Banana Coffee Cake
With a cinnamon-walnut streusel, this banana bread-coffee cake mash-up is a match made in heaven.
Ingredients
For the streusel:
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup walnut pieces and halves
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated or ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
For the cake:
- 2 very ripe medium bananas
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup whole or 2% milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Make the streusel:
- Place 5 tablespoons unsalted butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl and microwave in 15-second bursts until melted, about 45 seconds total. (Alternatively, melt in a small saucepan over medium-low heat.)
- Coarsely chop 1/2 cup walnut pieces and halves. Add the walnuts, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated or ground nutmeg, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt to the butter. Stir with a fork until evenly moistened and a variety of crumb sizes form.
- Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes while you make the cake batter.
Make the cake:
- Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with two overlapping sheets of parchment paper so that it hangs off all four sides and forms a sling (place them perpendicular to each other).
- Mash 2 very ripe medium bananas in a large bowl with a fork or potato masher until smooth (about 3/4 cup). Add 1 large egg, 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 1/2 cup whole or 2% milk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt. Whisk until combined.
- Sprinkle evenly with 2 teaspoons baking powder. Add 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour and stir with a rubber spatula until just incorporated but no dry spots remain. Transfer the batter to the baking pan. Crumble the streusel evenly over the top.
- Bake until the cake is browned and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes. Place the pan on a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes. Grasping the excess parchment, lift the cake out of the baking dish and place on the rack. Let cool for at least 1 hour more. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into 12 pieces.

