Banana Cake

This delicious banana cake recipe is a sweet treat that is simple to make and is topped with an easy cream cheese frosting.

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Table of Contents

Banana Cake Ingredients
Substitutions And Additions For This Easy Banana Cake Recipe
How To Make This Moist Banana Cake Recipe
How To Serve The Best Banana Cake
Storing This Recipe For Banana Cake
Frequently Asked Questions
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Banana cake is a lot like moist, dense banana bread that has been covered in delicious cream cheese frosting. It also has just a touch of spiciness from the cinnamon and vanilla to give it even more flavor.

Banana Cake Ingredients

Banana Cake raw ingredients that are labeled

The rich and moist texture of the cake, paired with the natural sweetness of ripe bananas, creates a flavor experience that is simply irresistible.

With each bite, you’ll be greeted with a burst of flavor that is both comforting and indulgent.

The smooth and creamy frosting on top adds an extra layer of sweetness that perfectly complements the cake.

You’ll need:

For The Cake:

½ teaspoon of cinnamon
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of baking powder
¼ teaspoon of salt
2½ cups of all-purpose flour
½ cup of salted butter, softened
1 cup of granulated sugar
½ cup of packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 cup of buttermilk
2 cups of mashed bananas (about 4 large), plus 2 additional bananas for decorating, if desired
Juice of 1 lemon if decorating the exterior of the cake with banana slices

PRO TIP:

You can make your own buttermilk using whole or 2% milk and lemon juice or distilled vinegar. For every 1 cup of milk, stir in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar.

For The Frosting:

2 (8-ounce) packages of cream cheese, softened
1 cup of salted butter, softened
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
4 cups of powdered sugar
⅓ cup of heavy cream

Substitutions And Additions For This Easy Banana Cake Recipe

BANANAS: Make sure you get ripe bananas for the recipe or wait until they are ripe. When the peel is deep yellow and has a few brown spots starting to appear, that’s when they are perfect.

CHOCOLATE CHIPS: Chocolate makes everything even tastier, and adding it to desserts with banana flavor takes it to the next level. Add ½ cup to 1 cup of regular or mini chocolate chips to your homemade banana cake for a yummy surprise.

NUTS: Pecans or walnuts would also be a tasty addition and add a lovely crunch to your cake.

How To Make This Moist Banana Cake Recipe

We’ll walk through the steps to making the batter for this easy layer cake together before showing you how to whip up the creamy frosting.

For The Cake

STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 350°F.

STEP TWO: In a mixing bowl, whisk together cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and flour. Set dry ingredients aside.

cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and flour whisked together in a cup

STEP THREE: Cream butter and sugars together in a large bowl using a hand mixer on medium speed.

STEP FOUR: Add eggs and vanilla, then beat until the batter is fluffy.

eggs and vanilla mixed together in a bowl

STEP FIVE: Beginning and ending with the buttermilk, rotate adding the buttermilk and flour mixture to the wet ingredients until fully combined and fluffy.

buttermilk and flour mixture blended together in a bowl

STEP SIX: Mash bananas and mix them into the cake batter until combined.

mashed bananas combined into the buttermilk and flour mixture in a bowl

STEP SEVEN: Prepare two 9-inch round pans by lining the bottom with parchment paper and spraying with non-stick cooking spray.

OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS

If you want taller cake layers, use smaller cake pans such as a 7-inch or 8-inch size.

STEP EIGHT: Divide batter between the two prepared cake pans.

STEP NINE: Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.

PRO TIP:

Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to check your cake at the lower end of the recommended baking time.

STEP TEN: Remove pans and cool for 15 minutes. Gently remove cakes from pans to a wire rack and cool completely.

For The Frosting

STEP ONE: In a medium bowl, beat together softened cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until fully combined.

PRO TIP:

Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature to ensure it blends fully with the rest of the ingredients and doesn’t leave lumps.

cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in a bowl

STEP TWO: Add the powdered sugar and beat until smooth, the mixture will be thick.

STEP THREE: Drizzle heavy cream into the frosting mixture while beating until the frosting is fluffy and has a spreadable consistency.

heavy cream drizzled into the frosting mixture in a bowl

For The Assembly

STEP ONE: Trim the top of each cake layer to remove any doming and form a flat surface.

STEP TWO: Place the first cake layer top-side up onto the serving platter.

STEP THREE: Mound about ½ cup of frosting onto the cake layer and spread smoothly to the edges.

frosting spread on the cake layer on a cake stand

STEP FOUR: Place the second cake layer top-side down on top of the filling. Press down gently to seal the layers together.

second cake layer placed on top of the filling on a cake stand

STEP FIVE: Mound another pile of frosting on top of the cake and use an offset spatula to spread it across the top and down the sides until the cake is fully frosted.

frosting spread on top and sides of the cake on a cake stand

STEP SIX: Decorate the top of the cake with banana slices (dip banana slices in lemon juice to prevent browning) or however you’d like.

banana slices placed on top of the cake on a cake stand

STEP SEVEN: Refrigerate or freeze until ready to serve.

How To Serve The Best Banana Cake

This moist banana cake with its homemade cream cheese frosting is the perfect choice for a birthday cake or for another special occasion.

The banana flavor is classic, and everyone will love the soft texture. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side for a decadent treat.

If you still have extra bananas to use after making this yummy layer cake, why not make a banana pudding cake that has the best of both cake and pudding in one dish?

Or you could try a banana split cake, which is a fun twist on the sundae dessert.

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Storing This Recipe For Banana Cake

We’ve got all the tips you need to keep your cake fresh and scrumptious for as long as possible.

IN THE FRIDGE: You can keep this delicious cake in the fridge for up to one week. Store it in an airtight container.

IN THE FREEZER: You can also freeze this easy banana cake either whole or in portions in freezer containers or wrapped in plastic wrap. Use within 1 month.

a close up shot of a slice of Banana Cake

When you make this easy banana cake recipe from scratch, you get a tasty dessert that has just the right amount of sweetness. It reminds you of banana bread but is topped with delectable creamy frosting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use store-bought frosting instead of homemade cream cheese frosting in this recipe?

If you need to save time, you can use store-bought cream cheese frosting in place of homemade.

Can I make this cake ahead of time and freeze it?

You can make this cake ahead of time as it freezes well. You can either make the entire recipe and freeze it or make the two cakes and wait to assemble them with the frosting until you are ready to serve the cake.

Can I make this cake in a square pan in a single layer instead?

You can certainly bake this cake in a square or rectangular pan if you prefer. Just adjust your baking time to suit the size of the pan.

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Banana Cake

5 from 5 votes

This delicious banana cake recipe is a sweet treat that is simple to make and is topped with an easy cream cheese frosting.

Prep Time 50

Cook Time 35

Total Time 2 25

Servings

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Review Recipe

Ingredients

Cake

½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt
2½ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup salted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup light brown sugar, packed
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
2 cups mashed bananas, about 4 large plus 2 additional bananas for decorating, if desired
1 lemon juice, if decorating exterior of cake with banana slices

Frosting

1 cup salted butter, softened
16 ounces cream cheese, softened (two 8-ounce packages)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar
⅓ cup heavy cream

Instructions

Cake

Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and flour. Set aside.
Cream together butter and sugars in a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer.
Add eggs and vanilla, and beat until batter is fluffy.
Beginning and ending with the buttermilk, rotate adding the buttermilk and flour mixture until fully combined and fluffy.
Mix in mashed bananas until combined.
Prepare two 9-inch round pans by lining the bottom with parchment paper and spraying with non-stick cooking spray.
Divide batter between the two cake pans.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
Remove pans and cool for 15 minutes. Gently remove cakes from pans to cooling racks and cool completely.

Frosting

Beat together softened cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until fully combined.
Add in powdered sugar and beat until smooth, the mixture will be thick.
Drizzle heavy cream into frosting mixture while beating until frosting is fluffy and to a spreadable consistency.

Assembly

Trim the top of each cake layer to remove any doming and form a flat surface.
Place first cake layer top side up onto serving platter.
Mound about ½ cup of frosting onto the cake layer and spread smooth to the edges.
Place the second cake layer top side down on top of the filling. Press down gently to seal the layers together.
Mound another pile of frosting on top of the cake and use a spatula to spread it across the top and down the sides until cake is fully frosted.
Decorate with banana slices (dip banana slices in lemon juice to prevent browning) or however you’d like.
Refrigerate or freeze until ready to serve.

Video

Notes

You can make your own buttermilk using whole or 2% milk and lemon juice or distilled vinegar. For every 1 cup of milk, stir in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or vinegar.
If you want taller cake layers, use smaller cake pans such as a 7-inch or 8-inch size.
Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to check your cake at the lower end of the recommended baking time.
Make sure your cream cheese is at room temperature to ensure it blends fully with the rest of the ingredients and doesn’t leave lumps.

Nutrition

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Proudly Prepared by the Spaceships Kitchen

This recipe was developed, tested, cooked and photographed by the Spaceships Kitchen. From our dinner table to yours, we hope you think it's out of this world!

Stephanie Keeping Publisher
Layne Kangas Marketing
Rhadonda Sedgwick Creative Director
Stefanie Knaus Photographer
Lexus Monroe Editorial Assistant

Banana Cake

Banana Cake Ingredients

Substitutions And Additions For This Easy Banana Cake Recipe

How To Make This Moist Banana Cake Recipe

How To Serve The Best Banana Cake

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Storing This Recipe For Banana Cake

Frequently Asked Questions

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