giving the bundt cake its signature flavor and moisture.
• Cinnamon: This warm spice is key in this delicious banana cake recipe. Feel free to adjust to your taste, but don’t skip it entirely.
• Walnuts: These tasty chopped nuts add great flavor and crunch to the cake.
• Cream Cheese: Full-fat cream cheese works best for the frosting. It gives a richer flavor and better texture.
• Caramel: You can use store-bought sauce from the grocery store for convenience or make your own homemade caramel sauce if you’re feeling ambitious. The salt in the caramel balances the sweetness of the cake and glaze.

See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How to make a Banana Walnut Cake

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F. In a large mixing bowl combine the cake mix and cinnamon, whisk to combine the dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients {milk, vegetable oil, large eggs and mashed bananas} to the dry ingredients. Beat the banana mixture with an electric mixer {or a stand mixer} until well combined.
2. Fold in the chopped walnuts with a rubber spatula or a wooden spoon.

3. Spray the pan liberally with nonstick spray and pour batter into your prepared pan.
4. Bake the bundt cake for 35-40 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick or a cake tester comes out with a few moist crumbs. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely – a warm cake will make your glaze runny.

5. For the caramel frosting, beat the softened cream cheese and unsalted butter until smooth. Add the vanilla and caramel and mix. Finally add the powdered sugar {1 cup at a time}, mixing until you reach a thick, spreadable consistency.
6. Once the best banana walnut cake is completely cool, spread the cream cheese frosting over the top of the cake {or pipe the frosting on the top of the bundt cake}. Finish with a generous drizzle of caramel sauce and extra crushed walnuts. For a picture-perfect look, let some of that gooey caramel drip down the outside of the cake.

Expert Tips

• Use over-ripe bananas. The riper they are, the sweeter and more flavorful your cake will be. If your fresh bananas aren’t ripe enough, you can speed up the process by putting them in a paper bag with an apple for a day or two.
• Add chocolate to the cake.  Add 1/2 cup of chocolate chips to the batter at the same time that you add the walnuts.
• Don’t overmix the batter. Mix just until the ingredients are combined. Overmixing can lead to a tough, dense cake.
• Grease your bundt pan thoroughly. Use a baking spray with flour or butter and flour the pan well to ensure easy release after baking.
• Let the cake cool completely before frosting. If the cake is even slightly warm, the frosting will melt and run off.
• Bring cream cheese to room temperature before making the glaze. This ensures a smooth, lump-free frosting.
• For a fancy presentation, reserve some of the caramel sauce to drizzle over individual slices just before serving. It also goes great with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a sprinkle of chocolate shavings!

Storage and Freezing

Store: Due to the cream cheese frosting, it’s best to store leftover cake in the refrigerator. Place it in an airtight container or cover it tightly with plastic wrap. It will stay fresh for up to 5 days. For the best flavor and texture, let the cake come to room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.

Freeze: You can freeze this Banana Snack Cake for up to 2 months. For best results, freeze the cake before adding the glaze and caramel sauce. Wrap the cooled banana walnut cake tightly in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil.

When ready to serve, thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature and add the frosting and caramel sauce just before serving. If freezing leftover glazed cake, know that the texture of the glaze may change slightly upon thawing.

Recipe FAQs

Do you love a good banana recipe? Try these…

Did you try this recipe?
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