Everyone Loves Cyril Lignac’s Banana Cake—Here’s His Secret Ingredient!

If you’re on the hunt for the ultimate banana bread, look no further: Cyril Lignac’s version is twice as decadent as the typical banana cake and it’s a smash hit online: “Tested and approved“, says one user, “So delicious!“, exclaims another, “Thanks to this banana bread, my daughter now loves bananas“, a third user boasts. Without a doubt, this twist on the classic recipe far surpasses others. And its popularity is due to a unique technique used by the chef…

Ingredients in Cyril Lignac’s Banana Bread

To make his cake irresistible, Cyril Lignac has a little trick: instead of mixing all the bananas into the batter, he caramelizes some on top, like the apples on a tarte Tatin!

• 2 or 3 whole peeled bananas

For the caramel:

• 100 g of granulated sugar
• 13 g of unsalted butter
• 50 g of full-fat cream
• 2 g of sea salt

For the cake batter:

• 200 g of bananas, chopped
• 150 g of brown sugar
• 160 g of flour
• 8 g of baking powder
• 100 g of unsalted butter
• 2 eggs
• 70 g of chopped hazelnuts

How to Make Cyril Lignac’s Banana Bread

The chef uses a round springform pan, but you can opt for a traditional loaf pan as well.

1. Preheat your oven to 155°C.
2. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom of your pan.
3. Slice the whole bananas lengthwise and lay them flat at the bottom of the pan.
4. In a skillet, pour the sugar and cook until it turns into a golden caramel. Off the heat, mix in the butter, followed by the cream and salt.
5. Pour the caramel over the bananas in the pan.
6. To make the batter, mash the chopped bananas with a fork in a mixing bowl, add the sugar, flour, and baking powder. Then mix in the melted butter, eggs, and hazelnuts.
7. Pour the batter into the pan, smooth it out by tapping, and bake for 45 minutes.

Let it cool on a wire rack for 30 minutes before unmolding and enjoying. You’ll have to tell us what you think!

With its tarte Tatin-inspired finishing touch, Cyril Lignac’s banana bread is universally loved. Soft, melting, and deliciously caramelized, it elevates a simple banana cake into a true chef’s dessert. Our advice: try it as soon as possible… and be prepared to never go back to the basic version again.