Learn how to make a banana buttermilk loaf cake with this easy recipe. This buttermilk cake is different than traditional banana bread because it has chunks of banana folded into the batter before baking, instead of using mashed banana.
I opted for a buttermilk cake base, with a little whole wheat pastry flour. I mixed the chopped banana into the batter just before baking to make sure this would be a buttermilk cake with banana and not a buttermilk banana bread. And because of my love of cardamom and my previous experience with this cardamom banana bread recipe, clearly, cardamom and banana are magical when combined. So I added some freshly ground green cardamom for its floral notes. The recipe comes together like any other cake by the creaming method, and the glaze was a quick mix of icing sugar, melted butter, buttermilk, and a splash of vanilla.
The thing that surprised me about this cake is that I was certain that the banana chunks wouldn't discolour inside the cake as it baked. And there really was some thought behind that assumption. The first reason was that I peeled and chopped the banana right before working in the dry ingredients into the batter. I worked quickly to minimize the time the banana chunks were exposed to the air. The second reason that I thought the bananas would not brown is because I assumed the batter would be somewhat acidic (with a lower than neutral pH) because of the unbalanced buttermilk in the recipe. If you look at my list of ingredients (compared to most other buttermilk cake recipes), I didn't provide any sodium bicarbonate to balance out the acidity of the buttermilk. That was done on purpose. I didn't want any ingredients to mess with that acidity and I thought that given the unbalanced acid in this recipe, that acid would prevent (or slow) the browning process of the bananas enough that once the chunks eventually felt the heat of the oven, that those pesky browning enzymes (polyphenol oxidase) would denature and no longer cause browning. Does that make sense? Basically, I was banking on the combination of an acidic environment and the heat of the oven to prevent the browning of the fruit.
Apparently, I was wrong. The banana chunks greyed a little around the edges. Conclusion: I really need to get a pH meter or even some pH paper to verify the pHs as I go. Or maybe I need to work more on my banana browning theory (or rather my banana greying theory in this case). Remember blueberries turn green with changes in pH.
On the bright side, I wasn't wrong about everything. I omitted the baking soda that most buttermilk cake recipes tend to include because I felt like it was unnecessary. This cake is made with baking powder, so it has that perfect combination of bicarbonate and an acid. This cake also gets its lift from the rising power of eggs. As predicted, my little loaf cake rose beautifully in the oven, up and out of the pan, so my theory, that the extra bicarbonate in most buttermilk cake recipes isn't really necessary, was correct. At least I seem to have gotten that much right, and so I rewarded myself with cake.
Notes
- I baked this loaf cake at 325ºF, and not the usual 350ºF, because I was using a Baker's Secret pan (available from Amazon), which has a darker finish. Remember darker baking pans are very good at browning cake edges, and even burning them, so if you are baking with a pan that has a dark finish, remember to lower your oven temperature by 25ºF. On the other hand, if you are baking this recipe in a light, aluminum pan, you can go ahead and bake it at 350ºF.
- Another thing to keep in mind: my pan is an 8x4" loaf pan, medium size, not the typical 9x5" pan we bake our loaves in usually. If you are using a 9x5 pan, your cake might bake faster. I suspect that it might be done after an hour. Best check it earlier rather than later!
- Got extra buttermilk after baking this cake? You might as well try my buttermilk pancake recipe to use it up.
📖 Recipe
Banana buttermilk cake
Ingredients
- 125 grams bleached all-purpose flour
- 63 grams whole wheat pastry flour
- 5 mL baking powder
- 2.5 mL Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt
- 2.5 mL freshly ground cardamom
- 115 grams unsalted butter room temperature
- 200 grams granulated sugar
- 2 large egg(s) whisked together
- 2.5 mL pure vanilla extract
- 1 ripe banana(s) this is equivalent to a heaping cup, ~150 grams, banana chunks, peeled and chopped into chunks
- 125 mL buttermilk (1 % fat)
Cardamom glaze
- 160 grams icing sugar
- 45 mL whole milk (3.25 % fat)
- 1.25 mL ground cardamom to sprinkle on top
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C) (or 325 °F (165 °C) if using a dark loaf pan). Grease, flour, and line the bottom of a medium (8x4") loaf pan. I like the pan from Baker's Secret (available from Amazon).
- Sift together the flours, salt, and baking powder into a medium bowl, then whisk in the freshly ground cardamom.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and the sugar for 3 minutes then, with the mixer on low, gradually add the whisked egg, a little at a time, then the vanilla. Scrape down the bowl and beat for another 3 minutes.
- In a small bowl, combine the banana chunks with 2 scoops of the dry mixture, and stir to coat the fruit.
- With the mixer on low, add a third of the flour and mix until almost combined, followed by half the buttermilk. Mix until just combined. Add another third of flour, and then the last of the buttermilk. Take the bowl off the mixer and then add the last bit of flour, mixing it in with a spatula by hand. Before the last of the flour has disappeared, stir in the flour-coated banana chunks.
- Transfer the cake batter to the prepared pan, smoothing the top and tapping the pan on the counter several times to try and remove air pockets.
- Bake for about 80 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
- Let cool 15 minutes before unmolding on a wire rack to cool completely.
Milk glaze
- In a small bowl or a measuring cup with a pouring spout, whisk together the icing sugar with the milk. Adjust the consistency with more milk or powdered sugar. It should be thick but pourable.
- Set the wire rack with the cake over a big sheet pan, then pour the glaze over the cake.
- Sprinkle with ground cardamom.
Lily @GastroSenses says
Oh wooow, this look great! I will definitely have to try soon!
Sean says
I love the idea of banana and cardamom. I only recently started using buttermilk, so now I REALLY want to give this a shot!
A pH meter is on my kitchen-want-list too, along with a remote temperature probe so I can really up my home preservation game.
As for the glaze, I don't have a lot of tricks myself, but I can tell you (based on a batch of shortbread I made a while ago) cardamom itself is really wonderful in a simple glaze.
Sofia | From the Land we Live on says
Oooooh banana chunks in cake?? Sounds delicious! Love the idea of a tangy buttermilk cake, though the banana lover in me is also curious about banana chunks in banana bread. Is that too much banana? I can't see the browning (or greying) at all....it looks beautiful!
Janice says
Oooh, banana bread with banana chunks.... I think you are onto something! Thanks for the love!
Teresa says
Cardamom is my favourite spice - love it in savoury and sweet dishes. Banana sounds like a wonderful companion for it.
Janice says
Cardamom is wonderful. This is why we are friends 😉
Eva says
hmm... cardamom! I've never had any desserts/sweets that has cardamom, but that sounds yum!
Janice says
Really? OMG! You must start baking with cardamom! It's an order 😉
It paris so well with so many fruits.
Patricia says
Wow wow so unique. Trying this soon
Janice says
Awesome! Let me know how it goes!
Nicoletta @sugarlovespices says
Thank you for such a thorough and helpful description! Your loaf is beautiful, inside and out, even the glaze! I'm sure the cardamom adds a lovely flavor combined to the banana.
Janice says
You are so sweet! I seriously need to practice my glaze-making and glaze pouring technique. Must make more cakes 😉
Carrie says
Love this flavour combination! Going to have to check it out!!
Diane G says
Have recently become obsessed with Cardamom. Crikey! you have many recipes using it - will be visiting often 🙂
Janice says
I think I might be a little obsessed with cardamom, eh? I love it so much!
Thanks for stopping by, and let me know if you try any of the recipes 🙂
Kellie says
As I suspected from the FB post this loaf cake was going to be right up my alley. Janice, I love the idea of adding cardamom and although there are lots of other banana recipes out there, you have managed to create a flavor combination that is unique.
I've had all those "other" banana breads they fail to turn my head like this one does.
Well done, on all fronts even with the grey bananas it was great to read about your success.
Cheers,
Kellie from Princess & The Yard Ape
Janice says
Thanks for the love! I really appreciate it 🙂
I hope you get to try this recipe some day!