Banankaka is Sweden’s take on banana bread.  Traditionally baked in a bundt pan, this Scandinavian banana cake has no more sugar than the average American Banana Bread recipe.  

The ingredients and process are a bit different, leading to a loaf of uniquely Scandinavian banana bread.

Any place that has bananas, which is the whole world at this point, will inevitably have overripe bananas waiting on the counter.  Everyone means to eat them at that perfect stage of ripeness, but somehow, a few always make it past ino “banana bread stage.”

With two young kids at home, we make a lot of banana bread in my house, and I’ve been trying out all manner of unique banana bread recipes lately.

I came across Sweden’s take on banana bread in The Nordic Baking Book by Magnus Nilsson, and it’s a bit different than your everyday American Style banana bread.

It’s called Banankaka or “Banana Cake,” and it’s traditionally baked in a bundt pan.  It’s not “cake” sweet, and it’s very much like the quick tea bread we Americans bake in loaf pans.  Still, it has its own unique flavor, and it’s absolutely wonderful.

Banana Bread in the Nordics

According to Magnus Nillson,

“Bananas were introduced to the Nordics in the early twentieth century and, as far as I have been able to find out, the first shipment seems to have been received in Oslo.  When you have bananas, you inevitably end up having overripe, brown bananas needing to be turned into banana bread.  Not unique to the Nordics in any way, banana bread is still an undeniable part of our food culture.”

At this point, banana bread is an undeniable part of any culture that has bananas on the shelves at the supermarket.  Nonetheless, bananakaka is incredibly delicious and worth trying, no matter where you live.

Ingredients for Swedish Banankaka

The ingredients are simple, and a single bundt pan will require:

• 150 g / 5 oz butter, at room temperature (1 stick plus 2 1/2 tablespoons)
• Extra butter to grease the pan
• breadcrumbs, to coat pan
• 270 g / 9 1/2 oz sugar (1 1/3 cups)
• 2 eggs
• 300 g / 11 oz white flour, all-purpose or cake flour (2 1/2 cups)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 4 very ripe bananas, mashed
• 50 ml / 2 fl oz cold coffee ( 3 1/2 tablespoons)

Since this is a nordic recipe, most of the ingredients are by weight.  There are conversions to ounces, cups and tablespoons as well.

The main things to note here are that instead of being buttered and floured, the pan is buttered and then dusted with plain bread crumbs.  This gives it a better texture on the outside when baking is complete.

It also has a bit of cold coffee added for flavor, whereas Americans often use vanilla or cinnamon instead.

Finally, the batter is baked in a bundt pan, which allows it to cook up nice and moist…but still, cook through in the center.

How to Make Banankaka

Start by preheating the oven to about 350 degrees F.  (That’s Gas Mark 4 or 175 C.)

Butter a bundt pan and coat with prepared breadcrumbs.

Use a stand mixer or hand mixer to beat the butter and sugar together until light, fluffy and pale, about 1 to 2 minutes.

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating to fully incorporate before adding another.

Sift the dry ingredients together in a bowl, and then gently stir them into the wet ingredients.

Finally, add the mashed bananas and coffee, stirring to combine.  Do not over-mix.

Use a spatula to scrape the batter into a prepared pan and bake for about 40 minutes, until the top is golden brown.

Allow the Banankaka to cool for a few minutes in the pan, and then tip it out of the pan onto a cooling rack to finish cooling.

Once completely cool, dust with powdered sugar (optional, but extra nice).

It’s best served completely cooled, but fresh, within a day or two of baking.  Don’t cut the cake while it’s still hot, that ruins the internal texture.

Swedish Recipes

Looking for more Swedish recipes?

• Janson’s Temptation
• Swedish Meatballs with Gravy (Köttbullar)
• Swedish Beet Salad (Rödbetssallad)

Yield: 1 loaf

Swedish Banana Bread (Banankaka)

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Banankaka is Sweden's delicious take on banana bread.

Ingredients

• 150 g / 5 oz butter, at room temperature (1 stick plus 2 1/2 tablespoons)
• Extra butter to grease the pan
• breadcrumbs, to coat pan
• 270 g / 9 1/2 oz sugar (1 1/3 cups)
• 2 eggs
• 300 g / 11 oz white flour, all-purpose or cake flour (2 1/2 cups)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 4 very ripe bananas, mashed
• 50 ml / 2 fl oz cold coffee ( 3 1/2 tablespoons)

Instructions

1. Start by preheating the oven to about 350 degrees F.  (That's Gas Mark 4 or 175 C.)
2. Butter a bundt pan and coat with prepared breadcrumbs.
3. Use a stand mixer or hand mixer to beat the butter and sugar together until light, fluffy and pale, about 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating to fully incorporate before adding another.
5. Sift the dry ingredients together in a bowl, and then gently stir them into the wet ingredients.
6. Finally, add the mashed bananas and coffee, stirring to combine.  Do not over-mix.
7. Use a spatula to scrape the batter into a prepared pan and bake for about 40 minutes, until the top is golden brown.

Notes

Allow the Banankaka to cool for a few minutes in the pan, and then tip it out of the pan onto a cooling rack to finish cooling.

Once completely cool, dust with powdered sugar (optional, but extra nice).

It's best served completely cooled, but fresh, within a day or two of baking.  Don't cut the cake while it's still hot, that ruins the internal texture.

More Scandinavian Bread Recipes

Keep that bread oven baking with these Scandinavian-inspired bread recipes:

• Sourdough Rye Hearth Bread
• Spent Grain Bread (Using Brewing Grains)
• Icelandic Christmas Bread (Jólakaka)