Moist, nutty, and topped with tangy cream cheese icing, this banana hazelnut cake is the ultimate way to use up ripe bananas and impress your guests.
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The theme for this month's Sweet Adventures Blog Hop is 'Say Cheese'. Oh how I love cheese. Nic, from Nic Cooks, who is this month's host, is quite the cheese connoisseur making a lot of cheese from scratch.
I've made labne and ricotta before but one day I really am going to try making feta for myself (hold me to it).
Now as much as I love cheese, I'm not all that adventurous with it when it comes to cheesy sweet treats which is why I think my entry is a bit of a cop out. Cream cheese icing counts doesn't it?
I think it does, especially when the full recipe is banana hazelnut cake with cream cheese icing.
I hope they don't but my friends might think I'm a little lazy. If a morning tea date is proposed, I nearly always offer to have them over to my house.
It's not because I don't want to leave the house, it's simply because I have a list of recipes I want to try with more items on it than hours in my life and I will take any excuse to give one a go.
This banana and hazelnut cake was on that list and seeing as it had the essential ingredient, it was a must-bake for morning tea. I knew my friend loved banana bread so the decision was made.
As she was coming at 9.30 the next morning, I baked the cake the night before so all I'd have to do was ice it.
It smelled amazing but when I opened the oven to check on it at 40 minutes, it was still quite jiggly in the middle. I gave it 1 hour total but sadly when it was finally cooked, it had sunk quite significantly in the middle.
Now why am I sharing something that sounds like such a failure? Because despite the less than level top, it was definitely blog-worthy. I smothered it with a little extra icing in the middle and focused the hazelnuts there too and you totally couldn't tell the crater was there.
This cake is like the best of banana bread and cake combined into one mouthful. It's moist and not too sweet and the hazelnut meal adds a lovely texture and subtle flavour. It also freezes well.
I cut up the leftovers, wrapped them up and froze them then took them up the coast to give mum as a present. I may have eaten a few slices (yes I'm an Indian-giver) and that's how I know it defrosts well. Enjoy!
What about you? Do you like cheese in dessert?
Recipe
Banana hazelnut cake with cream cheese icing
Ingredients
Cake
- 125 g buter softened
- 1 ¼ cup caster sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ cups self-raising flour
- 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- Pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon mixed spice
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 3 ripe bananas mashed
- 100 g 3oz hazelnut meal
Icing
- 2 tablespoon cream cheese
- 1 cup icing sugar
- 2 teaspoon lemon juice
- Handful of roasted hazelnuts crushed
- Icing sugar for dusting.
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 160C (350F) and grease and line a square 20cm (8") cake tin.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing after each addition.
- Sift the flour, bicarb, salt and spice together and then add half to the batter and beat it through.
- Add half the buttermilk and mix it in then repeat with the remaining flour and buttermilk.
- Add the banana and hazelnut meal and mix them through then spread the batter into the tin.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a cake tester inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Meanwhile make the icing.
- Beat the cream cheese in the bowl of an electric mixer until smooth then add the icing sugar and lemon juice.
- Beat on low until incorporated and then increase the speed to high and beat until white and spreadable (add a little extra lemon juice or water if needed).
- Spread the cooled cake with icing and top with hazelnuts then dust with icing sugar.
Lina says
Can I use normal milk instead of buttermilk
Claire says
You sure can. You can also just add a little lemon juice to milk to make buttermilk.
Monica @ Gastromony says
It's hard to resist cream cheese anything but gotta love it in an icing :)) Lovely looking cake.
Claire says
Thanks Monica!
Tania @ The Cook's Pyjamas says
I am a sucker for cream cheese icing. I may have been known to eat a significant portion of it before I iced a cake once. Or not. :)
Claire says
Nothing wrong with that Tania!
Jasmine says
I made a brown sugar banana cake with cream cheese frosting as our wedding cake, it was so moist and decadent. Your cake takes me right back to wedding cake memories - glorious!
Claire says
Oh how lovely Jasmine. I don't think I've heard of anyone having a banana cake as a wedding cake but how perfect!
Jasmine says
A completely gluten free (apart from beer) wedding, well most things will be different, plus we didn't really go down the traditional route, I mean 6 cakes, come ON! Oh, ok, fine 5 cakes and one massive bowl of homemade raspberry jelly made by my awesome husband. it was awesome, more weddings should have banana cake cakes :D
Claire says
Oh yum Jasmine that sounds wonderful!
The Café Sucre Farine says
Oh my goodness Claire, this does not look like a failure by any stretch of the imagination, it looks fabulous!
Claire says
Aww shucks. Thanks Chris!
Barbara @ Barbara Bakes says
This would be a great cake for your new Bundt pan. It sounds terrific, especially with the cream cheese icing.
Claire says
Wouldn't it Barbara! The tin arrived a few days after I made it.
Barbara Bamber | justasmidgen says
Never was a "crater" prettier disguised! Did you ever find out why it did that? Never mind, I would want the slice from the center of the crater, that would mean more of that yummy icing for me:) Lovely lovely cake, I'm a big fan of banana breads and cakes! xx
Claire says
I have no idea Barbara. Could have been cause I opened the oven too early?
Lisa the Gourmet Wog says
Icing is the perfect crater cover up!! Delicious too ;)
Claire says
Isn't it? If I had some berries they would have helped too.
The Life of Clare says
I'm a fan of cheesy desserts! But I really love cream cheese icing!
Claire says
It's hard to beat isn't it?
Maureen | Orgasmic Chef says
I think cream cheese icing is a great example of using cheese in cooking. This cake is a winner.
(making feta isn't difficult - I've done it and that means easy.)
Claire says
Haha I know... just need to get the bits and pieces to make it.
JJ @ 84thand3rd says
Cream Cheese Icing is one of my most favourite things! I'd love a slice of that cake :D
Claire says
You're welcome any time JJ!
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella says
AS a huge fan of icing I was all "Hello lover!" when I saw this. One day I want to make feta too :)
Claire says
Ok we can talk each other into it!
Nic says
It looks great, it's not a cop at at all! And now you have put it in writing, yes I will hold you to making feta! Thanks for joining the hop.
Claire says
Ok good! You'll have to check up on me. Thanks for hosting!
Swah says
Oh yum, cream cheese icing always counts! It has to be one of my favourite icings ever :)
Claire says
Yay!
Hotly Spiced says
That's a great looking cake, Claire and perfect for morning tea. I love how it has hazelnut meal in it and how it looks so moist. Yes, cheese in any format counts xx
Claire says
It was a nice addition that I never really would have pared with bananas x