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Move over banana bread! Enjoy our BEST Banana Cake recipe for a special occasion, or whenever you have ripe and ready bananas.
Our banana cake recipe is a favorite with everyone who tries it! With plenty of banana flavor and a rich, luscious cream cheese frosting it’s hard to stop at just one piece. This banana cake recipe can be made in layers or a 13×9-inch baking pan making it perfect for gatherings, potlucks or easy decorating.
What kind of add-ins are best with this banana cake recipe?
For a nice flavor companion to the bananas, add-in your favorite ground or chopped nuts. If mixing nuts into the cake batter I recommend using just one cup of finely chopped walnuts or pecans. I’m partial to toasted, chopped walnuts sprinkled on top for nice visual appeal, good crunch and great flavor. Another great variation is to add a little cinnamon to the cake batter and/or the frosting. Â Let’s not forget the delicious chocolate and banana combo too! Garnish the cake with mini semisweet chocolate chips around the outside edge of the top layer – so pretty! The mini chips add just enough chocolate to compliment the banana flavor without too much sweetness.
This banana cake recipe is easily made ahead and refrigerated until needed.
The texture of this banana cake recipe is more like a typical cake than banana bread. It’s soft and moist but just a touch more dense than a cake made without 4 smashed bananas. This cake doesn’t wimp out on banana flavor either. No one will have to wonder what happened to the bananas because it has a deliciously intense-banana flavor throughout. You can even smell sweet bananas when you slice into this cake! And, we love how it slices beautifully and is best eaten after it’s had time to rest and chill for a few hours. The frosting requires refrigeration for longer storage making this cake a perfect make-ahead dessert. Our cake is delicious eaten straight from the refrigerator or at room temperature, it’s all good!
What’s the best way to ripen bananas?
If you plan to make this cake I recommend buying bananas a week before you need them and allow them ripen at room temperature naturally. To be sure your bananas are throughly ripe for this cake. The banana peel should be mostly brown on the outside with a soft fruit inside when gently squeezed. If you’re a little rushed (like I usually am) here’s our favorite way to ripen bananas for baking:
According to Cook’s Illustrated, the best way to ripen bananas is to enclose them in a paper bag for a few days. The bag will trap the ethylene gas produced by fruit that hastens ripening, while still allowing some moisture to escape. Since fully ripe fruit emits the most ethylene, placing a ripe banana or other ripe fruit in the bag will speed the process along by a day or two.
With a beautiful texture, intense banana flavor and a rich, sweet frosting, this banana cake recipe will become one of your most requested desserts!
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Ingredients
For the cake:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, separated
- 1 1/2 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 4 medium)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup whole milk
For the frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- chopped toasted walnuts or mini semisweet chocolate chips for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour two 9-inch cake pans or a 13x9-inch baking pan.
To prepare the cake:
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Add the egg yolks, one at a time, and blend until combined. Add the mashed bananas and vanilla; beat until incorporated scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Reduce the speed to low and add the flour mixture in 3 additions alternating with the milk in 2 additions.
- In a separate bowl bowl beat the egg whites with clean beaters until soft peaks form. Gently fold the egg whites into the cake batter using a spatula. Divide the batter between the two prepared pans.
- Bake at 350F until a toothpick comes out with no wet batter (moist crumbs are okay), about 28 to 33 minutes, DO NOT OVER-BAKE! Allow the cake to cool on a rack for 15 minutes. Remove the cakes from the pans and cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
To prepare the frosting:
- Combine the cream cheese and butter and beat until blended. Add the sugar and beat until fluffy. And the vanilla and salt and mix on low until smooth and creamy. Frost cake as desired. Cake is best stored in a cool location or refrigerated and will keep well for up to 5 days.
Recipe Notes
Kitchen Essentials – 9-inch Cake Pans
For this Banana Cake recipe we use our favorite 9-inch cake pans. This set of 2 9-inch round cake pans are made from commercial grade and heavy gauge aluminized steel and has a limited lifetime warranty. Made by USA Pan they feature an Americoat coating which promotes quick release of baked-goods plus fast and easy clean up.  The nonstick Americoat coating is a patented silicone coating which is PTFE, PFOA and BPA free. Made in the USA these pans measure 9 inches diameter x 2.25 inches. Click on the photo for more information or to purchase from Amazon.
Saving Room for Dessert is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program ~ I earn a small commission, at no additional cost to you, which I use to pay for web hosting and services for this blog. Thanks for supporting SRFD!
Here are a few more recipes you might enjoy:
Easy Banana Bread Recipe ~ delicious and simple, and perhaps the best banana bread recipe around!  Moist and tender cake loaded with banana flavor and chopped walnuts.  Try a slice with cinnamon cream cheese – oh my goodness! Click HERE to get the recipe.
Healthy Chocolate Chip Banana Muffin Recipe – A moist, delicious and super healthy muffin loaded with dark chocolate chips, flaxseed meal and whole oats. Click HERE to get the recipe.
Chocolate Coconut Banana Bread – a deliciously moist chocolate loaf cake with hints of banana and coconut. Click HERE to get the recipe.
Thanks so much for stopping by! Â Tricia
Brianna says
I loved this cake! And so did my family! This cake was so moist and had such a great taste. I really liked this recipe. My mom loved it so much she wants me to make her her own for Mother’s Day. Everyone should give this recipe a try, you will not be disappointed. 🙂
Tricia Buice says
Thanks for the feedback Brianna! So glad you enjoyed this cake. It has tons of banana flavor. So happy you get to celebrate Mother’s Day with your mom! Enjoy 🙂
Suzanne Laux says
This cake is a keeper! My husband said it was the best banana cake he has ever had. It is so moist, the frosting recipe is just right and not overly sweet. I bake cakes all the time and this one is already in my recipe book. Thank you for sharing.
Tricia Buice says
Thank you very much Suzanne! I’m so happy you tried this cake. We LOVE it and so happy you do too. Thank you for taking the time to come back and comment.
Liz says
Wow, this cake is a beauty!! And paired with cream cheese frosting? Divine!!
Tricia Buice says
Thanks Liz – I completely agree 😉
Jennifer @ Seasons and Suppers says
I adored anything baked with bananas, so I’m all over this cake. It looks absolutely perfect. Everything you want a banana cake to be 🙂
Tricia Buice says
Thanks Jennifer!
Julie G says
It’s amazing…I just happen to have 4 overripe bananas and came straight to you site looking for a recipe. You must have read my mind! Added the ingredients I don’t have on hand to my grocery list for tomorrow’s shopping trip and am going to whip this up on Saturday. I’ll be sure to come back and post a review.
Tricia Buice says
That’s awesome Julie! I can’t wait to hear what you think about this cake. You are the best!!!! Happy baking 🙂
Julie G says
This recipe is THE ONE! I followed the ingredient list completely but chose to make cupcakes instead. I filled them 3/4 full and baked at 350 for about 16-18 minutes. They had a slight, lovely dome. I used the frosting recipe listed here and added just a touch of yellow food coloring. I piped pretty rosettes on top of each one and plan on bringing some to work tomorrow. I ended up with 27 cupcakes.
These have a great banana flavor from the 4 bananas. They are a little more dense (the way I like cake/cupcakes!) than say a fluffy white cake but are sooo soft and yummy! I like them best cold, right from the fridge. Easy to make, perfect use for leftover bananas and truly a wonderful banana cupcake with luscious cream cheese frosting!! *****
Tricia Buice says
Julie you are the greatest reader I’ve ever had! Thank you so much for trying our recipe and for the SPOT-ON review! The bananas make the cake a little more dense but in a good way I think. Sending you a great big hug, high fives and a warm thank you 🙂 XOXOXO
Susan says
I’m typically a banana bread king of gal but this could change my ways 🙂 How deliciously beautiful, Tricia!
Tricia Buice says
I know what you mean Susan – this lighter than bread banana cake has it all!
sue | the view from great island says
There’s something about a banana cake, I can’t resist one, ever. I love that you’ve raised the lowly banana bread to dessert status, this looks soooooo good!
Tricia Buice says
Thanks Sue! The aroma while baking is something you’ll never forget!
Chris Scheuer says
This looks like a little slice of banana heaven! Well, make mine big, not little!
Tricia Buice says
Thanks Chris! Our daughter-in-law says this is the best cake she’s ever had. Great praise from someone who doesn’t eat a lot of desserts 🙂