Soft and tender Banana Cake topped with a thick and buttery cream cheese frosting. This Easy Banana Cake takes minutes to make and will easily serve a hungry crowd.
Do you have ripe, spotty bananas sitting in your fruit bowl? 🍌
If so, you need to jump in the kitchen and make this Easy Banana Cake right now. It’s big, buttery and oh-so-banana-ry. And don’t even get me started on that melt-in-your-mouth cream cheese frosting.
It’s honestly the BEST way to bake with bananas!
I know you love banana bread just as much as me. And when I discovered chocolate banana bread, I thought life was complete. But I have to say, a piece of freshly baked Banana Cake slathered in cream cheese frosting is my new fave.
And this is seriously good. The cake itself is buttery and soft and bursting with banana flavour. Make sure you use bananas that are stinky, spotty and overripe. That’ll ensure your cake has plenty of flavour.
We also use buttermilk in this recipe which will ensure your cake stays soft and fluffy – even a day or two later. If you don’t have your own buttermilk on hand, you can make your own by adding 1 tablespoon of white vinegar to 1 cup of regular milk.
Leave it for a few minutes and then use as per normal. I rarely buy buttermilk so I use this trick ALL the time, in my muffins, cakes and quick breads.
TIPS FOR MAKING BANANA CAKE FROM SCRATCH
- Make sure you use very overripe, spotty bananas for maximum flavour. The smellier the better!
- You will need an electric mixer for this recipe. Start with room temperature butter, you don’t want it fridge cold but it shouldn’t be melty by any means.
- We start by beating together the butter and sugar, this process is known as creaming. After a few minutes, the two will combine and turn pale and creamy. This process helps create a nice light and fluffy cake. It can be tempting to beat for 30 seconds or so just to combine the butter and sugar but if you keep going for another minute or so, you’ll see it change texture and almost look a little ‘whipped’. Perfect!
- Next comes the eggs. Sometimes when you add the eggs, the cake batter can turn lumpy and look a little curdled. That’s fine.
- Add half of the dry ingredients and the mashed banana and buttermilk. Start to slowly mix together and then add the remaining dry ingredients. Transfer mixture to a cake tin and bake for 45-50 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
TIPS FOR MAKING CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- You will need a hand mixer or stand mixer to make this frosting. Make sure you use a full fat block of cream cheese – not a light version or the spreadable kind.
- For seriously creamy frosting, make sure both your butter and your cream cheese are at room temperature.
- Once you beat together the butter and cream cheese, you need to add 3 cups of icing sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla.
- The frosting should be smooth and creamy. If it’s too thick, you can add a teaspoon of milk but I find it usually doesn’t need it.
MORE CAKEs we love
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Let’s Bake
Easy Banana Cake
Easy Banana Cake topped with cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
Banana cake
- 210 grams (1 and 1/2 cups) plain flour or all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 115 grams (1/2 cup or 1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 100 grams (1/2 cup) caster sugar or granulated sugar
- 45 grams (1/4 cup) brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) buttermilk
- 180 grams (3/4 cup) mashed banana, (2–3 overripe bananas)
Cream cheese frosting
- 115 grams (1/2 cup or 1 stick) butter, softened
- 250 grams (1 and 1/4 cup) full fat cream cheese, softened, roughly chopped
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 375 grams (3 cups) icing sugar or powdered sugar, sifted
Instructions
- Grease and line an 8-inch round cake pan with baking or parchment paper. Preheat oven to 180 C (350 F) standard / 160 C (320 F) fan-forced.
- In a large bowl, add plain flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
- In a large mixing bowl, add butter and sugars and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 1-2 minutes until pale and creamy. Add vanilla and eggs, one at a time, beating until combined.
- Add 1/2 of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, along with buttermilk and the mashed banana. Gently beat until just combined. Then add remaining dry ingredients.
- Transfer mixture to prepared pan and bake for approximately 45-50 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Leave to cool completely.
- To make the cream cheese frosting, add butter and cream cheese to a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla.
- Add sugar, 1 cup at a time, and continue to beat until smooth. Generously frost the top of your banana cake once it’s completely cooled.
Emma says
hi, i wanted to ask if i have a 6 inch cake pan, how should I adjust the recipe?
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Emma, I recommend making the recipe as is and then using any leftover batter to make some extra cupcakes. I do hope to share a small banana cake recipe soon though.
Julia says
I made this yesterday for a family catch up, it went down a treat. It was delicious!
Thanks for another great recipe and for the helpful tips.
Another keeper!
Jessica Holmes says
So pleased you enjoyed it Julia!
Ian says
Used your ingredient list to make two small cakes using 15cm springform tins and a shorter baking time. One cake for my wife’s tennis friends (they demolished the whole thing) and the other one for us.
Another excellent recipe Jess.
Cakes were moist, full of flavour and hard to stop at one piece.
Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Jessica Holmes says
Brilliant! Happy to hear that Ian!
Rachael says
Easy to make, moist and so delicious. It’s a winner.
Jessica Holmes says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Elena says
Loved it. Flavorful, moist, delicious. I added chocolate chunks to the mixture, and frosted it with dulce de leche, and it was a huge hit. The best banana cake I’ve ever tasted.
Jessica Holmes says
Oh my gosh Elena! That sounds sensational!
Naila says
Hello,
In the instructions it says to add eggs,
But in the recipe card there’s no mention for how many eggs?
Thank you
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Naila, it’s 2 eggs for this recipe – you should see it listed under the vanilla extract.
Amanda maimoun says
I love the banana cake
Shals says
Did not turn out nice
Jessica Holmes says
Sorry you didn’t enjoy it Shals.
Amanda maimoun says
I have not made it yet it looks it’s a beautiful cake and easy to make thanks again have a great night.
Nikki says
Hello! I am currently making this, I think its going to come out great. Pretty easy to make. My question is: How would you store this?
Jessica Holmes says
I hope you love it Nikki! If the cake is unfrosted, I usually keep it at room temperature in an airtight container. The cream cheese frosting will need to be kept in the fridge though. I like to frost the cake just when I’m serving and then keep any leftovers in the fridge.
Amanda maimoun says
I would store in the fridge and have it it with s as cup of coffee.
Laura says
For an easy cake there are far too many ingredients
Dhara says
Hello Jessica
Can I add some walnuts to this cake.. and can I cook this cake in 7 inch pan
Jessica Holmes says
Yes absolutely! If you use a smaller pan, it may take a little longer to cook.
Dhara says
Hello Jessica,
Can u let me know how much will be 2 large bananas in grams or in a cup size..
Jessica Holmes says
Hi Dhara, it’ll be around 3/4 cup mashed banana.
Dhara says
Thank you so much for your response
Melissa says
To die for! I made it without the icing, and only cooked it for 30 mins, maybe in a larger tray but it was perfect.
Jessica Holmes says
Love hearing that Melissa!
Lanie says
Could I bake this in a 9 inch pan instead? And if so, how long should I bake it for?
Jessica Holmes says
You sure can Lanie! It might just cook slightly faster, just maybe check around the 40-45 minute mark.
lanie says
Thank you! Also, when the cake is done baking, could I slice it in half to make a layer cake?
Jessica Holmes says
Absolutely!
Cesan Hernandez says
This is BOMB! Baked it yesterday for my auntie’s birthday, her request is Banana Cake and saw this in Pinterest. She loved it, also my husband and son. The banana cake is still moist up to now then I just lessen the powdered sugar to 2 and half cup and it still tastes so good!!! Thank you for sharing Jessica ❤️
Jessica Holmes says
Oh I love hearing that Cesan! So glad you and the fam enjoyed it!
Mandy says
Excellent cake for lunch boxes as it holds together very well
Jessica Holmes says
Love hearing that Mandy!
Scott says
I made this banana cake and it turned out great one of the best banana cakes I’ve had so moist I actually added a shot of spiced rum to mine just for extra flavour and love it.
Thank you
Jessica Holmes says
Brilliant! Love that Scott!
Sara says
Hi!
Could I make this as a layer cake? I’m wanting to do 6 inch layers and add some caramel into the middle.
Jessica Holmes says
Yes definitely! That sounds amazing!