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Slices of golden brown Vietnamese banana cake Bánh Chuối Nướng
Caramelized banana cake with coconut

Vietnamese Baked Banana Cake (Bánh Chuối Nướng)

Author: Flavelo
Recipes Vegetarian & Vegan Dishes Cakes and Desserts
Technically closer to a bread pudding than a sponge cake, Bánh Chuối Nướng relies on the starchy interaction between stale bread and coconut milk. The key characteristic is its 'chewy' texture (known as 'dai' in Vietnamese) and the Maillard reaction that occurs during the long bake time, turning the banana sugars into a deep, caramelized crust. It is dense, custard-like, and significantly less aerated than Western banana breads.
🕒 Prep Time 20 mins
🍳 Cook Time 1 hr
⌛ Total Time 2 hrs 20 mins
🍽️ Servings 8 servings
🔥 Calories 350 kcal
🌍 Cuisine Vietnamese

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Baking Dish: A glass Pyrex dish works well to see the crust color.
  • Bowl: For macerating bananas.

Allergen Information

⚠️ Eggs
⚠️ Dairy
⚠️ Gluten

Instructions

1 ✓

Peel and slice the bananas thinly. For optimal results, marinate the banana slices in the sugar for 20 minutes before mixing.

Tip: Macerating the bananas draws out moisture and intensifies the caramel flavor during baking. Use bananas that are spotting heavily.
2 ✓

In a large mixing bowl, emulsify the liquids: whisk coconut milk, condensed milk, melted butter, vanilla, and salt until uniform.

Tip: The salt is not optional; it is chemically necessary to balance the high sugar content of the condensed milk.
3 ✓

Incorporate the eggs, then fold in the flour (or bread pieces) and baking powder. Add the marinated bananas last.

Tip: Resting the batter for 15-20 minutes is crucial. The flour/bread needs time to hydrate fully, otherwise the cake will have dry, powdery pockets.
4 ✓

Transfer to a greased baking dish. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 60-70 minutes. The top should be a dark mahogany color.

Tip: The cake will rise significantly due to steam and then collapse upon cooling. This is the expected behavior for a dense custard structure.
5 ✓

Cool completely on a rack. For precise slicing, refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Tip: Flavor development continues overnight; the coconut fats solidify, giving the cake a fudgier texture the next day.

Recipe FAQ

Bread substitute?
Old baguette is traditional, but sandwich bread works too.
Texture?
It's dense and chewy/custardy, not fluffy like banana bread.
Color?
It turns deep red/purple due to long baking and caramelization.

Ingredients

  • 8 pcs Ripe Bananas (sliced)
  • 1 cup All-Purpose Flour (or stale baguette slices)
  • 1.75 cups Coconut Milk
  • 0.6 cup Sweetened Condensed Milk
  • 0.5 cup Sugar
  • 2 large Eggs
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 3.5 tbsp Butter (melted)
  • 1 tsp Baking Powder
  • 0.5 tsp Salt
  • 2 tbsp Shredded Coconut (for topping)