This moist banana cake is topped with rich brown butter cream cheese frosting for a bakery-worthy dessert that’s perfect for using up overripe bananas.
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Recipe Details
I love this Banana Cake recipe because it’s so decadent and full of flavor. If you love bananas, then this dessert is going to blow your mind. It’s rich and tangy with the perfect level of sweetness. You’re going to love this recipe.
- TASTE: Sweet bananas, tangy buttercream, and rich brown sugar give this cake yummy flavor. The brown butter frosting is toasty, nutty, and with notes of caramel.
- TEXTURE: This cake is super moist from the sour cream and buttermilk. The frosting is smooth and creamy, a rich topping that complements the banana cake.
- TIME: This recipe will take just over an hour.
- EASE: This takes a fair amount of ingredients, but it’s not that hard to make. The cake is simple and the brown butter cream cheese frosting doesn’t take much effort at all.
What You’ll Need
Ingredient Notes
- Bananas- Use ripe, spotted bananas because the riper they are, the sweeter they are.
- All-purpose flour- This is the base for the cake.
- Sugar- Granulated sugar and brown sugar are used to sweeten the cake. The brown sugar also adds moisture and a richer flavor to the batter.
- Eggs- These make the cake fluffier and holds the ingredients together.
- Sour cream- This adds moisture and a slight tangy flavor.
- Buttermilk- This is also a little tangy and makes the cake nice and moist.
- Baking powder and Baking soda- This aerates the cake, helping it to be fluffy and rise.
- Cinnamon- This spice complements the banana flavor nicely.
- Vanilla extract- This adds a vanilla flavor to the cake and icing.
- Cream cheese- This is the base of the frosting. It makes it creamy and tangy. Let it sit out until it is room temperature.
- Butter- Use unsalted butter for a tasty buttercream frosting and cake.
- Powdered sugar- This fine sugar mixes smoothly into the frosting, keeping it nice and creamy.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Add chocolate chips- You can add chocolate chips to the cake to please your chocolate sweet tooth.
- Substitute the sour cream- You can use plain Greek yogurt in place of the sour cream so you still get the tanginess but also add some healthy protein to the cake.
- Add nuts- The brown butter has a natural nuttiness, so adding toasted walnuts or pecans can really emphasize that flavor.
- Substitute other spices- Along with cinnamon or in place of it, you can use nutmeg or cardamom for a different warm spicy flavor.
How to Make Banana Cake
- Preheat and prep pan. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper.
- Mix the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk melted butter, oil, granulated sugar, and brown sugar.
- Mix in eggs and vanilla. Add eggs and vanilla; whisk until smooth.
- Add bananas, sour cream, and buttermilk. Mix in mashed bananas, buttermilk, and sour cream.
- Mix the dry ingredients together. In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- Combine the wet and dry. Mix the dry ingredients into wet just until combined. Don’t over mix.
- Bake the cake. Pour the banana cake batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Allow it to cool. Cool completely before frosting.
- Brown the butter. Brown the butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until it foams, smells nutty, and the milk solids turn golden brown, then immediately remove it from the heat to prevent burning.
- Allow the butter to cool. Immediately transfer the brown butter into a separate bowl. Let it cool slightly, then refrigerate just until it begins to slightly solidify.
Pro Tip: Use a light-colored pan, like stainless steel, so you can easily see the milk solids as they brown and know when the butter is done.
- Combine the butter with cream cheese, vanilla, and salt. In a large bowl, add the cooled brown butter, softened cream cheese, vanilla, and salt, and beat with an electric hand mixer until smooth.
- Add in the powdered sugar and frost the cake. Beat in powdered sugar until smooth and fluffy. Frost the banana cake, slice and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Mash the bananas- Before adding the bananas to the cake batter, mash them with a fork or potato masher so they mix more thoroughly without clumps.
- Let the cake cool- You don’t want to add the frosting to a hot cake because it will melt the butter and cream cheese in the frosting, making it runny. Let it cool completely before icing.
- Don’t burn the butter- Watch the butter closely as it can burn quickly. As soon as the milk solids begin to brown and a nutty aroma comes from the browned butter, remove it from the heat.
- Add the powdered sugar in batches- Add this fine sugar slowly because adding too much and mixing too fast can cause it to create a dust cloud. Add in batches and fully combine.
FAQs
What is the secret to a good banana cake?
The secret to a good banana cake is to use very ripe bananas for the best flavor, use both oil and butter for the cake so it’s flavorful as well as moist, and add brown sugar because it adds moisture as well as rich sweetness.
What’s the difference between banana bread and banana cake?
Banana bread is denser and less sweet than banana cake, and it also isn’t frosted. Banana cake is fluffier and more moist, as a cake should be, as well as sweeter and topped with frosting. This recipe uses brown butter cream cheese frosting, which has a nutty, caramel flavor that complements the banana flavor well.
Serving Suggestions
This homemade Banana Cake is so versatile, you can serve it with lots of other desserts and dishes. Enjoy it with fruity desserts, other toppings, and nutty sweets.
- Other toppings: Top this delicious cake with Chocolate Ganache, Raspberry Coulis, or Chantilly Cream. You can also sprinkle toasted nuts, like pecans or walnuts, on top.
- Fruity desserts: Serve this banana cake with some Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes, Raspberry Macarons, or a slice of Berry Chantilly Cake for more fruity flavors.
- Nutty sweets: Complement this cake with some nutty goodness, like with this Nutella Cake, some Pecan Tassies, or Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies.
Make This Recipe in Advance
Make ahead: You can prepare the brown butter cream cheese frosting ahead of time and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to frost your cake. Just let it sit out for 20 minutes before icing to make it easier to spread.
Storing: Store this Banana Cake in an airtight container for up to a week in the refrigerator.
Freeze: You can freeze this cake unfrosted for up to 3 months in a freezer ziplock bag. The frosting can also be frozen, but keep it separate so you can thaw it in the fridge and then whip it until fluffy before adding it to the thawed cake.
More Yummy Fruity Cakes!
Full Recipe Instructions
Banana Cake Recipe (with the best frosting)
This Banana Cake recipe is full of fruity sweetness and tangy flavor. Topped with nutty brown butter cream cheese frosting, this decadent dessert is sure to be a favorite.
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Servings: 24
Calories: 290kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1½ cups mashed ripe bananas about 3 large bananas
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- ¼ cup light-tasting olive oil
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk room temperature
- 1/4 cup sour cream room temperature
Brown butter cream cheese frosting
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted & browned
- 8 oz cream cheese room temperature
- Pinch of salt
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk melted butter, oil, granulated sugar, and brown sugar.
- Add eggs and vanilla; whisk until smooth.
- Mix in mashed bananas, buttermilk, and sour cream.
- In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- Mix the dry ingredients into wet just until combined. Don’t over mix.
- Pour the banana cake batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool completely before frosting.
- Brown the butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until it foams, smells nutty, and the milk solids turn golden brown, then immediately remove it from the heat to prevent burning. Note: watch the butter closely as it can burn quickly.
- Immediately transfer the brown butter into a separate bowl. Let it cool slightly, then refrigerate just until it begins to slightly solidify.
- In a large bowl, add the cooled brown butter, softened cream cheese, vanilla, and salt, and beat with an electric hand mixer until smooth.
- Add vanilla, and salt; mix well.
- Beat in powdered sugar until smooth and fluffy. Frost the banana cake, slice and enjoy!
Nutrition
Calories: 290kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 146mg | Potassium: 112mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 431IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 1mg
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Hi, I’m Dina, so glad you stopped by! I believe life is too short for bad coffee and boring meals. With my easy to follow step-by-step recipes, you’ll be surprised at how quickly a wholesome and delicious meal can come together. I hope you find something you enjoy!
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