Best Banana Cake is super moist and flavor packed! Topped with smooth, sweet cream cheese frosting! Made with real bananas, this easy to make cake is the perfect year round dessert.
Banana Cake:
If you’re a fan of Banana Bread and our Banana Chocolate Chip Cake then you’re going to LOVE this Banana Cake with cream cheese frosting! Made with very similar ingredients to banana bread like real bananas, brown sugar, and cinnamon, this sweet treat is one of my all time favorites. Banana bread is delicious, but when those same flavors are served as a light, fluffy, and moist cake topped with homemade frosting, it really becomes irresistible. Make sure to try out our seriously good Pumpkin Cake soon too!
How to Make Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
1. Whisk the dry ingredients. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt until well combined. This is a short step and won’t take you more than 30 seconds
2. In a second large bowl beat together the softened butter and both sugars for 2-3 minutes on medium speed until smooth. As you can see below the mixture may be slightly crumbly and that is fine. Just don’t skip this step.
3. Add the other wet ingredients. Add in the mashed banana, eggs, sour cream and vanilla extract and don’t skip beating on medium for 3-4 minutes until everything is very well mixed.
4. Combine the wet and dry mixtures. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and fold together with a spatula just until everything is moistened, do not over mix.
Bake and cool. Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted near the center of the cake comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting or your frosting will just melt.
How to Store Banana Cake
Kept in an airtight container at room temperature, this frosted Banana Cake will stay fresh for one day and should be eaten as soon as possible. You can keep it fresh for a little longer if kept in an airtight container in the fridge, where it can last for up to 5 days.
Ingredient Notes for Banana Cake
Brown Sugar – All out of brown sugar? If you have plain white granulated sugar and molasses, you’re in luck! Combine one tablespoon of molasses (any brand works) with one cup of white granulated sugar to create brown sugar.
Bananas – Make sure your bananas are very ripe with lots of brown spots for best results! You will want to mash them very well until almost completely smooth to make sure your bread is nice and moist.
Sour Cream – Do not use a low fat option! That may affect the consistency of the cake. You can use Plain Greek yogurt if that’s what you prefer.
Vanilla Extract – For the best results in flavor, pure vanilla extract, not imitation. You can also add in some banana extract for extra pronounced banana flavor if you have some on hand!
Enjoy!
~Nichole
Best Banana Cake
Ingredients
FOR THE BANANA CAKE
- 2 Cups All Purpose Flour
- 2 teaspoons Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter Softened to room temp
- 1 Cup Packed Brown Sugar
- 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 1 1/2 Cups Mashed Banana 2-3 ripe bananas
- 3 Large Eggs
- 1/4 Cup Sour Cream
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
FOR THE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
- 8 Ounces Cream Cheese Softened to room temp
- 3 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter Softened to room temp
- 1/2 Cup Packed Brown Sugar
- 2 Cups Powdered Sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Cinnamon Optional
Instructions
FOR THE CAKE:
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13 inch baking dish with butter or non-stick spray, set aside.
- In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
- In a second large bowl (if using hand mixer) or in the bowl of your stand mixer beat together the softened butter and both sugars for 2-3 minutes on medium speed until smooth.
- Add in the mashed banana, eggs, sour cream and vanilla extract and beat on medium for 3-4 minutes until everything is very well mixed.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and fold together with a spatula just until everything is moistened, do not over mix.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish and bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted near the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting.
FOR THE FROSTING:
- Beat all ingredients together in a large bowl with hand mixer or in your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium speed for about 3-4 minutes until very smooth.
Great recipe, I li e the rich cake taste and the sour cream definitely makes it moist. I will not use the brown sugar in the frosting the next time. Didn’t give it the smoothest texture so I’ll do a basic cream cheese frosting recipe but other than that, it’s excellent!
Can this recipe be made in cupcakes?
Yes, it can! It will make about 16-18 regular sized cupcakes. Use liners and bake for about 18-20 minutes 🙂
What would the cooking time on this be for if you made cupcakes instead?
Hi! About 18-20 minutes 🙂