This fluffy, sweet, rustic banana cornbread is a heavenly combination of two American icons: cornbread and banana bread. It's tender and cakelike, and baked in a cast iron skillet for mouthwatering buttery, crispy edges. And there's some luscious, creamy maple walnut butter to slather on the top when the bread is hot out of the oven. This is comfort food at its finest, and it's so special to enjoy with friends and family. You'll be so glad you've made this Easy Vegan Skillet Banana Cornbread with Maple Walnut Butter!
Cornbread background
Cornbread is one of the oldest types of bread in the U.S. It's a tribute to the resourcefulness and ingenuity of Native American cuisine, highlighting the fresh flavor in the indigenous corn harvest. Cornbread is a quick bread, using the leavening capabilities of baking powder and baking soda rather than yeast. This bread comes together quickly, with just a few ingredients. A medium-grind cornmeal gives this bread a delightfully chewy and rustic texture.
North and south flavor battle
Cornbread is the subject of cultural contention here in the U.S., depending on the part of the country you call home. I'm from the northern state of Michigan, so I like my cornbread tender, sweet, and cakelike. In the south, cornbread is more likely to have a savory, salty flavor and gorgeous crumbly texture. I love it this way too.
I generally stay close to my roots with this tradition and make my cornbread sweet. It's such a special treat, and my family just adores it. It's a special tradition for us in the fall and at Thanksgiving, but we also eat it year round. And we always make it in a hot cast iron skillet, to get an amazingly buttery and crispy crust.
Banana bread background
Here's another example of a classic American "bread" that's more like a cake. This very popular dessert arose during the Great Depression in the 1930s, both because it was economical to use overripe bananas, and also because baking powder became available in grocery stores during this time.
My kids have always been excited when we've had a bunch of overripe bananas, because this always means it's banana bread time. Like cornbread, banana bread is a quick bread, rising with the help of baking powder and baking soda rather than using (and waiting for) yeast to work its leavening magic. We generally make banana bread in a loaf pan, and my kids just wait to slice giant slabs of it while fresh out of the oven, with exclamations of rapture.
Naming convention
I'll be using the words "bread" and "cake" interchangeably in this post, the former because it's in the traditional name, and the latter because this is a more apt description of the flavor and texture.
Jump to:
- 💕Why this recipe is special
- 📓Maple walnut butter ingredient notes
- 📓Banana cornbread ingredient notes
- 📒Step by step instructions & photos
- 💡Tips for success
- 🔀Substitutions
- 🍶Variations
- 🥣Equipment
- ⏲Make ahead and storage
- 🍲Serving suggestions
- ❓FAQ
- ✨More recipes you'll love
- Easy Vegan Skillet Banana Cornbread with Maple Walnut Butter
💕Why this recipe is special
This Easy Vegan Skillet Banana Cornbread with Maple Walnut Butter is so simple, endlessly fluffy, and tender. It's a match made in baking heaven. The very ripe bananas lend their natural caramelized sweetness from the concentration of natural sugars. The medium grind cornmeal adds a chewy, rustic texture. And baking this delightful cake in a skillet gives it a beautiful crackly crust that will make you sigh with joy.
Both the corn and banana flavors are comforting, sweet, and mellow. They come together effortlessly in this simple and amazing dessert. What better way to enjoy time together with friends and family than with this cozy, rustic treat?
📓Maple walnut butter ingredient notes
Rather than being a walnut paste as the name might imply, this is a compound butter. It's a simple blend of nondairy butter, finely chopped walnuts, and maple syrup. In many cases, people like to refrigerate or freeze parchment paper-wrapped logs of compound butter to slice and serve as needed. You can certainly do that here in advance of making this bread. Or you can choose to whip this butter into even fluffier heights in your stand mixer.
But I've chosen to really simplify things in this case and have this sweet compound butter be as rustic as the banana cornbread itself. The ingredients come together in just a few minutes. An then we'll slather this delightful butter directly onto the hot bread to melt and create the most incredibly comforting and satisfying dessert.
- Vegan butter: Apart from waiting for your bananas to ripen, the only other advance planning you'll need for this recipe is to soften the butter. You can take it out of the fridge about an hour in advance to soften. But not to worry! If you forget to do this, you can also easily soften it in the microwave. Please see the Tips for success section below for how to do this.
- Walnuts: Toasting the walnuts gives this butter a rich, deep flavor. After toasting them quickly in the oven, you can save time by allowing them to cool while preparing the other ingredients. Then you'll just chop them finely and mix them into the butter while the bread is baking.
- Maple syrup: Please use the authentic type here; it makes all the difference in the flavor!
See recipe card for quantities.
📓Banana cornbread ingredient notes
This tantalizing bread is so simple and fast to make. It comes together easily for such an amazing reward in texture and flavor!
- Medium-grind cornmeal: Please make sure to use this texture. It really makes the crumb of this cake tender, chewy, and so satisfying! Bob's Red Mill works well here, but any rustic medium-grind brand will work well.
- All-purpose flour: This helps with the light and fluffy texture of the cake.
- Baking powder: It's really important to use this while fresh. It's best used within 6 months after opening.
- Baking soda: This is also best when used within 6 months for maximum effectiveness.
- Salt: I use fine-textured table salt here to evenly distribute the flavor.
- Maple syrup: This adds a deep, rich note of sweetness.
- Nondairy milk: I'm using creamy, full-fat oat milk for an extra-satisfying chew. (I use full-fat Oatly.) But any full-fat nondairy milk should work well.
- Nondairy butter: We'll be using this in melted form for the batter, and also another solid tablespoon of it directly in the hot skillet.
- Apple cider vinegar: This gives the cake a little tang and is also an acidic complement to the alkaline baking soda to activate it and complete its leavening capability.
- Overripe bananas: It's important for the flavor and texture of this cake for the bananas to be very dark and soft, with concentrated natural sugars. For a photo of a good minimum level of ripeness, please see the photo below following the step by step instructions.
See recipe card for quantities.
📒Step by step instructions & photos
- Step 1: Set out butter in advance or microwave it on low to soften. Toast walnuts at 350°F (175°C). When cool, chop them finely. Increase oven temp to 375°F (190°C). Place a 10-inch (25 cm) skillet in the oven to heat up.
- Step 2: Increase oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and place a 10-inch (25 cm) skillet in the oven. In a large mixing bowl, add the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until combined, breaking up any chunks until smooth.
- Step 3: Mash the bananas with a fork or potato masher until smooth.
- Step 4: Combine the maple syrup, oat milk, melted butter, and apple cider vinegar. Add to to the mashed bananas and whisk until well combined.
- Step 5: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and fold gently until just combined.
- Step 6: Carefully add 1 tablespoon of butter to the hot skillet and brush the bottom and sides to coat. Sprinkle cornmeal evenly on the bottom.
- Step 7: Quickly and evenly add the batter to the skillet. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Step 8: As the banana cornbread bakes, mix the softened butter, finely chopped toasted walnuts, and maple syrup until combined and smooth.
- Step 9: Add the butter to a small bowl to serve soft and spreadable, or optionally refrigerate if you'd like to serve it chilled.
- Step 10: Let the banana cornbread cool before cutting. (Or serve while still hot, slathered with a dollop of maple walnut butter. The texture may be a bit denser while hot, but it's nearly impossible to wait!)
Hint: Please be careful when adding the butter, cornmeal, and batter to the hot skillet! I always wear a long-sleeved shirt when I do this, and protective oven mitts.
💡Tips for success
The above photo shows a good level of ripeness for your bananas to make this banana cornbread. They can also be even more brown, with no yellow left at all. It takes some planning ahead, so when I'm going to make this bread, I'll buy the bananas for it several days in advance for them to ripen to this stage.
Or sometimes, I find that I already have bananas on hand at this stage of ripening before they were eaten. This is just have the perfect situation make this bread with them!
I've tried the oven browning trick to speed up the ripening process. And this hasn't worked out well for me. I've found that this softens them well, but it doesn't increase the sweetness as happens with natural ripening. So now I'm content just to wait for the right level of ripeness.
Also, if you don't have the time or if you've forgotten to set out the stick of butter to soften for about an hour before making the maple walnut butter, you can cut it into cubes, place on a plate in a single layer, and microwave on low power for 5 seconds. Check the cubes, flip as needed, and repeat the 5 seconds of heating until the butter has a slight give when pressed.
🔀Substitutions
Maple walnut butter
If you'd like, you can swap the walnuts with pecans, or even omit the nuts. This butter would still be delicious with just the maple syrup if you have nut allergies.
Skillet
If you don't have a cast iron skillet, you can bake this banana cornbread in a loaf pan. You can still use the melted butter and sprinkled cornmeal, but the crust may be softer than with the cast iron. It will take longer to bake this way, generally around 35-45 minutes. Bake until golden. And make sure to press gently in the center to test for a quick springback, and also that a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
🍶Variations
Chill and/or whip the butter
If you prefer your maple walnut butter extra fluffy, you can whip it in a stand mixer before serving. You can also chill it directly in the serving bowl if you'd like a firmer texture. And if you'd like to have a more elegant chilled presentation, you can roll the butter into a log with parchment paper and refrigerate or freeze it. Then you can slice it into rounds before adding to the banana cornbread. Or try serving it on pancakes or waffles!
Experiment with spices
If you'd like to add some additional flavor notes, you can try adding small quantities of cinnamon, nutmeg, or pumpkin spice to this cake. Please let me know in the comments if you try this!
🥣Equipment
- Digital sale: For weighing the ingredients. I highly recommend this for accuracy and a reduction in the amount of dishes to do afterward!
- Measuring cups and spoons: For measuring liquids and small quantities
- Whisk and mixing spoon: For combining the ingredients
- Potato masher (or fork) and spatula: To mash and mix the bananas
- Mixing bowls: For wet and dry ingredients
- Pan: 10-inch (25 cm) cast iron skillet (or, alternatively, a loaf pan)
⏲Make ahead and storage
Maple walnut butter
This can be made up to 3 days ahead and stored in the fridge until ready to use. If you'd like to serve it at room temperature, allow to warm up before serving.
Banana cornbread
This enticing cake is best eaten fresh. The texture will be the fluffiest if you wait until it's cool before slicing. But this is almost impossible to do! If you'd like to serve it hot, the texture may be a bit more dense. But it's so wonderful to eat slathered with the melting maple walnut butter while it's still hot out of the pan.
This cake will keep 2-3 days in an airtight container at room temperature. Or it will keep for 4-5 days in the fridge or in the freezer for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature or gently reheat in the oven if you'd like to serve it hot with the butter.
🍲Serving suggestions
This rustic cake is delicious with coffee and fruit in the morning. It's also wonderful with soups, stews, roasted vegetables, and other hearty main dishes. You can serve it with a warm cup of my Vegan Tulsi Masala Chai Recipe with Garden Holy Basil Plants, or with a glass of delicious Homemade Vin d'Orange.
❓FAQ
Yes, just make sure they're well thawed and drained before mashing.
You're welcome to try this. I've tried the oven browning trick to speed up the ripening process. And this hasn't worked out well for me. I've found that this softens them well, but it doesn't increase the sweetness as happens with natural ripening. So now I'm content just to wait for the right level of ripeness.
A 10-inch (25 cm) cast iron skillet will give you an amazing crisp, buttery crust. But any skillet will work. Alternatively, you can bake this banana cornbread in a loaf pan. You can still use the melted butter and sprinkled cornmeal, but the crust may be softer than with the cast iron skillet. It will take longer to bake this way, generally around 35-45 minutes. Bake until golden. And make sure to press gently in the center to test for a quick springback, and also that a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
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✏️Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know in the reviews and comments below!
Easy Vegan Skillet Banana Cornbread with Maple Walnut Butter
Ingredients
Maple walnut butter
- 8 tablespoons (112 g) salted vegan butter
- 4 tablespoons (32 g) walnut halves or large pieces
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) maple syrup
Banana cornbread
- 1 cup (150 g) medium-grind cornmeal
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- 1¼ teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 1¼ teaspoons fine salt
- 7 tablespoons (105 ml) maple syrup
- 1 cup (240 ml) full-fat nondairy milk
- 4 tablespoons (56 g) salted vegan butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) apple cider vinegar
- 1¼ cups (325 g) mashed overripe bananas, about 3 medium, at least half-brown
Skillet prep
- 1 tablespoon (14 g) salted vegan butter
- 1½ teaspoons (4 g) medium-grind cornmeal
Instructions
Soften the butter, toast the walnuts
- Set out the butter for an hour to soften at room temperature. Or, see notes below for a faster option. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Place the walnuts in a single layer on a small baking sheet and toast, shaking or stirring occasionally, until fragrant and golden. This should take about 7-9 minutes. Let cool, then finely chop and set aside while you prepare the ingredients.
Increase heat, add skillet to oven, mix dry ingredients
- Increase oven temperature to 375°F (190°C). Place a 10-inch (25 cm) cast iron skillet in the oven to heat up. In a large mixing bowl, add the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until combined, breaking up any chunks until smooth.
Mix the wet ingredients
- Mash the bananas in a bowl with a fork or potato masher until smooth. In a separate bowl, add the maple syrup, oat milk, melted butter, and apple cider vinegar. Add the liquid mixture to the mashed bananas and whisk until well combined.
Gently mix wet and dry ingredients
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and fold gently until just combined.
Add butter and cornmeal to skillet
- Carefully remove the hot skillet from the oven. Quickly add the 1 tablespoon of vegan butter, swirling and brushing to uniformly coat the bottom and sides. Sprinkle the 1½ teaspoons of cornmeal evenly over the bottom.
Add batter and bake
- Pour the batter into the prepared skillet and spread evenly. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown, with a quick springback when pressed gently in the center, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing.
Make the maple walnut butter
- As the banana cornbread bakes, mix the softened butter, finely chopped toasted walnuts, and maple syrup in a medium bowl with a fork or spatula until combined and smooth. Serve by spreading onto the banana cornbread. Or see notes for other serving options. Enjoy!
Karen Kerns says
What a delightful and delicious combination of corn bread and banana bread!!
The roasted walnuts really adds to the depth of flavor!!
Shelly Benitah says
Thanks so much, Ma!!!
Linda Watson says
This is excellent, may I have more banana cornbread. The maple-walnut butter took it over the top. My husband and I agree this should be in frequent rotation here. It went great with split-pea soup. Thanks!
Shelly Benitah says
Thanks so much, Linda! I'm so glad you and your husband have enjoyed it. That makes my day!❤️