Banana Hazelnut Cake is a flavorful tender banana cake covered in silky smooth Nutella frosting.
This last week I have been working really hard to stay positive. Chocolate and sweet treats like this yummy Banana Hazelnut Cake really help. What’s been getting me down? Two words– Potty. Training. Oh boy, it’s been a beast! I haven’t even had it as bad as some of my friends, but as a germophobe I wanted to fold after the first two hours on day 1!
Cooking while my potty training toddler is awake has become somewhat impossible because when she’s gotta go, she’s gotta go NOW. My advice– turn off the stove before taking off. I had to scrap the beginnings of our dinner last night. Nap time is my saving grace and has helped me stay sane.
Despite potty training being emotionally and physically (yeah, racing up the stairs with a 30 pound child 10+ times a day is a workout) exhausting and me losing it on occasion, Carly has been super loving and cuddly (when I’m not forcing her to sit on the potty) which has definitely helped me be more patient with her. She is just too cute!
So, this cake is fantastic! The banana cake is super moist and tender with lots of flavor. And then it’s covered in the most delicious frosting– Nutella Frosting. Nutella is amazing isn’t it?! I could eat it on everything! If you haven’t tried it on crepes, you should! Anyway, the frosting is so smooth and pairs fabulously with the banana cake.
For extra good measure I highly recommend eating a piece of this Banana Hazelnut Cake with some fresh banana slices and more Nutella. YUM!
Banana Hazelnut Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 7 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 1/3 cups sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup about 2 mashed bananas
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 3/4 cup chopped hazelnuts
For the Frosting:
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1 cup milk
- 1/2 cup whipping cream
- 1 1/2 cups 3 sticks butter
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, NOT powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/3 cup Nutella or hazelnut spread
- 1/3 cup chopped hazelnuts
Instructions
For the Cake:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (350 if you pans are dark). Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, starch, baking powder, soda, and salt. Set aside.
- 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. 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:
- 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.
- 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 cake:
- 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 Source: Banana Cake adapted from Sweet Serendipity
*This recipe first appeared over at Handle the Heat where I’m a contributor.
I just made this recipe and it is fantastic! The frosting is so fluffy and silky and the cake is delicious!
This cake is a showstopper! I cannot bake cakes for the life of me, so I’m so in awe of your skills 🙂 Love the flavor combination, too!