A simple way to elevate a classic banana cake is by adding tahini. The natural sweetness of ripe bananas pairs beautifully with the nutty flavour of tahini, creating an incredibly moist cake. The tahini honey glaze takes it over the top and will leave you wanting more. This cake requires just one bowl and a hand whisk, making it quick and easy to prepare.

Tahini banana cake sliced in a white plate with a slice of cake on a yellow rimmed beige plate in the background along with a tea cup on a blue and white background

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This tahini banana cake is everything you want in a simple no-fuss cake with your cup of tea or coffee: it’s easy to make, uses just one bowl, and has a nutty and rich flavour profile but a light and fluffy crumb texture. The tahini honey glaze is made by simply combining the two ingredients, but when you taste it, it’ll feel luxurious.

This cake is not banana bread. It’s a lighter and more fluffy texture than banana bread, as well as slightly sweeter. If you do have an abundance of over ripe bananas, do make a loaf of my banana bread too. It’s been a reader favourite!

Although my go-to “simple” cake is this orange cardamom cake, I make this one a lot when I have tahini I want to use up.

Don’t have access to tahini? If you have sesame seeds you can easily make your own tahini paste to use in this recipe (and so many other tahini recipes!). It only requires toasting the seeds then using a food processor to process them into a paste.

Let’s Make It!

Grab your ingredients!

Ingredient shot for tahini banana cake with milk in a glass cup, flour in a white bowl, brown sugar in a white bowl, honey in a small beige bowl, vanilla in a small beige bowl, two bananas, 1 egg, small white bowl with melted butter, small plate with cinnamon and cardamom, small plate with sesame seeds, small plate with baking soda, baking powder and salt and a small bowl with tahini on a blue and white background

One bowl cakes are the cakes I know I’ll bake often. Start by mashing the bananas until they are mushy and only small lumps remain. You can do this in the large bowl that we will be adding the rest of the ingredients to.

Mashed banana in a white bowl on a blue and white background with banana peel and fork

Next, add the egg, brown sugar and vanilla to the mashed banana and mix well.

Glass bowl with egg, mashed banana, brown sugar and vanilla on a blue and white background
Wet ingredients for banana cake mixed in a glass bowl on a blue and white background

Add in the rest of the wet ingredients: the melted butter, tahini and milk. Whisk well until fully combined.

Tahini, milk and melted butter added to wet ingredients for banana cake in a glass bowl on a white and blue background
All wet ingredients for banana cake mixed in a glass bowl on a blue and white background

Sift over the dry ingredients: the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cardamom and salt. No need to do this in a separate bowl, sifting over the wet ingredients works just as well and will ensure that your cake remains light and fluffy.

Wet ingredients for banana cake in a glass bowl with a black mesh strainer on top with the dry ingredients to be sifted on a blue and white background
Sifted dry ingredients over wet ingredients for banana cake in a glass bowl on a blue and white background

Fold and mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, just until the flour is no longer visible. Do not over mix! Over mixing will result in a tough and dense cake.

Banana cake batter in a glass bowl with a blue spatula on a blue and white background

Line a non-stick 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper. I find the easiest way to do this is to first trace the bottom lightly with a pencil over the parchment paper and cut it out. Place a few dots of butter at the bottom of the pan and place the parchment paper cut-out in the bottom and press in place. The dots of butter will ensure the paper does not move around when pouring in the batter.

You can then also butter the sides of the pan. This recipe also works in a 10-cup bundt pan (the one I used when I tested this cake again was 10 inches wide and 3.6 inches high).

Parchment lined baking pan on a blue and white background

Pour in the banana cake batter and smooth out the top. Sprinkle the top as evenly as possible with the lightly toasted sesame seeds.

Banana cake batter in a baking tin on a blue and white background
Banana cake batter in a baking tin with sesame seeds sprinkled on top on a blue and white background

Bake in a preheated oven at 350 F for 35-40 minutes, just until a toothpick inserted comes out clean with no wet batter clinging to it. Allow it to rest for 5 minutes before taking it out of the pan and placing on a cooling rack to cool completely.

Baked banana cake in baking tin on a blue and white background

While the cake is baking make the simple tahini honey glaze by whisking together the tahini and honey in a small bowl. Be warned, this stuff is addictive and will have you eating it by the spoonful.

Tahini mixed with honey in a white bowl with a spoon on a blue and white background
Tahini banana cake on a white plate with tea cups and sugar in the top corner, yellow rimmed plate with forks in the right top corner, a small bowl with tahini seeds, a yellow and white tea towel and a cake knife on a blue and white background

Once the cake has cooled, place on a serving plate or cake stand and brush over the tahini honey glaze. Be generous with the glaze, it really adds the perfect touch to this cake. If you have any extra glaze, serve it alongside the cake for anyone who wants extra. Slice and serve with a hot cup of tea or coffee!

Slice of tahini banana cake with a bite taken out on a fork on a yellow rimmed beige plate with tea cups in the background and a yellow and white tea towel in the corner on a blue and white background

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If you tried these recipes, please consider leaving a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page – I’d love to hear from you! You can also hop on over to Instagram and say hello!

Tahini banana cake sliced in a white plate with a slice of cake on a yellow rimmed beige plate in the background along with a tea cup on a blue and white background
5 from 1 rating

Tahini Banana Cake (with Tahini Honey Glaze)

Yield: 8 pieces
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 30 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
Author: Amina Al-Saigh
A simple way to elevate a classic banana cake is by adding tahini. The natural sweetness of ripe bananas pairs beautifully with the nutty flavour of tahini, creating a rich flavour as well as an incredibly moist cake. This cake requires just one bowl and a hand whisk, making it easy and quick to prepare.
Print Leave a Review Pin Recipe

Ingredients
 

  • 2/3 cup mashed ripe banana, 2 small bananas
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2/3 cup brown sugar, 135 grams
  • 4 tablespoons tahini, 65 grams
  • 3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter, 42 grams
  • 1/2 cup milk, 180 ml
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 180 grams
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, see note

For the Tahini Glaze

  • 4 tablespoons tahini
  • 2 tablespoons honey

Instructions
 

  • Parchment lined baking pan on a blue and white background
    Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line the bottom of a non-stick 8 inch springform pan with a round of parchment paper and set aside. I find it easier to place a few dots of butter at the bottom of the pan before placing the parchment paper on top to avoid it moving around.
  • Glass bowl with egg, mashed banana, brown sugar and vanilla on a blue and white background
    In a large bowl, mash the bananas until they have broken down and only small pieces remain. To the bananas, add the egg, vanilla and brown sugar. Mix with a whisk until well combined.
  • Tahini, milk and melted butter added to wet ingredients for banana cake in a glass bowl on a white and blue background
    Add in the tahini, melted butter and milk. Whisk to combine.
  • Wet ingredients for banana cake in a glass bowl with a black mesh strainer on top with the dry ingredients to be sifted on a blue and white background
    Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, ground cardamom, ground cinnamon and salt above the wet ingredients in the large bowl.
  • Banana cake batter in a glass bowl with a blue spatula on a blue and white background
    Gently stir and fold with a spatula, just until the flour disappears. Do not over mix! Over mixing will result in a tough and dense cake.
  • Banana cake batter in a baking tin with sesame seeds sprinkled on top on a blue and white background
    Pour the cake batter in the prepared baking pan. Sprinkle evenly with the toasted sesame seeds and bake for 35-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  • Tahini mixed with honey in a white bowl with a spoon on a blue and white background
    While the banana cake bakes, whisk together the tahini and honey in a small bowl to make the glaze.
  • Banana cake on a white plate brushed with tahini honey glaze with a small bowl of tahini glaze with a blue brush on a blue and white background
    Allow the cake to cool for 5 minute before placing on a wire rack to continue cooling. Once the cake has cooled, transfer to a serving platter and generously brush the cake with the tahini glaze. Sprinkle with additional toasted sesame seeds if desired.
  • Slice of tahini banana cake with a bite taken out on a fork on a yellow rimmed beige plate with tea cups in the background and a yellow and white tea towel in the corner on a blue and white background
    Serve with your favourite tea or coffee!

Notes

  • If you are using raw sesame seeds, toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan over low heat for a couple of minutes until they become fragrant and lightly golden. Do not allow them to deepen in colour too much or they will taste bitter.
  • If you do not have tahini paste and would like to make your own, follow my quick and easy tahini paste recipe.
  • I have tested this cake in a 10-cup bundt pan, and it works well in it too, in case you don’t have a circular pan.
 
Serving: 1g, Calories: 217kcal, Carbohydrates: 31g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 9g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 23mg, Sodium: 119mg, Potassium: 121mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 16g, Vitamin A: 122IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 57mg, Iron: 2mg
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