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This Banana Cake is the best way to use up those bananas on your counter. The cake comes out so moist and the cream cheese frosting is amazing!
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I know the first thing that pops into your head when you see over-ripe bananas is banana bread. However, let me introduce you to Banana Cake. You can take those same bananas and bake them into a super moist cake and top it with a creamy cream cheese frosting. Are you convinced yet? It’s the nutty flavor of banana bread with the sweetness of cake with delicious frosting. We have been making this banana cake recipe for years and my family absolutely devours it! Next time you see those over-ripe bananas on your counter, try this instead! I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Ingredients in Banana Cake
- Butter – the rich and creamy foundation of this cake
- Sugar – sugar complements the natural sweetness of the bananas and forms a caramelized crust on the outside of the cake
- Eggs – eggs act as a binding agent and also provide structure and lift to the batter
- Sour Cream – an unexpected yet essential ingredient that adds so much to the moistness and richness of this banana cake
- Vanilla Extract – the aromatic vanilla flavor adds depth and complements the bananas
- Flour – use all-purpose flour for best results
- Salt – the unsung hero of baking, a bit of salt balances out all the sweetness perfectly
- Baking Soda – this leavening agent interacts with the sour cream and bananas to create little air bubbles that give this cake an airy texture
- Over-ripe Bananas – see below for more info on picking the right bananas
- Cream Cheese Frosting – made of cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract
How Ripe Should My Bananas Be?
For the very best banana cake or banana bread, your bananas should be at least slightly over-ripe. You want to see a lot of brown on the outside and the stems should be thin and dry. If your bananas aren’t ripe enough, they won’t mash as well and you will see a lot of chunks in your batter. Using bananas too early also won’t give the cake as much flavor. If the bananas go ripe before you are ready to use them, you can freeze them in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap in the freezer. Thaw them by allowing them to come to room temperature when you are ready to bake. See our complete guide on freezing bananas and using frozen bananas HERE.
Step by Step Instructions
- First you are going to preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Then cream together your butter and sugar. We get a lot of questions about “creaming” butter and sugar together. Essentially, it means mixing the butter and sugar together until the mixture has a light, fluffy texture. First, whisk the softened unsalted butter and sugar to a mixing bowl and then start to mix on low speed with a handheld mixer or stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
- Then mix on high speed until the sugar has been dissolved into the butter and the butter turns lighter in color and fluffier in texture. Usually this takes about 2-3 minutes.
- Next add your eggs, one at a time. Mix egg completely into the batter before adding the next egg. Then fold in the sour cream and vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, combine your dry ingredients, the all purpose flour, kosher salt, etc. Add the dry ingredients slowly to the wet ingredients. Then mix in your mashed bananas.
- Spread on a greased jelly roll pan (10×15) or a cake pan to make a single layer cake. Bake for 20-22 minutes until slightly golden brown. You can also use a toothpick to check to see if it’s done all the way through. The toothpick will come out clean when it’s done.
- Next, my favorite part – the frosting! While the cake is cooling, mix together butter, cream cheese, and vanilla. Once that is smooth, slowly add the powdered sugar until frosting reaches desired consistency. I like my frosting to have firm but not stiff peaks.
- Once the cake is completely cooled, frost and serve! Store any leftover frosting in a small bowl in the refrigerator. It tastes delicious spread on graham crackers!
- Optional: top each piece of banana cake with a pecan or walnut.
- You can also add a handful of chocolate chips as a garnish, or mix in the batter.
How to Store Banana Cake
Keep the pan of cake in the fridge, covered in aluminum foil. I tend to sneak a lot of bites this way! You can also freeze slices of cake for up to two months. Wrap them individually in plastic wrap and pull them out anytime you need an after school snack, or a midday treat.
Frequently Asked Questions About Banana Cake
Banana cake is lighter and has a more tender crumb than banana bread. It also has a delicious cream cheese frosting!
The cake itself does not need to be refrigerated, but once it is frosted it does. The cream cheese in the frosting does not keep at room temperature.
If you over-mix the batter, then your cake can come out spongey. Try to only mix the batter until the ingredients are just incorporated.
Our Favorite Banana Recipes
How to Make Banana Cake
Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Video
Equipment
- Jelly Roll Pan
- Hand Mixer
- Mixing Bowls
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1 1/2 cups white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 medium bananas mashed
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- ¼ cup butter softened
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 pound powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 10×15 jelly roll pan and set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy – about 2-3 minutes.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing each egg in completely before adding the next. Fold in sour cream and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, and baking soda. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
- Mix in mashed bananas.
- Spread the batter onto the jelly roll pan. Bake for 20-22 minutes, until slightly golden brown.
- Cool completely before frosting.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cream together butter, cream cheese, and vanilla. Slowly add powdered sugar until frosting is desired consistency.
- Spread over the cake.
- Slice and serve. Store leftovers covered in the fridge.
Notes
- Optional add-ins: chocolate chips, chopped nuts, raisins
- Optional toppings: pecans or walnuts, ground cinnamon
- This cake can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
I can’t wait to try your banana cake recipe. It looks amazing! I love that it’s topped with cream cheese frosting too!
I’m always looking for ways to use up over ripe bananas from my fruit bowl. This looks so tasty. I love cream cheese frosting too!
I was just looking at my overripe bananas and wondering what to do with them. So glad I stumbled onto your recipe. I love the simplicity and can’t wait to make it soon. Cheers.
This cake was super simple to make and turned out amazingly well! It was moist, perfectly sweet, and such a treat to enjoy!
Oh! I am so happy to see this!!! I honestly love Banana Cake! This recipe seems very easy to follow, and thank you for the tip on how ripe should the bananas be. I still haven’t gotten that right till now, but we’ll see after I try this recipe. Thank you so much!
Can this be made in something other than a jelly roll pan? I dont own one.. 🙁
You can try it in a 9×13 pan, it will just have to cook for a little longer. Cook it for the time specified in the recipe and then check it every 5 or so minutes after that.