The Ultimate Moist & Tangy Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Prepare to discover the **Best Banana Cake recipe EVER!** This sensational cake is renowned for its exceptional moisture, rich banana flavor, and a perfectly balanced sweetness, all crowned with a luscious, tangy cream cheese frosting that truly sets it apart.

If you’re a devoted fan of bananas or classic Banana Bread, then this timeless recipe is destined to become your new favorite. It’s more than just a cake; it’s an experience that transforms simple ripe bananas into an extraordinary dessert.

For years, this recipe has been my go-to, consistently earning rave reviews and constant requests for the secret to its perfection. It’s not just *a* banana cake; it’s truly the **BEST** Banana Cake, a declaration affirmed by everyone who tastes it.

Recently, faced with a bounty of perfectly ripe bananas on my counter, the choice was clear. Instead of defaulting to another batch of Banana Muffins, I opted for the undeniable allure of cake. After all, cake almost always sounds better! This time, the vision was grander: a moist banana cake generously slathered with a delightful cream cheese frosting. The result was nothing short of heavenly!

Mastering the Art of Banana Cake: A Comprehensive Guide

Creating this exceptional banana cake is a rewarding process. While it might seem like a simple dessert, a few key techniques and quality ingredients elevate it from good to truly unforgettable. Let’s delve into the steps and ensure every bite is perfect.

Ingredients for the Perfect Banana Cake

• Bananas: The star of the show! Use very ripe bananas – the more brown spots, the better. They provide natural sweetness and moisture. Approximately 4 medium-sized bananas will yield about 1½ cups mashed.
• Lemon Juice: A small amount brightens the banana flavor and helps prevent discoloration.
• All-Purpose Flour: Essential for the cake’s structure. Measure correctly by spooning flour into a measuring cup and leveling it off.
• Baking Soda: The leavening agent that gives the cake its lift and tender crumb, reacting with the acidic buttermilk and bananas.
• Kosher Salt: Enhances all the flavors in the cake, balancing the sweetness.
• Unsalted Butter (softened): Creaming softened butter with sugar creates air pockets, resulting in a lighter, fluffier cake.
• Granulated Sugar: Provides sweetness and contributes to the cake’s moist texture.
• Large Eggs: Bind the ingredients together and add richness. Ensure they are at room temperature for better emulsification.
• Vanilla Extract: A crucial flavor enhancer that complements the banana beautifully.
• Buttermilk: Adds a delightful tang and reacts with baking soda to create a wonderfully tender and moist crumb. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to a measuring cup, then filling it with regular milk to 1½ cups. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it curdles.

Step-by-Step Instructions: Baking Your Banana Cake

1. Prepare Your Pan: Preheat your oven to a moderate 275°F (135°C). This lower temperature allows the cake to bake slowly and evenly, preventing dry edges and ensuring a consistently moist interior. Thoroughly grease and flour a 9×13-inch metal cake pan, ensuring every surface is covered to prevent sticking.
2. Mash the Bananas: Peel your ripe bananas and place them on a clean dinner plate or in a medium bowl. Use a fork to mash them until they are mostly smooth with a few small lumps remaining for texture. This ensures even distribution of banana flavor throughout the cake.
3. Add Lemon Juice: Transfer the mashed bananas to a small bowl and gently pour the lemon juice over them. Stir lightly. The lemon juice prevents the bananas from browning excessively and subtly enhances their natural sweetness. Set this mixture aside.
4. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and kosher salt. This step ensures the leavening agent and salt are evenly distributed throughout the flour, preventing pockets of unmixed ingredients. Set this dry mixture aside.
5. Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale yellow. This process incorporates air, which is vital for the cake’s texture.
6. Incorporate Eggs: Beat in the large eggs, adding them one at a time. After each egg, mix well until fully combined before adding the next. This allows the eggs to emulsify properly with the butter and sugar mixture.
7. Add Vanilla: Stir in the vanilla extract, ensuring it is thoroughly mixed into the wet ingredients.
8. Alternate Wet and Dry: Gradually add the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk to the creamed butter mixture. Begin and end with the flour mixture. Mix on low speed just until combined; avoid overmixing, as this can lead to a tough cake.
9. Fold in Bananas: Gently stir in the mashed banana mixture. Fold it in carefully until just incorporated, ensuring the banana is evenly distributed without overworking the batter.
10. Bake the Cake: Pour the prepared batter into your greased and floured 9×13-inch pan. Spread it evenly. Bake in the preheated oven for approximately one hour, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Baking times can vary, so keep an eye on it.
11. Chill for Perfection: Immediately upon removing the cake from the oven, place it directly into the freezer for 45 minutes. This unique step is a secret to achieving an incredibly moist and dense crumb. The rapid cooling locks in moisture and prevents the cake from drying out. Ensure your pan is freezer-safe and you have adequate space.

Crafting the Irresistible Tangy Cream Cheese Frosting

A truly exceptional banana cake demands an equally exceptional frosting, and nothing complements it better than a rich, tangy cream cheese frosting. The delightful contrast between the sweet, moist cake and the creamy, slightly tart frosting is what makes this dessert utterly addictive. You might even find yourself craving a piece at 2:00 in the morning!

Speaking from personal experience, there was one memorable night when I was unable to sleep, so I found myself standing by the fridge, indulging in this cake straight from the pan. My husband caught me in the act, playfully asking, “What are you doing?!” I suppose I’ll need to be a bit quieter next time! But that’s how good this frosting is – it’s worth the clandestine snacking.

Ingredients for Cream Cheese Frosting

• Unsalted Butter (softened): Crucial for a smooth and creamy frosting. Make sure it’s properly softened to avoid lumps.
• Whipped Cream Cheese (softened): Using whipped cream cheese ensures a lighter texture and makes it easier to blend smoothly. If using block cream cheese, ensure it is fully softened at room temperature.
• Heavy Cream: Adds richness and helps achieve the perfect consistency.
• Vanilla Extract: Essential for enhancing the overall flavor of the frosting.
• Powdered Sugar: Also known as confectioners’ sugar, it provides sweetness and fine texture without grittiness.

Step-by-Step Instructions: Making Your Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Cream Butter and Cream Cheese: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and softened cream cheese together until the mixture is completely smooth and free of lumps. This can take a few minutes on medium-high speed.
2. Add Vanilla: Beat in the vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
3. Combine with Sugar and Cream: Gradually add the powdered sugar and heavy cream. Start by beating on low speed until the sugar is mostly incorporated, then increase to high speed and beat until the frosting is wonderfully smooth, light, and fluffy. Be careful not to overbeat, as this can make the frosting too thin.
4. Frost the Cooled Cake: Before applying the frosting, ensure your banana cake has cooled completely. This is a critical step; frosting a warm cake will cause the frosting to melt and slide off. Once cooled, spread the irresistible cream cheese frosting generously over the entire cake.

Expert Tips for Banana Cake Perfection

• Serve at Room Temperature: For the best flavor and texture, allow your banana cake to come to room temperature before serving. This enhances the moistness of the cake and the creaminess of the frosting.
• Optional Toppings: Elevate your frosted cake with a sprinkle of finely chopped walnuts or pecans for added texture and nutty flavor. Chocolate chips or a drizzle of caramel can also be delightful additions.
• Pan Choice Matters: While I’ve always followed this recipe as given, baking times can sometimes vary. A dark, non-stick metal cake pan typically yields the best results, promoting even browning and preventing sticking. If you’re using a lighter-colored pan or glass, you might need to adjust baking time slightly.
• Freezer-Safe Pan: The immediate freezer step is crucial for moisture. Ensure you are using a metal pan that can withstand temperature changes without cracking. Also, make sure you have adequate space in your freezer to accommodate the cake pan.
• Don’t Overmix: Overmixing the batter can develop the gluten in the flour too much, leading to a tough and dry cake. Mix just until ingredients are combined.
• Room Temperature Ingredients: For both the cake and frosting, ensure butter, eggs, and cream cheese are at room temperature. This helps them emulsify properly, creating a smoother batter and frosting.
• Storing Your Cake: Due to the cream cheese frosting, this cake must be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will stay fresh and delicious for 3-5 days. For longer storage, slices can be individually wrapped and frozen for up to 2-3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before bringing to room temperature for serving.

Troubleshooting Common Banana Cake Issues

Even experienced bakers can encounter challenges. Here are solutions to common banana cake problems:

• Cake is Dry:
  • **Over-baking:** Use a timer and check for doneness with a toothpick. If it comes out clean, it’s ready.
  • **Too much flour:** Always spoon and level flour, rather than scooping directly, to avoid packing it too densely.
  • **Not enough ripe bananas:** Riper bananas add more moisture.
• Cake is Dense/Tough:
  • **Overmixing:** Mix only until ingredients are just combined.
  • **Cold ingredients:** Ensure butter, eggs, and buttermilk are at room temperature.
• Cake Sinks in the Middle:
  • **Oven door opened too early:** Avoid opening the oven door during the first 3/4 of the baking time.
  • **Too much leavening:** Stick to the recipe’s exact measurements for baking soda.
  • **Under-baking:** Ensure the toothpick test comes out clean.
• Frosting is Too Thin or Too Thick:
  • **Too Thin:** Add more powdered sugar, a tablespoon at a time, beating until desired consistency.
  • **Too Thick:** Add a teaspoon of heavy cream or milk at a time, beating until smooth.

More Delicious Banana Recipes to Explore

If you find yourself with an abundance of ripe bananas (a wonderful “problem” to have!), here are a few other fantastic ways to enjoy them:

• Frozen Banana Dog Treats – Your furry friends will absolutely adore these simple, healthy treats!
• Classic Bananas Foster – A delightful, flaming dessert with caramelized bananas, perfect for a special occasion!
• Dirty Banana Cocktail – Essentially a boozy milkshake, this creamy cocktail is a delicious grown-up indulgence.

Let’s Connect and Share Your Creations!

If you’ve tried this incredible banana cake recipe, please don’t hesitate to let me know how you liked it in the comments below and leave a review. Your feedback truly brightens my day!

Don’t forget to tag me – @sugarandsoulco – on Instagram and Pinterest with your beautiful photos, or join our Sugar & Soul Show-offs Community and share your baking triumphs there. We even have recipe challenges you can participate in!

This recipe was originally published in February 2015 and was updated with new tips and details in September 2019.

4.68 from 25 votes

Banana Cake

Author

Rebecca Hubbell

Course
Dessert

Cuisine
American

Prep Time

30 minutes
minutes

Cook Time

1 hour
hour

Freeze Time

45 minutes
minutes

Total Time

2 hours
hours
15 minutes
minutes

Servings

15
slices

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Pin

Rate

This is the BEST Banana Cake! It’s moist and sweet and topped with a tangy cream cheese frosting!

Ingredients

Cake

• 1½
  cups
  ripe bananas
  mashed (about 4 medium-sized bananas)
• 2
  teaspoons
  lemon juice
• 3
  cups
  all-purpose flour
• 1½
  teaspoons
  baking soda
• ¼
  teaspoon
  kosher salt
• ¾
  cup
  unsalted butter
  softened
• 2
  cups + 2 tablespoons
  granulated sugar
• 3
  large eggs
• 2
  teaspoons
  vanilla extract
• 1½
  cups
  buttermilk

Frosting

• ½
  cup
  unsalted butter
  softened
• 8
  ounces
  whipped cream cheese
  softened
• 2
  tablespoons
  heavy cream
• 1
  teaspoon
  vanilla extract
• 3½
  cups
  powdered sugar

Instructions

Cake

1. Preheat oven to 275°F (135°C) and grease and flour a 9×13-inch metal cake pan.
2. Peel bananas and mash them with a fork on a dinner plate or in a bowl.
3. Place mashed bananas in a bowl and pour lemon juice on top; set aside.
4. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
5. In a large bowl, cream ¾ cup butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
6. Beat in eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
7. Stir in the vanilla extract.
8. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk, starting and ending with flour, mixing just until combined.
9. Gently stir in the banana mixture until just incorporated.
10. Pour batter into the prepared pan and bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
11. Remove from oven and immediately place the cake (still in its pan) into the freezer for 45 minutes to lock in moisture.

Frosting

1. In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and softened cream cheese until smooth and lump-free.
2. Beat in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
3. Gradually add powdered sugar and heavy cream. Beat on low speed until combined, then increase to high speed and beat until the frosting is smooth, light, and fluffy.
4. Once the cake is completely cooled, spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the top.

Video

Nutrition

Calories:
522
kcal

|

Carbohydrates:
87
g

|

Protein:
4
g

|

Fat:
18
g

|

Saturated Fat:
10
g

|

Cholesterol:
78
mg

|

Sodium:
190
mg

|

Potassium:
154
mg

|

Fiber:
1
g

|

Sugar:
64
g

|

Vitamin A:
605
IU

|

Vitamin C:
2.2
mg

|

Calcium:
43
mg

|

Iron:
1.4
mg

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