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The Best Banana Cake Recipe
4.9 from 238 votes

The Best Banana Cake Recipe

This banana cake uses mashed ripe bananas combined with butter, oils, sugars, and leavening agents to create a moist, tender crumb. The cake is complemented by a silky cream cheese frosting, balancing sweet tanginess with soft richness, and optionally topped with chopped walnuts for texture contrast.

Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
1 hr 10 mins
Servings: 24 slices
Calories: 350 kcal
Course: Dessert, Cake
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • ¾ cup butter softened to room temperature, unsalted
  • ¾ cup avocado oil or canola oil or vegetable oil
  • 1 cup light brown sugar or dark brown sugar
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 2 cups banana this is typically 4 bananas for me, well-mashed, ripe
  • 2 large egg room temperature preferred
  • ¼ cup buttermilk
  • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
Silky Cream Cheese Frosting:
  • 8 oz cream cheese softened
  • ½ cup butter softened, unsalted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon heavy cream
  • ½ cup walnuts for topping (optional, chopped

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and spray a 9x13" (approximately 23x33cm) pan with baking spray or lightly grease and flour.  Set aside.
  2. 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.
  3. Add oil and beat to combine.  
  4. Stir in mashed bananas.
  5. Add eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla extract and stir until well-combined.
  6. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
  7. Gradually add to wet ingredients until completely combined.  
  8. 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
  1. Combine cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract, and salt in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until creamy.
  2. With mixer on low-speed, gradually add powdered sugar until completely combined.
  3. Add heavy cream and gradually increase speed to high. Beat on high for 30 seconds.  
  4. Spread over completely cooled banana cake. Top with chopped walnuts (if using).  Slice and serve!

Notes

  • Monitor the cake color at about 30 minutes to prevent over-browning, tenting with foil if necessary.
  • Baking pan material influences browning; metal pans may brown differently from glass.
  • Store the cake covered in the baking pan at room temperature for a day or chilled up to a week.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1slice Calories 350kcal (18%) Carbohydrates 37g (12%) Protein 3g (6%) Fat 22g (34%) Saturated Fat 14g (70%) Trans Fat 1g (50%) Cholesterol 51mg (17%) Sodium 234mg (10%) Potassium 80mg (2%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 26g (52%) Vitamin A 456IU (9%) Vitamin C 1mg (1%) Calcium 37mg (4%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 24 slices

Amount Per Serving

Calories 350

% Daily Value*

Serving 1slice
Calories 350kcal 18%
Carbohydrates 37g 12%
Protein 3g 6%
Fat 22g 34%
Saturated Fat 14g 70%
Trans Fat 1g 50%
Cholesterol 51mg 17%
Sodium 234mg 10%
Potassium 80mg 2%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 26g 52%
Vitamin A 456IU 9%
Vitamin C 1mg 1%
Calcium 37mg 4%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.