The Best Banana Cake Recipe
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This is the best banana cake recipe, and it’s made completely from scratch! My recipe is perfectly balanced with extra bananas and complementary spices and is crowned with a silky smooth cream cheese frosting. Includes a how-to video!
The Actual Best Banana Cake Recipe (Moist, Easy, & Frosted!)
If you have some overripe bananas hanging out on your counter, I’ve got you covered: this banana cake recipe is exactly what they’ve been waiting for. Soft, plush, rich with banana flavor and smothered in a silky smooth, perfectly tangy cream cheese frosting, this recipe is made completely from scratch. It’s easy with basic ingredients and the prep takes less than half an hour, so what are you waiting for!?
Why This Banana Cake Really Works:
- Bananas are for more than just flavor. Overripe bananas aren’t just essential for locking in classic banana flavor. They’re also full of natural sugars and pectin, which help lock in moisture and create a plush, super moist crumb that stays soft for days.
- Butter for flavor, oil for texture. This is a combo that I use in many of my cakes (both my vanilla cake and chocolate cake recipe feature a blend of the two). While butter adds incredible flavor, butter alone can dry out a cake crumb a bit, especially one that needs to be refrigerated (since butter solidifies in the fridge it can make cakes seem dense and dry). Cooking oil is great for adding moisture, but doesn’t lend the same rich, buttery flavor. By using a blend of both, we get incredible flavor and texture.
- Cream cheese frosting, balanced just right. The tangy element of it works especially well here to counter the sweet, banana-rich base. A little acidity balances the whole bite, so it doesn’t feel too heavy! Psst: If you want to make this cake over-the-top luxurious, try it with my cream cheese-based brown butter frosting!)
Ingredients:
My banana cake recipe was carefully and intentionally designed to be sweet, simple, super flavorful, and moist. When developing it, I largely drew from my pumpkin cake (of all things). Let’s talk about a few of the key players:
- Bananas. For the best flavor & moistest cake, you should use overripe, spotty or mostly brown bananas. Have some that are looking a little sad on your counter and starting to attract fruit flies? Grab those. King Arthur has a great guide on choosing the best bananas to use for baking. A banana cake made with underripe or even regularly ripe bananas could be a bit less sweet, more dry, and underwhelming in flavor.
- Butter AND oil. Those of you who have made my Funfetti cake or marble cake recipe know that a blend of the two yields a better cake than simply using all butter or all oil. For my banana cake recipe I sought balance, and a blend of the two yielded a perfect moist cake. For the oil, any neutral cooking oil (canola or vegetable are most common) will work.
- Sugar. Another best-of-both-worlds scenario. Granulated sugar adds sweetness without weighing the cake down too much, while brown sugar adds a depth of flavor that pairs nicely with the bananas (thanks to the molasses in brown sugar!).
- Leavening Agents. Baking powder and baking soda create a perfect rise. The baking soda reacts with the banana and buttermilk (and helps create that beautiful golden surface), while the baking powder ensures a reliably even lift across the cake. Without the two of them we’d have a dense, gummy cake.
- Buttermilk. While this plays a role in helping the banana cake to rise a bit when combined with the baking soda, perhaps more importantly it adds moisture and a wonderful depth of flavor.
As always, this is just an overview of a few of the main ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Banana Cake
Make the cake batter & bake
Start by mashing your bananas really well (a fork or potato masher works great). Set these aside and cream together your butter and sugars and gradually incorporate the rest of your wet ingredients.
The dry ingredients should be whisked together in a separate bowl, then gently stirred into the wet ingredients. Do not use your electric mixer for this step. Instead use a spatula to gently fold things together until the batter is completely combined. Overdoing it can cause the cake crumb to be dense and dry (don’t under-do it either, though, or the cake could sink or not bake properly).
ake the cake until it’s golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If you notice your cake is darkening more than you’d like in the oven, you can tent it with foil to prevent this.
SAM’S TIP: Measure your bananas! The recipe lists the amount of mashed bananas that you need for a reason, simply stating “3 bananas” or “4 bananas” is too ambiguous and could lead to a cake that’s too dry and bland (if under-measured) OR too moist and sinks in on itself (if over-measured). It’s best to mash and measure (or go by weight!).
Make the Cream Cheese Frosting
SAM’S TIP: The pan you bake your cake in matters. The banana cake will take longer to bake in a glass pan than a metal one.
The frosting is quick and easy to prepare. Beat softened cream cheese and butter, vanilla, and salt until smooth and creamy (make sure there are no lumps!), then gradually stir in the powdered sugar. Stirring in a bit of cream gives you a silky smooth frosting that spreads easily (similar to the one I use on my zucchini cake).
Top with regular or toasted pecans or walnuts (my preference), or make things extra decadent with a drizzle of caramel sauce or dulce de leche for a finishing touch!
Frequently Asked Questions
This banana cake recipe should yield results that are perfectly moist, but certainly not oily. If yours seems more of the latter than the former, consider these possible issues.
1: Too much banana. Extra banana (especially if yours were particularly large!) can make the cake batter too wet. For best results, mash and measure your bananas rather than try to guess a number of bananas.
2: Stir well (but don’t overdo it). The batter needs to be uniformly combined so that all of the ingredients can properly interact with each other. If you don’t mix in the proper order or well enough, you could have spots within the cake where the oil didn’t have the chance to properly absorb into the batter.
3: It’s under-baked. This cake is very moist, so check your toothpick closely. It should come out with moist crumbs but definitely not a thin coating of wet batter. The toothpick should be dry or (preferably) have moist, discernible crumbs.
I have not one, but 3 secrets to share with you, but know it’s all about a smart selection of ingredients and a little baking science.
First: very ripe bananas are key to a good banana cake recipe! As bananas ripen, their starches turn to sugar and the moisture content increases, keeping the cake moist and flavorful.
Second: a blend of oil and butter adds both moisture and flavor.
Finally: just the right amount of brown sugar. Brown sugar doesn’t just add flavor, it also helps the cake stay soft and tender even after a night in the fridge, thanks to the fact it’s hygroscopic (this just means it loves moisture!).
Banana bread is baked in a bread pan, is more dense and hearty and a bit less sweet. It’s not uncommon to find it on a breakfast menu. Banana cake, on the other hand, would be hard to pass off as breakfast food. It’s baked in a cake pan, fluffier and even more moist, and dressed up with a heavy-handed swirl of frosting.
Both over and under-mixing can result in a cake that sinks as it cools. If the banana cake is not baked thoroughly, this can also cause it to sink after baking. Finally, if your baking powder or baking soda are expired and/or not properly stored, this may cause the cake to not rise properly. Store these in a cool dry place and make sure they are not expired before you use them.
More Ways to Use Your Overripe Bananas:
It took quite a bit of tweaking and testing but I’m very proud to finally be sharing my favorite banana cake recipe with you. If you try it, please let me know how you like it!
Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! Make sure to check out the how-to VIDEO in the recipe card!
The Best Banana Cake Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter , softened to room temperature
- ¾ cup (175 ml) avocado, canola or vegetable oil
- 1 cup (200 g) light or dark brown sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) sugar
- 2 cups (470 g) well-mashed ripe bananas, (this is typically 4 bananas for me)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature preferred
- ¼ cup (60 ml) buttermilk
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups (312 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
Silky Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 ½ cups (315 g) powdered sugar
- 1 Tablespoon heavy cream
- ½ cup chopped walnuts, for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and spray a 9×13" (approximately 23x33cm) pan with baking spray or lightly grease and flour. Set aside.
- Combine butter and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl and use an electric mixer). Beat until well-combined and light and fluffy.¾ cup (170 g) unsalted butter, 1 cup (200 g) light or dark brown sugar, ½ cup (100 g) sugar
- Add oil and beat to combine.¾ cup (175 ml) avocado, canola or vegetable oil
- Stir in mashed bananas.2 cups (470 g) well-mashed ripe bananas
- Add eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla extract and stir until well-combined.2 large eggs, ¼ cup (60 ml) buttermilk, 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.2 ½ cups (312 g) all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoons baking soda, 1 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt
- Gradually add to wet ingredients until completely combined.
- Spread batter into prepared pan and bake on 350F (175C) for 45-55 minutes (see note 1) or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean with few moist crumbs. Allow to cool completely before covering with frosting.
Silky Cream Cheese Frosting
- Combine cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract, and salt in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until creamy.8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon salt
- With mixer on low-speed, gradually add powdered sugar until completely combined.2 ½ cups (315 g) powdered sugar
- Add heavy cream and gradually increase speed to high. Beat on high for 30 seconds.1 Tablespoon heavy cream
- Spread over completely cooled banana cake. Top with chopped walnuts (if using). Slice and serve!½ cup chopped walnuts
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this? Leave a comment below!
This banana cake recipe was first published in March 2018. The recipe is unchanged, but the content of the post has been updated to include more helpful information and a video tutorial.
Hi there! Always enjoy your posts! Could this cake be layered? Like maybe a double layer 8” round? I’ve had a request for a birthday cake and the celebrant loves banana!
Hi, Leah! Yes, it can. Since you will be using different size pans, please keep in mind that the bake time will be different than what is listed. I also have a Banana Cake with Brown Sugar Frosting that is an option as well. Happy Baking. 🙂
I only had a 9×9 metal pan so I winged it. Thankfully, it came out brilliant! I tented it at around 30 min (the edges were turning brown) and it took about 55-60 min to cook through. I added a chopped up 100g semisweet chocolate bar which turned into these lovely molten pockets of chocolate. The cake was moist and delicious with a good banana flavour and not overly sweet. Also used your buttermilk substitute. THANK YOU!!!
I am so glad that the banana cake turned out so well, Sue, and that everyone loved it! I love the addition of the semisweet chocolate flakes too, sounds delicious! Thanks for trying my recipe and for commenting. 🙂
I wish the people that comment on it’s cooking time would also let you know whether they are using a glass pan or metal. Did cooking it in a glass pan cook faster, so then the foil tent is needed. In a metal pan or Bundt pan, took longer time? I make my banana cake with a small can of crushed pineapple, but sometimes I have leftovers of peaches and would like to add instead. Just don’t know if modifications are needed. Thanks.
Delicious cake, my favorite one indeed. Banana is delicious
I am so glad that you enjoyed the banana cake, Mary! Thanks for commenting. 🙂
I’m planning on making this cake for my son to take to school for his birthday. My question is with the cream cheese frosting will the cake need to be refrigerated?
Hi, Dani! Cream cheese frosting can sit at room temperature for up to 2 hours, but I recommend refrigerating the it. I hope that your son has a nice birthday. 🙂
This is the best!! Very moist & delicious. I would eat it plain if I didn’t have to frost it for the dinner I was taking it to.
I used a snack size container of unsweetened applesauce and coconut oil in place of the vegetable oil without a problem. The only issue I had was that the cake sank in the middle after it cooled. I checked it at 30 min and then reset the timer for another 10 because I thought it was 40-50 total time. Anyway at 40 min it was a beautiful golden brown, bouncy, pulling away from the edges, and tester came out clean, so I took it out. Maybe another 5 and it wouldn’t have sank…
I am so glad that you enjoyed the cake, Janet! It could have needed a few additional minutes in the oven or it could also be that the batter was overmixed. Over mixing the batter and incorporating too much air can then cause a collapse. Regardless, I happy that it tasted delicious. 🙂
Do I have to use butter milk
Can you sub soured milk for buttermilk?
Hello, Cathy! I have personally never tried it, but it should work fine. I hope that you enjoy the banana cake! 🙂
Aloha Sam,
Can I substitute a light olive oil for the vegetable oil?
Mahalo, Lei
Hello, Leialoha! I recommend a neutral oil like canola or vegetable for this recipe. Olive oil tends to impart a bit of an olive oil taste into the cake. If you don’t mind the taste, it would work. Let me know what you decide to use and how your banana bread turns out! 🙂
This REALLY is the BEST banana cake! I almost didn’t make it because I didn’t know if I was in the mood for banana cake vs banana bread. This cake is truly delicious. I used coconut oil for the canola and added 2 T of ground up freeze dried banana. My grand daughter asked me if there was caramel in it, it was so rich and caramely!! Thank you so much for this recipe! It’s a keeper. Also, I am a frosting lover but this was so good I only sprinkled with powdered sugar so as not to mask the great banana taste.
Thank you so much, Debbie! I am so glad you enjoyed the banana cake so much! 🙂
Mmmmmmm……..I’ve never had a banana cake better than this one, or even as good, so I think it IS the best banana cake ever! Now, I’m not a frosting person…..the most I’d ever want would be for a layer of icing so thin you could see through it……but I do appreciate that this frosting is not as sweet as most of them. Hubs, though, thinks cake isn’t a cake unless it’s iced, and being the sugar monster that he is, he LOVES this frosting and is more than happy to eat what I scrape off. A great recipe….it will be my go-to when I want to make banana cake! (By the way, the cake was nowhere near done at thirty minutes, and it took to almost forty five minutes before it was done.)
I am so happy to hear you enjoyed the banana cake so much, Vicki! The recipe does indicate 45-55 minutes to bake completely, checking at 30 minutes is just in case your oven tends to over-brown (possibly burn) the top. Thank you so much for commenting (and I’ve gotta admit I’m with your husband about cakes and frosting 😉)
Could this be baked in a bunt pan?
Hi Etta! That should work just fine. You will probably get a thicker “crust” to the cake than what is intended. 🙂
I just made this….but instinctively felt it minutes was too much, maybe for just my oven. Smelled suspicious at 30 minutes, and when I took the cake out to cover it with foil to prevent over browning, the edges were already caught and the toothpick came out dry! My oven isn’t great and often I need to take things out a little early, but 15 minutes below the minimum… that’s weird! Super glad I trust my nose 🙂
Hi Sarah! That is weird. Does you oven run really hot? I’m glad you were able to salvage the cake. 🙂
Should this go in the fridge over night?
Hi Erin! It should be ok to stay out overnight. Since it has a cream cheese frosting, I would refrigerate it if you wanted to keep it longer than a day or two, or if you are in a really humid climate. Enjoy! 🙂
Baked this today. Smells delicious – can not wait for it to cool down to give it a try!!
I hope you love it, Kim! 🙂