Martha Stewart’s Fluffy Snacking Cake Takes Banana Bread to the Next Level

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Cake. Why is it that we so often leave cake for celebrations like birthday parties, when the truth is that any time is a good time for cake? Sure, there are some reasons why a cake loaded with frosting isn’t always the ideal snack, but there’s a genre of cake that’s always welcome, and it often skips the frosting entirely for a slightly less-sweet, but still craveable treat. We’re talking snacking cakes. These cakes are perfect for nibbling on with a cup of tea or coffee, much like a loaf of quick bread. But unlike quick bread, snacking cakes often have the same fluffy texture as your favorite birthday cakes. If this is all sounding pretty good to you, then consider the banana snacking cake Martha Stewart, author of Martha Stewart’s Cake Perfection, just shared on Instagram.

If banana bread is a little too stodgy and dense for your liking, then Stewart’s snacking cake should be on your baking to-do list. A single extra-ripe banana lends its flavor to the cake, just enough to make it banana-y without making it dense like banana bread. Further fluffing touches? The recipe calls for sifted cake flour, which is finer in texture than all-purpose flour, and a leavening combination of baking powder, baking sodar, buttermilk, and egg.

Stewart also puts a nutty twist on this banana snacking cake recipe with the addition of chopped pecans. Banana and pecans are a match made in heaven, but if you’re not a fan of nuts in cake, you can always just leave them out. But don’t skip the vanilla and cinnamon, which give this cake a warming, cozy flavor that’s perfect for chilly winter afternoons.

If you often find yourself craving a fluffy, lightly sweet cake to snack on, this banana and pecan cake recipe from Martha Stewart is a must-try. Skip the frosting, or serve with powdered sugar and whipped cream, but any way you slice it, this banana pecan snacking cake is bound to be a hit.

Before you go, check out our slideshow below:

Watch: How to Make Gorgeous Chocolate-Covered Strawberries That Have a Sweet Surprise Inside