Hazelnut Cream Banana Cake

A Sweet and Nutty Banana Cake with Brown Sugar Hazelnut Buttercream and Toasted Praline Hazelnuts makes for a Simple yet Irresistible Treat!

The sweet scent of ripe bananas and hazelnut cream wafting through any home can be incredibly warm and inviting through the brisk winter months.  A slice of this cake could be everything you need to keep you feeling cozy around the kitchen or snuggled under a plush throw over the couch. With a tall glass of cold milk, this becomes everything I need to get me through the winter blues.  

Unlike the last cake made with a unique buttercream design, we can go much simpler and more quickly whipping out a gorgeous, rustic, naked layered cake.  No special tools or advanced skills needed to create this gem which ultimately means, less fuss and more charm! 

This recipe calls for a few common ingredients which may already be stocked in your pantry such as chocolate hazelnut cream (I used Nutella), raw hazelnuts and fresh but ripe bananas. These three are an enduringly irresistible combination!  

Let’s not forget the texture of the sweet nutty crunch of the praline hazelnuts capped over the cake.  Once again, no special technique or cake topper to give that WOW factor. This time, we’re keeping it very simple. Just remember, when cutting a slice, sprinkle a few praline hazelnuts to not miss out on this cake’s true potential and depth of not only flavor, but texture!   

If you enjoyed this recipe, consider commenting & rating below. I love to see your feedback and help answer any questions. Don’t forget to check below for related recipes.

Hazelnut Cream Banana Cake

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★★★★★

5 from 4 reviews

• Author: URBAN BAKES
• Total Time: 2 hours
• Yield: 2 layered 8-inch cake 1x
• Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

A Sweet and Nutty Banana Cake with Brown Sugar Hazelnut Buttercream and Toasted Praline Hazelnuts which makes for a Simple yet Irresistible Treat!

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

BANANA CAKE

• 1/4 cup (57 grams) unsalted butter
• 1 1/3 cups (267 grams) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs (100 grams)
• 2 cups (250 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 cup (240 grams) sour cream
• 1 1/2 cups (341 grams) overripe bananas, peeled and mashed (about 3 large bananas)
• 2 teaspoons (8 grams) pure vanilla extract
  

BROWN SUGAR HAZELNUT BUTTERCREAM

• 1 cup (220 grams) dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup (60 grams) milk, warmed to 110°F (43°C)
• 3 cups (360 grams) powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons (48 grams) chocolate hazelnut spread
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

PRALINE HAZELNUTS

• 2 cups (226 grams) chopped hazelnuts
• 1/2 cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon egg white
• Demerara sugar, optional

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Instructions

1. BANANA CAKE: Heat oven to 350°F (180°C).  Prepare 2 8-inch round baking pans with baking spray with flour or grease bottom and sides with butter and lightly flour to coat; set aside. 
2. In a large bowl attached to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed, beat butter and sugar until light in color and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs and continue to beat until mixture is uniform. 
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.  Gradually add flour mixture into the butter mixture alternately with sour cream beating on low to medium speed until just combined.  Fold in mashed banana and vanilla. 
4. Divide batter evenly among the prepared baking pans and bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. 
5. Allow cakes to cool in pans for 10 minutes.  Remove cakes from pans and let cool completely before frosting with buttercream. 
6. BUTTERCREAM: In a small saucepan over medium-heat high, bring brown sugar and butter to a light boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and allow to cool for 15 minutes. Stir in warmed milk. 
7. In a large bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment on medium speed, beat brown sugar mixture, powdered sugar, chocolate-hazelnut spread and salt until light in color and uniform texture, about 2 minutes. 
8. Spread over cooled cakes.  
9. PRALINE HAZELNUTS: Heat oven to 200°F (93°C).  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat; set aside. 
10. In a medium bowl, whisk together hazelnuts, sugar and egg white. Carefully pour spread hazelnuts onto the prepared baking pan.  
11. Bake for 12 minutes.  Remove from the oven and allow hazelnuts to cool completely before sprinkling over the top of the cake. Sprinkle demerara sugar over the top of the cake for an added touch of sweetness.

Notes

Original recipe calls for frozen bananas and to thaw, reserve and caramelize banana juices.  Due to not having frozen bananas beforehand, I opted for the overripe bananas I currently had.

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 30 minutes
• Category: Cake
• Cuisine: American

Keywords: banana cake, hazelnut cream, hazelnut buttercream, hazelnut frosting, layered cake

Recipe adapted from p. 15 of Bake From Scratch Vol. 2

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