Banana Maple Nut Coffee Cake

Maple Syrup, with it's rich, natural flavor, is by far my favorite sweetener. You can substitute honey, if that's what you have on hand.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 8-12

Ingredients

• TOPPING

• 2  tablespoons unsalted butter, room temp
• 1⁄3 cup  firmly packed brown sugar
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄3 cup  coarsely chopped walnuts

• BATTER

• 4  tablespoons unsalted butter, room temp
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 1⁄2 cup maple syrup
• 2  eggs
• 3  ripe bananas, mashed
• 1 2⁄3 cups flour
• 3⁄4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄2 cup  coarsely chopped walnuts

Directions

1. To make the topping mix all ingredients together using your fingers or a wooden spoon, mix in the nuts.
2. Preheat oven to 350*F. Brush an 8X8 inch square pan or a 9X2 inch round pan with melted butter and dust lightly with flour, or spray generously with cooking spray.
3. Beat the butter, sugar and maple syrup with an electric mixer. Add the eggs all at once. Scrape the sides and bottom of bowl. Mix in the bananas.
4. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; add to the banana mixture, blending well. Stir in the walnuts. Spread into prepared pan. Drop the topping in small dollops onto the banana batter. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until the coffee cake is a deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Invert onto a plate,then invert again so coffee cake is right side up on a serving plate.