Bánh Chuối Nướng (Vietnamese Banana Cake) is a delightful traditional Vietnamese dessert. It’s easy to make, almost foolproof, and a great way to use up leftover bread.
What is Bánh Chuối Nướng?
In Vietnamese, Bánh Chuối translates to “Banana Cake,” and Nướng means “baked.”
Despite its name, Bánh Chuối Nướng is more like a baked banana bread pudding, made with a comforting mix of stale bread, ripe bananas, and rich coconut milk. This delightful dessert is a beloved treat in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta (Miền Tây).
The word “Bánh” is very versatile in Vietnamese cuisine. It broadly refers to both sweet and savory delicacies made from various types of flour, often enjoyed using either your hands or chopsticks.
There are also Bánh Cuốn (Steamed Rice Rolls), Bánh Flan (Vietnamese Flan), Bánh Xèo (Sizzling Pancakes), Bánh Pate Sô (Meat Pies).
Ingredients
Bánh Chuối Nướng is a testament to the creativity of Vietnamese moms, who skillfully turn leftover ingredients—like stale bread from Bánh Mì sandwiches and overripe bananas—into something truly delightful.
There’s no strict recipe for this dish. It’s all about intuition—moms simply combine the batter with whatever leftovers they have and adjust the liquid consistency based on years of experience in the kitchen.
Bananas: In Vietnam, we use Thai bananas (sugar bananas). Thai bananas give the best color and flavor for your Bánh Chuối Nướng.
Coconut milk: A popular ingredient in many Vietnamese desserts such as Chè (light dessert soup) or Coconut Coffee.
Bread: In Vietnam, we often use stale Vietnamese baguette. However, sandwich or French baguette will also work.
Whipping Cream (or Milk), Egg, Butter & Vanilla extract: These ingredients add richness and aroma to the cake.
Sugar: brown sugar or white granulated sugar.
Vanilla Instant Pudding: Helps bind the mixture and adds aroma. Can be substituted with all-purpose flour, rice flour, tapioca starch, or cornstarch.
Salt & Rice wine (or Rum liquor): Used to marinate the bananas.
Related Recipes | More Traditional Desserts from the Mekong Delta
(Steamed Banana Cake)
(Cassava Cake)
(Pandan Waffle)
(Banana Coconut Ice Cream)
Instructions
Make the batter
- Slice the bananas into 0.4-inch (1 cm) pieces. Marinate with salt, sugar, and rice wine (or rum) in the fridge overnight or for at least 5 hours.
- In a skillet over medium-low heat, stir-fry the bananas and marinade with butter until half of the liquid evaporates.
- In a bowl, combine 2/3 of the bananas with coconut milk, whipping cream, sugar, egg, melted butter, vanilla extract and pudding mix (or flour/starch).
- Tear the bread into small pieces and soak them in the mixture, stirring well until the bread absorbs the liquid. If you use more stale bread, the mixture will be drier, and you should add more milk (or whipping cream or coconut milk).
- Line the bottom of the baking mold with baking paper. Pour the mixture into the mold and flatten the surface.
- Place the reserved banana slices on top of the mixture. Cover the mold with aluminum foil.
Bake
- Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C) for 20 minutes.
- Bake the banana cake for one and half hour. Remove the aluminum foil and raise the temperature to 390°F (200°C) and broil for an additional 10-15 minutes, or until the banana cake achieves a golden brown color.
- Take the cake out of the oven. Apply more melted butter over if you like.
- Let the cake cool down completely and then chill it in the fridge for 5-6 hours.
Helpful Tips
- Thai bananas from Asian markets work best, but you can use regular bananas from supermarkets; just make sure they are just ripe.
- Adjust the liquid based on how stale your bread is. The more stale the bread, the drier it is, and the more liquid it will absorb.
- You can let the batter rest for 30 minutes to allow it to absorb the liquid evenly.
How to serve Vietnamese banana cake
The cake is best served chilled.
It pairs perfectly with a pot of Vietnamese tea or a cup of coffee, such as egg coffee or salt coffee.
More authentic Vietnamese snacks
Vietnamese Banana Bread Pudding Cake (Bánh Chuối Nướng)
Equipment
- 8-inch (20cm) Round Cake Pan
Ingredients
Banana Marinade
- 1.3 lb ripe Thai bananas (peeled) (590g)
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp rice wine (or rum liquor)
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp melted butter
Bread Mixture
- 5 oz bread (sandwich, baguette…) (130g or 4-5 sandwich slices)
- 1 egg
- 1 small can coconut milk (5.6oz/165ml)
- 1 cup whipping cream (or milk) (250ml)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar (30g)
- 1 tbsp melted butter (15g)
- 2 tbsp vanilla instant pudding (or all purpose flour, rice flour, cornstarch, tapioca starch…)
Instructions
Make the batter:
- Slice the bananas into 0.4-inch (1 cm) pieces and marinate with salt, sugar, and rice wine (or rum) in the fridge for at least 5 hours or overnight.
- Heat a skillet over medium-low heat and stir-fry the bananas with the marinade and butter until half of the liquid evaporates.
- In a bowl, mix 2/3 of the bananas with coconut milk, whipping cream, sugar, egg, melted butter, vanilla extract, and pudding mix (or flour/starch).
- Tear the bread into small pieces and soak them in the mixture, stirring until fully absorbed. If using drier or more stale bread, add extra milk, whipping cream, or coconut milk as needed.
- Line the bottom of the baking mold with baking paper. Pour the batter into the mold and smooth the surface.
- Arrange the reserved banana slices on top of the mixture. Cover the mold with aluminum foil.
Bake the cake:
- Let the oven preheat to 300°F (150°C) for 20 minutes.
- Bake the banana cake for 1.5 hour. Then, remove the aluminum foil, increase the temperature to 390°F (200°C) and broil for another 15 minutes (or until the banana cake turns golden brown).
- Remove the cake from the oven and apply more melted butter if desired. Allow the cake to cool completely, then chill it in the fridge for 5-6 hours.
