Banana Cake

I just can’t say enough about this banana cake recipe. Except maybe you need to make it now. This banana cake is easy to make, moist and fluffy, and topped with a cream cheese frosting. 

Listen I understand when you see some overripe bananas on your counter your brain wants to go to banana bread. And that’s great. Really. I love banana bread. 

But sometimes bananas deserve something grander. A higher purpose in life. Sometimes you should take those bananas and turn them into a cake. It’s just as easy, and will disappear quickly. At least it did around our house!

Because what’s not to love? A moist, fluffy banana cake topped with a tangy cream cheese frosting. Um, yes please. So, sorry banana bread you’re just going to have to wait today. Because today we are making this cake.

Why You Will Love This Banana Cake Recipe

• Quick And Easy To Prep – You don’t need to cream anything, or use a stand mixer. It uses melted butter so this batter comes together quickly.
• Moist And Fluffy – Because we are using brown sugar, melted butter, and sour cream you end up with a rich, moist cake in the end.
• Great way to use up those bananas. I don’t know about you but I always have some leftover at the end of the week! Banana bread is delicious but this cake is an amazing fun alternative to make with them instead. 

Ingredients Needed To Make This Banana Cake Recipe

This banana cake was adapted from my banana cupcake recipe. I doubled the recipe and made a few other changes to turn those cupcakes into this delicious easy banana cake. 

For the ingredients:

• Dry Ingredients: all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
• Wet Ingredients: about 4 ripe bananas, melted butter, brown sugar, white sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and sour cream.
• Cream Cheese Frosting: cream cheese, unsalted butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar. 

How To Make This Banana Cake- Step By Step

I think the best part of making this banana cake is that it doesn’t require a lot of time or fancy equipment to get the job done. A couple mixing bowls, a whisk and a spatula and you are good to go. 

Step 1: Whisk your dry ingredients together and set aside.

Step 2: In a second mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar and melted butter.

Step 3: Whisk in your eggs, one at a time. Add your vanilla extract.

Step 4: Mash the bananas and add to the wet ingredients.

Step 5: Alternate the flour mixture and sour cream, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Be sure to mix just until the flour is incorporated.

Step 6: Pour Batter Into Pan.

Once your batter has been mixed together go ahead and pour it into your 9×13 pan. 

Step 7: Bake Your Cake!

Time to bake! You want to bake this cake in the center of your oven for about 45-50 minutes until the top is golden brown and a cake skewer (or toothpick) comes out clean. 

Making The Cream Cheese Frosting

Once the cake has cooled it’s time to frost. I used my cream cheese frosting recipe for this cake, but you could use my cinnamon cream cheese frosting version and it would be delicious! Or maybe mix it up a bit and try a peanut butter frosting.

This frosting couldn’t be simpler made with softened cream cheese, unsalted butter, pure vanilla extract, and confectioners sugar. 

Just make sure you DON’T frost your cake until it’s completed cool!

Tips For Making This Banana Cake:

• Use ripe bananas. All those black specks means a ripe banana and that’s the type of banana you want to use! These have more flavor and will make a moist cupcakes.
• Measure your flour properly. Read this post on how to measure your flour. Too much flour = a dense cupcake. So measure correctly and end up with a light, fluffy cupcake!
• Make sure your eggs are room temperature before you begin. To bring them to room temperature quickly, place the eggs in a bowl with warm water for 10 minutes.

Banana Cake FAQ’s

Can I Make This Cake In Advance?

You absolutely can! Just don’t frost it. You can bake the cake and let it cool then cover it and let store it at room temperature for 2 days OR freeze the cake for up to 3 months. Just wrap it well. I like to use plastic wrap and then tin foil as well. 

Once you are ready to enjoy the cake, if frozen, let it thaw at room temperature then frost and enjoy as normal!

Can I Use Greek Yogurt Instead?

I haven’t tried it but I think swapping out greek yogurt would be fine. 

Can I Turn This Recipe Into Cupcakes?

Yes! I actually transformed my Peanut Butter Banana Cupcakes recipe into this banana cake. This recipe should make about 24 cupcakes, and you would bake them for about 20 minutes.

Can I Bake This Cake In A Bundt Pan?

Baking in a 10-12 cup capacity bundt pan might dry it out a bit but it can be done. Just bake the cake for a little longer – about 50-60 minutes.

Can I Bake This Into A Layer Cake?

I haven’t done this, but I would divide the batter between two greased 9-inch cake pans and bake them for about 26-30 minutes.

More Cake Recipes To Try

• 5-Minute Chocolate Crazy Cake (+VIDEO!)
• Momofuku Milk Bar Cake
• Grapefruit Pound Cake
• Gluten Free Clementine Cake
• Checkerboard Cake
• Lemon Raspberry Bundt Cake Recipe

More Banana Recipes

• Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
• Healthy Banana Bread Recipe
• Blueberry Banana Bread
• Whole Wheat Banana Bread
• Peanut Butter Banana Cupcakes
• Banana Cupcakes with Cinnamon Buttercream

Tools Needed To Make This Banana Cake:

• 9 by 13 inch square pan – 
• Whisk (I love this whisk because it’s also a scraper)
• Dry Measuring Cups, liquid measuring cups, and measuring spoons

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Banana cake

These banana cake is moist and easy to make! If you love banana bread you are going to love this cake. Top it off with a cream cheese frosting for an easy delicious dessert.

5 from 9 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Servings: 20 slices (9x13 pan)

Calories: 400kcal

Author: Heather Perine

Ingredients

For the banana cake

• ▢ 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
• ▢ 3 tsp. baking powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 1/2 tsp. salt
• ▢ 1 Tbs cinnamon
• ▢ 1/2 cup (99 g) granulated sugar
• ▢ 1/2 cup (107 g) packed light brown sugar
• ▢ 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
• ▢ 4 large eggs room temperature
• ▢ 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 cup (227 g) sourcream
• ▢ 4 ripe medium bananas mashed about 1 cup

For the cream cheese frosting

• ▢ 8 ounces cream cheese softened
• ▢ 8 Tablespoons (1 stick, 113 g) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
• ▢ 3 cups (375 g) confectioners sugar
• ▢ 2 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions

• For the cake:
• Preheat an oven to 350°F. Grease a 9x13 pan.
• In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
• In a second bowl with a whisk together the melted butter and sugar.
• Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, then mix in the vanilla and bananas.
• Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the sourcream in 2 additions, mixing until just combined; scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Whisk until no traces of flour remain, about 30 seconds; do not overmix.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake in the preheated oven on a center rack for about 45 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
• For the cream cheese frosting
• Combine the butter and cream cheese in the bowl of your stand mixer.
• Add the confectioner sugar, one cup at a time. Mix on low until combined.
• Add vanilla and mix until combined
• Mix on medium sped until smooth and creamy.

Notes

• Can I Make This Cake In Advance?

  You absolutely can! Just don't frost it. You can bake the cake and let it cool then cover it and let store it at room temperature for 2 days OR freeze the cake for up to 3 months. Just wrap it well. I like to use plastic wrap and then tin foil as well. 
  Once you are ready to enjoy the cake, if frozen, let it thaw at room temperature then frost and enjoy as normal!

  Can I Use Greek Yogurt Instead?

  I haven't tried it but I think swapping out greek yogurt would be fine. 

  Can I Turn This Recipe Into Cupcakes?

  Yes! I actually transformed my Peanut Butter Banana Cupcakes recipe into this banana cake. This recipe should make about 24 cupcakes, and you would bake them for about 20 minutes.

  Can I Bake This Cake In A Bundt Pan?

  Baking in a 10-12 cup capacity bundt pan might dry it out a bit but it can be done. Just bake the cake for a little longer - about 50-60 minutes.

  Can I Bake This Into A Layer Cake?

  I haven't done this, but I would divide the batter between two greased 9-inch cake pans and bake them for about 26-30 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 400kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 21g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 92mg | Sodium: 167mg | Potassium: 240mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 714IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 1mg

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