Simple and insanely delicious baking project here we come. Guys this cake is what dreams are made of. Nutella and banana dreams to be exact. Words can’t do justice how good it is. And look, it’s in the form of a sheet cake. Which means, it’s a make, bake and slap on some frosting kind of thing. Not the commitment or labor intensive project a layered cake can be. The cake itself is made in one bowl without the use of any equipment and the frosting can be whipped up with a stand or handheld mixer. It all comes together so quickly which means the faster it can get straight to your mouth. And if you don’t want to share, I so hear you.
When I first saw the cake that inspired this on Half Baked Harvest, I was smitten. Those perfectly frosted cute little squares of pop in your mouth goodness were calling my name. And I’m so glad I headed over to Tieghan’s fabulous site to see what this wonderful concoction was all about. Her cake is a banana coconut cake (minus the hazelnuts) paired with a rich chocolatey frosting. Simple and perfect. And what I loved most, is that the cake doesn’t include any refined sugar. Only a bit of honey. The frosting is rich and decadent while the cake itself relies on the overripe bananas to do most of the work in adding the perfect amount of sweetness. So, if you’re anything like me, you end up feeling better about sneaking just “one more” piece for yourself. And then maybe a sliver more. Sorry, this is a pretty hard to resist creation.
Now let’s talk about the frosting. The velvety Nutella Frosting that goes on this cake really is the perfect compliment to the banana, the barely there but deliciously good coconut and the subtle notes from the chopped hazelnuts. A perfect marriage of sweet, nutty, silky and satisfying texture. It takes just a few simple ingredients to whip it up, with the whirl of a mixer, and spread it all over the cooled cake. Shmear it however you like and if you so desire, you can garnish the top with a little toasted coconut, fresh banana and roasted hazelnuts like I did or just slice right into it and enjoy.
And the leftovers, should somehow you have any, are equally if not more amazing. I personally love it straight from the fridge (sorry, the ice cream lover in me likes everything cold,) but you can also store it at room temperature. Now go and enjoy some cake making and more importantly, eating!
Perfect Banana, Coconut & Hazelnut Cake with Creamy Nutella Frosting
This simple and insanely delicious cake is what dreams are made of. Nutella and banana dreams to be exact. The velvety Nutella frosting is the perfect compliment to the banana, the barely there but deliciously good coconut and the subtle notes from the chopped hazelnuts. A perfect marriage of sweet, nutty, silky and satisfying texture.
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 4 bananas)
- 1/2 cup melted coconut oil
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 lg eggs
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups (192g) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsps baking soda
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
- 1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts
For the Nutella Frosting:
- 3/4 cup (170g) unsalted butter, room temp
- 3/4 cup (210g) nutella, room temp
- 1/4-1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup (125g) confectioners sugar,sifted
- 1-2 tsps milk
To garnish (optional);
- shredded toasted coconut, toasted hazelnuts, fresh banana slices
Instructions
For the cake:
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Preheat oven to 350F/ 177C. Grease an 8" square cake pan and line it with parchment paper.
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In a large mixing bowl add the mashed banana (or mash it right in the bowl, then be sure to measure it,) then add the coconut oil, honey, eggs and vanilla. Mix everything really well with a spatula to combine.
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Then fold in the flour, baking soda and salt until almost totally combined but a few streaks of flour remain. Fold in the coconut and chopped hazelnuts and mix until everything is combined, being careful not to overmix. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top and place in the preheated oven. Bake for about 30-35 minutes until the center is just set and it springs back to the touch.
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Once done, completely cool the cake in the pan set on a wire rack.
For the frosting:
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Add the softened butter to the bowl of a stand mixer or use a large bowl if using a handheld mixer. Beat the butter until light and fluffy. Add in the soft nutella and continue beating until the butter and Nutella are combined.
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Add half of the sifted confectioners sugar and the 1/4 tsp of salt and beat for about a minute or two until creamy. Then add the rest of the sifted sugar and taste if you want to add the other 1/4 tsp salt (I usually do.) Beat for another minute. Add in the milk, starting with one teaspoon at a time and beat for 1-2 minutes until you have a nice and fluffy frosting. Add the extra tsp of milk or more if necessary.
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Spread the frosting over the cake. Slice and enjoy!
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Keep the leftover cake stored in an airtight container for about 3-4 days or store in the refrigerator for a week.
Recipe Notes
*Super overripe, starting to brown bananas are what you want to use for this cake.
*For a 6″ 4 layered (3 frosting layered) cake, do 1 1/2 x’s both the cake and frosting. Bake in 2 6″ pans and slice each layer in half.
*The banana cake was ever so slightly adapted from Half Baked Harvest.
Thanks for posting this recipe, my sons love Nutella so it was a big hit in our house. The recipe is so simple, but you are right it’s delicious. We will definitely make it again.