Banana Cake

I just can’t say enough about this banana cake recipe. Except maybe you need to make it now. This cake is easy to make, moist and fluffy, and topped with a cream cheese frosting. Ready to be baked in less than 30 minutes!

 

Easy Banana Sheet Cake with 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. Like my banana bread recipe with sour cream (a reader favorite!).

But sometimes bananas deserve something grander. A higher purpose in life. Sometimes you should take those bananas and turn them into a cake. Banana cake is 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.

See Also:

• If you’re looking for a showstopping cake, this Milk Bar cake is the perfect dessert to make for a birthday!
• Calling all peanut butter lovers with this super easy peanut butter cream cheese frosting to use on all your favorite cake recipes!
• This easy vanilla cupcake recipe uses melted butter so it comes together in minutes and no mixer is needed!
• When it’s summertime then you have to make these S’mores cupcakes with toasted meringue frosting and graham cracker bottom!
• Get a mixing bowl and make the easiest cake ever! This Tornado cake recipe (aka do nothing cake) made with crushed pineapple, coconut, and pecans!

Why You Will Love This Recipe

• Quick And Easy To Prep – You don’t need to cream anything, or use a stand mixer for this banana sheet cake. 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. 

Use overripe bananas

Overripe bananas mean your banana cake will have the best banana flavor. Bananas that are overripe have a higher sugar content. You want to look for bananas that are dark in color and very speckled. Do not use yellow or green bananas.

I usually wait to make this cake once my bananas have naturally ripened on the counter, but sometimes you just can’t wait for cake! If you need ripened bananas now, then be sure to read how to ripen bananas quickly.

Ingredients you’ll need

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. 

• All-purpose flour – Make sure to measure your flour correctly so you end up with a fluffy, tender cake and not a dry one. Spoon the flour into your cup and level it off. Do not pack it down in to the cup or you will end up with too much flour.
• Baking powder – This will help your cake rise. Test your baking powder in a bowl of hot water to see if it bubbles still before using it.
• Baking soda – This will react with the acidic ingredients in your cake to help it rise properly. Make sure your baking soda is fresh by testing it in a small bowl of lemon juice or vinegar to see if it bubbles.
• Cinnamon – I love adding a little ground cinnamon to the batter to give the cake even more flavor.
• Salt – A little salt helps balance out the sweetness. I like to use sea salt, as it has a fine crystal that dissolves into the batter, but you can use kosher or table salt as well.
• Bananas – Be sure to use overripe bananas that are very dark in color and speckled. These bananas have the best flavor. I use about 4 bananas, or about 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas.
• Butter – I used melted butter to give this cake a wonderful taste, and so it comes together easily. You could also use oil instead of butter.
• Light brown sugar
• Granulated white sugar
• Eggs – Make sure your eggs are at room temperature. Place your eggs in a bowl of warm water before you start.
• Vanilla extract – For wonderful flavor to your banana cake! I like to use pure vanilla extract, but imitation vanilla extract also works.
• Sour cream – I use and recommend full-fat sour cream for richness, but you could also use full-fat plain greek yogurt instead.
• Cream cheese – For the cream cheese frosting. Be sure to use full-fat cream cheese in the block form, not the tub variety.
• Powdered sugar – To sweeten the cream cheese frosting. If you don’t have any on hand, you can make your own powdered sugar in your food processor.

How To Make The Best Banana Cake

Preheat an oven to 350°F (177oC). Grease a 9×13 sheet pan with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.

In a large mixing 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 mashed bananas.

Add the flour mixture alternately with the sour cream in 3 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 banana cake 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.

Making The Cream Cheese Frosting

Once you have a cooled cake it’s time to frost. This rich cream cheese frosting couldn’t be simpler made with softened cream cheese, unsalted butter, pure vanilla extract, and confectioners sugar. 

In a bowl of your stand mixer, with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and cream cheese together until light and fluffy. Then add in the powdered sugar, a little at a time. I don’t like dumping it all at once, and turning my mixer on, otherwise my kitchen looks like a blizzard hit.

And then beat in the vanilla extract. Then it’s time to frost. Just make sure you DON’T frost your cake until it’s completely cool!

Frosting options

For this banana sheet cake I made my easy cream cheese frosting, but you could try making a cinnamon cream cheese frosting, or stick with an easy vanilla buttercream frosting.

Or mix things up and try this cake with my easy chocolate buttercream frosting, chocolate Italian buttercream or my peanut butter cream cheese frosting!

Recipe Tips

• Use ripe bananas. All those black specks means ripe bananas 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.

Storage Instructions

You can bake the cake and let it cool then cover it and let store it at room temperature for 2 days. (if it’s frosted you want to refrigerate it because of the cream cheese).

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!

Recipe FAQs

More Recipes To Try

If you’re craving more cake you’re looking for be sure to try my honey bun cake or my chocolate peppermint cake for two easy sheet cakes.

Or break out your bundt pan and try my strawberry pound cake, Sock it to me cake and peach cobbler pound cake. They are easy, no fuss cakes to make!