Moist, dense, and perfectly spiced, this easy homemade Banana Cake recipe is the perfect way to use up ripe bananas. Topped with a whipped cinnamon cream cheese frosting, this banana dessert is absolutely irresistible!
Easy & Moist Banana Cake Recipe
This moist Banana Cake recipe features all the things I love about banana cake, plus it’s topped with a whipped cinnamon cream cheese frosting. It’s an easy, irresistible banana dessert!
I’m the kind of person who buys twice as many bananas as I know we’ll consume, just so I can have some brown and ugly, overripe ones to bake with. Our go-to recipes are my grandma’s banana muffins and my aunt’s sour cream banana bread – both favorites of mine since I was a kid!
So I took the elements I already know and love from the banana muffins and banana bread, and created this easy banana cake recipe.
The cake is moist and dense, and full of fresh banana and cinnamon-spiced flavor.
And every great banana cake knows it must be topped with a layer of cream cheese frosting. This sweet, tangy frosting is a magical combination of cream cheese and butter that’s whipped until it’s smooth and fluffy. It’s flavored with a bit of cinnamon and allspice, such an extra special treat!
This is one big pan of delicious comfort. Just one more reason for me to keep on buying too many bananas!
Why You’ll Love This Easy Banana Dessert
Here are a few reasons why I think you’ll fall head over heels for this banana cake.
- Great way to use up ripe bananas. I hate to waste/throw away food. This is a great way to use bananas that are overripe.
- Perfectly spiced. Both the cake and frosting are made with spices like cinnamon and allspice for a delicious flavor that’s warm but not overpowering.
- That FROSTING! As good as this banana cake is, the frosting is EVEN BETTER! I love the texture, how creamy and fluffy it is. Plus it’s a delightful mixture of tangy and rich flavors, with both cream cheese and butter making up the base.
- It’s even better the next day! Personally, I like to eat this cake chilled – so I find that it’s even better after it sits in the fridge overnight!
What You’ll Need
Both parts of this recipe – the cake and the cream cheese frosting – are made with just a handful of ingredients.
See the recipe card below for exact measurements and full instructions.
For the Banana Cake:
- Bananas – Use very ripe bananas for this cake, for the best flavor and texture. The more brown spots, the better!
- Sugar
- Butter – I always use unsalted butter, to better control the final flavor. For this batter, you’ll need to melt the butter first.
- Sour cream – Adds extra moisture and a bit of tenderness, plus a lightly tangy flavor.
- Eggs – Adds rich flavor and helps to bind the cake together.
- Pure vanilla extract
- White whole wheat flour – I use King Arthur’s white whole wheat flour. It adds a milder flavor than whole wheat flour while still giving you the nutrition and fiber of whole grains.
- Baking soda & baking powder – Help the cake to rise and achieve the perfect dense texture.
- Spices – This easy banana cake recipe includes just a few spices – salt, cinnamon, and allspice.
For the Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Cream cheese – For the best flavor and texture, use full-fat cream cheese. Low-fat is just not the same.
- Butter – Just as in the cake, use unsalted butter.
- Pure vanilla extract – Adds another layer of flavor to the frosting.
- Cinnamon & allspice – Add lightly spiced warmth.
- Powdered sugar – Sweetens the frosting and creates a smooth, creamy texture.
How to Make Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
This homemade banana cake recipe requires just a few minutes of prep and about 30-35 minutes of baking time. Just allow time for the cake to cool before adding the frosting.
- Make the banana mixture. Mash the bananas until mostly smooth, then stir in the sugar, butter, and sour cream. Stir in the eggs, one at a time, then add the vanilla.
- Combine the dry ingredients. Whisk together the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.
- Combine the mixtures. Fold half of the flour mixture into the banana mixture. Then fold in the rest of the flour mixture and spread the batter evenly in the pan.
- Bake. Bake the cake for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool completely before adding the frosting.
- Make the frosting. Beat the cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed until smooth, then beat in the vanilla, cinnamon, and allspice. Reduce the speed to low and slowly add the powdered sugar until just incorporated. Turn the speed up to medium-high and beat the frosting until thick and aerated – perfectly whipped!
- Enjoy. Spread the frosting evenly over the slice, then slice to serve.
Tips for Success
Here are a few tips for making the best banana cake with cream cheese frosting.
- Use very ripe bananas. Just as with all banana baked goods, you want to use bananas that are very ripe with brown spots. If the bananas are green, they won’t mash well, and won’t incorporate evenly into the rest of the batter. They also won’t taste as banana-y! Also avoid bananas that are grossly overripe, where they’re wet and soggy and may even have some mold.
- How do you know when the banana cake is done? The top of the cake should be nicely browned and not jiggle. If you press on the center, it should bounce back and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out with no wet batter.
- Make sure the cake cools before frosting. If you frost the cake while it’s still warm, the frosting will actually get melty and you’ll lose some of that awesome fluffy texture.
- Frosting ingredients shouldn’t be TOO soft. While you want to use softened cream cheese and butter for the frosting, you also don’t want these ingredients to be too soft, as that would give you a droopy texture.
Serving Suggestions
Before serving, feel free to add some fresh banana slices to the top of the cake – or simply add a couple banana wheels to the top of individual pieces.
This cake pairs nicely with tea and coffee as a morning snack or afternoon dessert. A glass of cold milk is also good.
The cake is also really lovely with some fresh blueberries and/or strawberries on the side.
While you can certainly enjoy it at room temperature, for a softer cake experience, I actually prefer it chilled. So I like to make it in advance and refrigerate it first!
How to Store Leftover Banana Cake
Banana cake with cream cheese frosting should be stored, covered, in the fridge. It will keep well for up to 5 days.
To eat at room temperature, remove from the fridge at least 30 minutes prior to eating. Or enjoy cold, straight from the fridge (yes!).
More Banana Recipes:
- Banana Pudding Cheesecake
- Sour Cream Banana Bread
- Whole Wheat Banana Muffins
- Banana Peanut Butter Breakfast Cookies
- Banana Apple Bran Muffins
- Chocolate Malt Banana Ice Cream
Like this Recipe? Save to Pinterest
Banana Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
for the banana cake:
- 1¾ cups well-mashed very ripe banana (from 3 to 4 large bananas)
- 1½ cups sugar
- ¾ cup 12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup sour cream
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups white whole wheat flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon Morton kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon allspice
for the cinnamon cream cheese frosting:
- 6 ounces full-fat cream cheese softened at room temperature (make sure it’s not overly soft)
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter softened at room temperature (make sure it’s not overly soft)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- 1¾ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- For the banana cake: Preheat oven to 350° F. Lightly spray a 9'' x 13'' pan with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl, thoroughly mash the bananas until they are mostly smooth, with only some small lumps. Add the sugar, butter, and sour cream, and stir to combine. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring to combine after each addition. Then stir in the vanilla.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and allspice.
- Add half the flour mixture to the banana mixture, and fold to combine. Then add the other half of the flour mixture, folding again. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan.
- Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until nicely browned and a toothpick comes out with no wet batter. The cake surface should not jiggle, and it should bounce back when you gently press on the center. Remove from oven and let cool completely before frosting.
- For the cinnamon cream cheese frosting: With an electric stand mixer, beat cream cheese and butter on medium to medium-high speed, until smooth. Scrape down the bowl.
- Add vanilla, cinnamon, and allspice. Beat again to combine. Scrape down the bowl.
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the powdered sugar until just incorporated. At this point the frosting will have a very loose consistency. Scrape down the bowl.
- Turn up speed up to medium-high and beat until frosting is thick and aerated, with a fluffy whipped texture – about 90 seconds.
- To finish: Spread frosting evenly over cake. Slice to serve.
Notes
Nutrition Information:
