Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting | Best Banana Cake Recipe (2024)

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This Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is my ideal cake recipe. It’s soft, fluffy, moist – and it’s a classic flavor combination that I personally love!

Going bananas over this dessert? Try my Bananas Foster Layer Cakenext!

Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting | Best Banana Cake Recipe (1)

Table of Contents

  • Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
  • How to Make The Best Banana Cake
  • Get the Recipe

Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting | Best Banana Cake Recipe (2)

Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

So this past Saturday was the hubs’ birthday. Our birthday’s are super close together. I’m Christmas, he’s January 9th. And to make it even crazier, my younger brother is January 5. We get no break after Christmas. The gift-giving just keeps on going.

And so do the delightful meals! I sure do wish I was with my fam when they had my brother’s birthday dinner last weekend – fresh lobster! But if I couldn’t have that, it’s a good thing we were at my favorite place. A place we’d gone two weeks earlier for my birthday. The Melting Pot.

Oh my heavens. Best. Place. Ever. We both love it. It’s dinner and an experience all in one. Dinner took 3 hours. Never before have I been ok with dinner taking 3 hours. That place is an exception.

Plus, I had a victory. And it was sweet. Pun intended.

The last course of the meal is always the melted chocolate with all the cake, fruit, etc that you can dip into it. For the longest time we’d always get milk chocolate with Baileys. And that’s definitely still one of our faves. However. I love me some white chocolate, bananas and cinnamon. And they have a bananas foster white chocolate that I love. But the hubs is always all, “I don’t really love white chocolate.” 🙁

So we’ve had it before, but it’s not a regular thing for that reason.

However! We had it for my birthday a couple weeks ago and for some reason the hubs fell in love with it this time. So much so that he picked it for his birthday! Sweet, sweet victory! I’ve converted him!

Bananas and white chocolate for all!!

Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting | Best Banana Cake Recipe (3)
Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting | Best Banana Cake Recipe (4)

Seriously though, we are banana lovers. So this cake was obviously something we could agree on.

Plus, I’m kinda digging the 9×13 cake. You know I love a good, beautiful layered cake. But this baby was so easy to make and much quicker. Not gonna lie – that’s pretty nice sometimes. Plus, with it being a single layer it feels so much more snack appropriate. Even breakfast appropriate. I mean, hello banana bread.

I know, I know. You’re like, “Lindsay, I’m on a diet.” New Year’s Resolutions and all.

Well lucky for us, I don’t believe in New Year’s Resolutions. I believe in cake. 🙂 In moderation, of course.

How to Make The Best Banana Cake

So like I said, this cake is pretty easy to make. It uses the traditional creaming method, which adds air and fluffiness to the cake. So don’t shortchange the creaming time.

Next you’ll add some vanilla and sour cream. I love the flavor sour cream gives, plus it’s moisture city.

Then the eggs. Best to add them in a couple batches so they incorporate better. Next comes adding the dry ingredients and remaining wet ingredients alternatively. This is to help the batter not curdle. Important stuff.

Then bake, cool, frost. You will love that cream cheese frosting. Best stuff ever.

Who’s ready for a snack cake?!

Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting | Best Banana Cake Recipe (5)

More Banana Dessert Recipes

Easy Banana Bread
Bananas Foster Cheesecake
Banana Cream Cheesecake
Banana Pudding Icebox Cake
Moist and Chewy Banana Oatmeal Cookies
Bananas Foster Layer Cake
Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies
Fudgy Banana Bars

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Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting | Best Banana Cake Recipe (6)

Recipe

Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

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  • Author: Lindsay
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Total Time: 55 minutes
  • Yield: 15-20 slices
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American
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Description

This Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is my ideal cake recipe. It’s soft, fluffy, moist – and it’s a classic flavor combination that I personally love!

Ingredients

BANANA CAKE

  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup sour cream
  • 3 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 egg white
  • 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup mashed bananas (23 medium sized bananas)

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

  • 8 oz cream cheese, room temperature
  • 3/4 cup butter, room temperature
  • 5 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tbsp water
  • banana chips

Instructions

1. Grease a 9×13 cake pan and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
1. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
2. Add vanilla, sour cream and vegetable oil and mix until well combined.
3. Add eggs and egg white in two batches, mixing until well combined.
4. Combine dry ingredients in another bowl.
5. Add half of the dry ingredients to the batter and mix until well combined.
6. Add the mashed bananas and mix until well combined.
7. Add remaining dry ingredients and mix until well combined.
8. Pour batter into cake pan and bake 34-36 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out with a few crumbs.
9. Allow cake to cool completely.
10. To make frosting, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth.
11. Add half of the powdered sugar and beat until smooth.
12. Add vanilla extract and water and beat until smooth.
13. Add remaining powdered sugar and beat until smooth.
14. Frost the cake with the cream cheese frosting.
15. Use a piping bag and tip (I used Ateco 844) to pipe swirls around the outer edge of the cake and garnish with banana chips.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 Slice
  • Calories: 534
  • Sugar: 67.3 g
  • Sodium: 179.7 mg
  • Fat: 22.4 g
  • Carbohydrates: 81.9 g
  • Protein: 4.3 g
  • Cholesterol: 79 mg

Filed Under:

  • Cakes and Cupcakes
  • Frosting Recipes
  • Recipes
  • Sweets and Treats

Enjoy!

Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting | Best Banana Cake Recipe (7)

Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting | Best Banana Cake Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What happens if you put too much banana in banana cake? ›

Fight the urge to use more banana than called for in your recipe. Using too much banana could make your bread heavy and damp in the center, causing it to appear undercooked and unappealing. If you have bananas leftover, you can always freeze them for later use.

Why is my banana cake not moist? ›

Why is my banana cake not moist? – Not Enough Bananas: Bananas not only add flavor but also moisture. Ensure you're using enough ripe bananas as they are moister and sweeter. – Over-mixing the Batter: Over-mixing can develop the gluten in the flour too much, leading to a denser, drier cake.

Why is my banana cake so heavy? ›

Using too much butter makes for a heavier cake with less banana flavor. Using double the amount of butter that the recipe called for left me with a loaf that was dry on the outside and moist on the inside. The coloring was almost identical to that of the loaf made with too little butter.

Why won t my banana cake cook in the middle? ›

The pan is too small. There's too much liquid. Opening the oven or moving pans during baking. Oven temperature is too low, or cake isn't baked long enough.

Can bananas be too old for banana cake? ›

If the peels have gone completely black, you might be thinking it's time to dump them, but bananas are good for much longer than you may think. If you didn't get a chance to freeze the bananas before they ripened, start preheating the oven, because more likely than not, they are perfectly fine to bake with.

What makes a cake dense vs fluffy? ›

If a recipe includes a lot of acid such as lemon juice and buttermilk and isn't lifted with enough baking powder, the cake will taste dense. In that case, you may need the addition of baking soda which will react with the acid and create a fluffier crumb.

How do I make my cake moist again? ›

If your cake is dry, there are a few things you can do to fix it. One option is to add a wet ingredient, like water, milk, or fruit juice. You can also try heating the cake in the oven for a few minutes. If your cake is really dry, you may need to add some oil or melted butter as well.

How many bananas to replace 3 eggs in cake? ›

Banana. Use ripe bananas to add moisture. One mashed banana can replace one egg in cakes and pancakes.

When not to use bananas for baking? ›

Black bananas or rotten bananas are a no-go. (Note that green bananas are also not a good choice for baking.) But those with slightly black peels and a little bit of excess liquid are perfect for turning into a loaf of banana bread magic.

Are frozen bananas better for baking? ›

Not only do frozen bananas work for baking, but they arguably work better for baking than fresh bananas. Not only does the freezing process not affect the taste or the nutritional value of the bananas, but defrosting bananas makes them softer and therefore easier to mix into batter.

How can I make my cake fluffier? ›

The most crucial tip? Instead of buying an entire box of cake flour, simply incorporate two tablespoons of cornstarch into 3 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour. This blocks the formation of gluten in the flour, which produces a lighter, fluffier cake.

What happens when you put too much banana in banana bread? ›

As tempting as it may be to dump all those overripe bananas into your batter, four medium-sized bananas are typically the most that a single loaf of banana bread can accommodate — any more and you're likely looking at a loaf that's going to be dense and heavy rather than soft and moist in the middle.

How can I make my cake rise higher? ›

So with that in mind, here are our tips:
  1. Add a leavening agent to the flour. ...
  2. Make sure your butter is room temperature, and beat the butter and sugar together until properly creamed. ...
  3. Be careful with the cake batter. ...
  4. Check your oven is at the correct temperature.

Can bananas go too bad for baking? ›

If black bananas are spotted with mold, then it's time to step away! You absolutely should not use them for banana bread or consume them at all. At that point, it's wise to consign them to the trash can or compost.

What does adding banana to baking do? ›

One ripe banana replaces one egg in a cake recipe—the banana will flavor the cake, so only use them when they complement the other ingredients. Extra leavening may be needed. Bananas can also be a substitute for butter and oil in recipes. If using bananas for butter, replace in equal amounts.

Why does my banana cake taste bitter? ›

One of the most common misfortunes among bakers is that they are using too much baking soda or baking powder. Know that too much baking soda or baking powder in cakes will not just lead to a metallic and bitter taste, but it can also make a big mess in the oven as it will rise beyond expectations.

Why has my banana cake sunk? ›

If your oven isn't up to temperature consistently during the baking time, you may experience sunken cakes or loaves. Use an oven thermometer to gauge the accuracy of your oven. At the very least, try waiting 10 minutes after the oven has beeped to signify it has preheated before actually baking anything.

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