This easy banana cake is hands down the BEST I've ever eaten - it's moist, soft and slathered with incredibly decadent cream cheese frosting.
In our house, one of two things happens ALL THE TIME:
- We have absolutely NO bananas in the fruit bowl because everyone is eating them like crazy
OR - We have a million over-ripe bananas because everyone has decided they don't like bananas anymore
... which is actually kind of great because it means that I often have an abundance of bananas sitting around ready to be made into my famous one bowl banana bread, banana blondies (with crazy delicious caramel frosting), banana muffins - or of course, this super easy banana cake!
Why You're Going To Love This Banana Cake
There is a LOT to love about this easy banana cake!
- Perfect for using up ripe bananas - don't put those spotty, blackened bananas in the bin! This is the perfect time to use them in your baking. The riper the bananas, the more flavour the cake will have.
- The most INCREDIBLE cream cheese frosting - as much as I love a soft and moist banana cake, my favourite part by far is the sweet cream cheese frosting. You could literally just eat it with a spoon (which I may or may not do!)
- Great for birthday cakes - whether it's your birthday or someone else's, this cake is always an absolute hit.
- Feeds a crowd - got a bunch of friends or family coming over? Make this easy banana cake! Not only is it super simple to whip up, it will feed 12 people with generous sized pieces.
What You Need
The best thing about banana cake is that it's made entirely from pantry staples that you already have at home.
Budget-friendly AND delicious!
Note: please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for ingredient quantities and the full detailed method
- bananas - the riper the better!
- plain flour - also known as all-purpose flour
- baking powder and bicarbonate soda
- ground cinnamon - because banana and cinnamon are a match made in heaven!
- pinch of salt
- butter
- raw sugar and brown sugar - raw sugar is also known as granulated sugar. You can use either light or dark brown sugar for this recipe.
- eggs
- vanilla extract - or vanilla essence
- buttermilk - if you don't have buttermilk you can make your own by adding 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to every 1 cup of regular milk, allowing to sit for a few minutes, stirring and then using as buttermilk
How To Make Banana Cake
Banana cakes look and taste incredible, but they're actually so easy to make!
Here's my simple, no-fuss banana cake recipe that will leave you with a soft and moist cake.
Note: please scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for ingredient quantities and the full detailed method
Step 1 - Sift The Dry Ingredients
Sift all of the dry ingredients into a bowl and set aside.
Step 2 - Cream The Butter And Sugars
Using hand-held beaters, a stand mixer or a Thermomix, cream the butter and the sugars for 4-5 minutes or until pale, smooth and creamy.
It's tempting to stop beating earlier, but the longer amount of time is what is going to make your banana cake light and DELICIOUS!
Step 3 - Add The Eggs, Vanilla & Bananas
Beat through the eggs, vanilla extract and bananas until combined.
Step 4 - Alternate Dry Ingredients And Buttermilk
Alternate adding the dry ingredients with the buttermilk in around 3-4 intervals.
Mix until only just combined - it's fine if there's still a few small lumps.
Step 5 - Bake
Bake the cake for 50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean (see tips below).
Easy One Bowl Cream Cheese Frosting
I don't think I've ever met a frosting that I didn't fall in love with - but cream cheese frosting is by far my favourite!
The rich creamy and sweet flavour cannot be beat!
Here's my tips for making the ultimate cream cheese frosting (that's perfect for my easy banana cake recipe):
- Use full fat cream cheese - I always, always, ALWAYS recommend using full fat cream cheese (not light or skim). It has a far better texture, sets firmer and is just far better for baking. I like to use Philadelphia brand.
- Ensure your fridge ingredients (cream cheese and butter) are at room temperature before using - this will help them to easily mix into a smooth and creamy (no-lumps!) frosting.
- Add a little milk if the frosting is too thick - I very rarely find this to be a problem, but if you do happen to find the frosting is too thick, add up to a tablespoon of milk and mix through.
Storing & Freezing
Got leftover banana cake? Or planning to make it ahead of time? I've got you covered!
Storing leftovers - you can keep this banana cake in an airtight container (or covered with plastic wrap) for up to 5 days (but it's best within 3 days).
The fridge tends to dry out cakes, so I like to bring it to room temperature before serving which allows the cake to become moist and soft again.
Freezing the cake - you can make the cake ahead of time and freeze it (without frosting on top) as a whole by wrapping in plastic wrap and then a layer of foil.
If you're freezing individual slices (with or without frosting) - place them into ziploc bags or an airtight container. Defrost in the fridge overnight before allowing to come to room temperature and consuming.
Recipe Tips & FAQ
When it comes to baking with bananas, the riper they are, the better and sweeter they will be!! So don't throw out your old spotty, brown bananas!
One of the biggest tricks to baking the perfect cake is to ensure that all of your cold ingredients are brought to room temperature before using.
When creaming the butter and sugars, ensure you beat them for at least 4-5 minutes or until very pale, creamy and smooth. It's tempting to stop after a minute or two, but those extra few minutes will make a HUGE difference to the lightness of your cake!
This is completely fine! Once you add the dry ingredients, the mixture will become smooth again.
Unfortunately yes you do! But you don't need to go and buy it... you can make your own by adding 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to every 1 cup of regular milk, allowing to sit for a few minutes and then using as buttermilk. Buttermilk is the key to a deliciously moist banana cake.
The cooking time can vary greatly depending on your oven. I recommend checking after 45 minutes and then continuing to check every 5-10 minutes afterwards.
You will know that the cake is ready when a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Don't worry! Simply place a sheet of foil loosely over the top of the cake and continue baking until cooked through.
More Recipes For Using Up Ripe Bananas
So you've got a HUGE fruit bowl full of over-ripe bananas just waiting to be used up. These are the recipes for you!
- My Famous One Bowl Banana Bread - check out the reviews on this delicious sweet bread! It's such a winner!
- Double Chocolate Banana Loaf - this super rich and decadent loaf makes the perfect dessert or treat for afternoon tea.
- Salted Caramel Banana Muffins - simple banana muffins with a sweet salted caramel icing... yes please!
- Strawberry, Banana & Yoghurt Muffins - a great lunchbox treat (and they have the tick of approval from lots of little ones!)
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Easy Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
For the banana cake
- 3 large ripe bananas (approximately 1 and ½ cups or 400g)
- 375 g plain flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon bi-carbonate soda
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- pinch of salt (approx ½ tsp)
- 170 g (¾ cup) unsalted butter room temperature
- 200 g (1 cup) raw sugar granulated sugar
- 100 g (½ cup) brown sugar light or dark
- 3 eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 375 ml (1 and ½ cups) buttermilk see notes
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 250 g full fat cream cheese room temperature
- 115 g butter room temperature
- 360 g (3 cups) icing sugar confectioners sugar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 175 degrees celsius (fan-forced). Grease a round 23cm cake tin.
- Mash the bananas with a fork and set aside.
- Sift the plain flour, baking powder, bi-carbonate soda, cinnamon and salt together. Set aside.
- Place the room temperature butter into a large bowl. Add the raw sugar and brown sugar. Use hand-held beaters or a stand mixer to beat on high speed for 4-5 minute or until pale, smooth and creamy.
- Add the eggs, vanilla extract and bananas and beat on medium speed until combined.
- Alternate adding the dry ingredients with the buttermilk and continue mixing on low until only just combined (it's fine for the mixture to be a little lumpy).
- Pour the cake mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 45-50 minutes (see notes). The cake is ready when a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and leave in the baking tin for 15 minutes. Turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the cream cheese frosting, beat the room temperature cream cheese and butter on high speed until smooth, pale and creamy (approximately 3 minutes).
- Add the sifted icing sugar and vanilla and mix on low speed, slowing increasing to high speed for 3 minutes. If the frosting is too thick, add up to a tablespoon of milk and beat through.
- Spread the frosting over the cooled cake. Store in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days.
- Thermomix Instructions - Click the link in the notes section below for the Thermomix recipe.
Alix says
Absolutely delicious! A family favourite in the making!.
I made it extra decadent and added a large tablespoon of Biscoff spread to the icing mixture>
Lucy says
Fantastic! Yum!
Robert Hartford says
Today I made your Banana cake and frosting recipe. I had so much frosting that Its piled about 1" high!! I made two cakes and they are in the fridge hopefully hardening up a little. I remember as a child watching my mother when she made a cake with frosting, and looking on with envy as my three step brothers always got the paddle to lick clean. But not today! I laugh about it those fond memory's and enjoy the moment.
( I am male and live in Australia and love cooking mainly to survive hahah) Thanks for your wonderful recipes and am looking forward to trying out a few more!
Phaedra Kohl says
Can you give directions translating from metric measures to cups and ounces for those of us in the USE who are not schooled in metric measures?
Lucy says
Sure thing! https://bakeplaysmile.com/baking-conversion-chart/
Jen says
Can you make this cake into muffins
Lucy says
Absolutely! You'll need to reduce the cooking time accordingly.
Cherie says
Firstly, let me say that this makes soooooooo much mixture! I only have a 20cm round cake tin and not a 23cm, however, I still wonder how it would all fit into the tin! I ended up dividing it between two tins... problem solved! I put the second one in the freezer, along with all left over cream cheese (separate containers). Having said that; this is DELICIOUS and moist!