Thermomix Banana Cake topped with Cream Cheese Frosting is a classic cake that is such a favourite with kids and adults alike.
This fruity, moist and soft cake with decadent cream cheese icing is one of the easiest cakes you can make.
Both the banana cake and cream cheese frosting are prepared in the Thermomix machine in just 15 minutes... making it a quick, easy and no-fuss recipe!
Cakes such as this one are so versatile and can be the perfect choice for any occasion; from a casual afternoon tea, to a dinner party dessert or even just a lunchbox snack.
Put your Thermomix to good use and serve your Thermomix Banana Cake with some silky vanilla custard and whipped cream, or for even more decadence, salted caramel sauce for a delicious dessert. For a casual afternoon tea, the cream cheese frosting is more than enough to make it a special sweet treat!
Why You're Going To Love This Thermomix Banana Cake
- Minimal clean-up - with everything for both the cake and the frosting being prepared in the Thermomix bowl, you are left without a sink full of dishes to clean up.
- Budget-friendly - there are no fancy ingredients required, just pantry staples, buttermilk - which you can substitute with a homemade version; and overripe bananas that might otherwise be wasted!
- Suitable for any Thermal Cooker - this recipe can be used with any of the Thermomix models; a TM31, TM5 or TM6; or any other Thermal Cooker.
What You Need
Apart from baking pantry staples, you will need buttermilk, (or its homemade substitute; see my Expert Tips and FAQ) and overripe bananas for the cake. The cream cheese frosting could be optional, but only if you absolutely cannot get to the shops for some cream cheese. I highly recommend not skipping this delicious frosting (it's so good, you'll be eating it straight from the bowl!)
For The Cake
Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.
- Plain flour – also known as all-purpose flour, this doesn't contain any raising agents.
- Baking powder - regular baking powder bought from a supermarket is all you need.
- Bi-carbonate soda - also known as baking soda, this is a leavening agent that is an ingredient of baking powder. The two are therefore not interchangeable.
- Cinnamon - this is a common ingredient in cakes and biscuits that contain fruit, whether stewed or raw, as it adds a subtle warming spiced flavour.
- Salt - is often added to sweet recipes as it enhances the sweetness! If you're using salted butter, you can leave the pinch of salt out.
- Bananas - ripe, soft bananas are the best ones to use in banana bread recipes. They add much more flavour as well as extra sweetness. The browner the bananas, the better!
- Butter - I prefer to use unsalted butter as a baking ingredient. This is not essential, and if you usually buy salted butter, using that will be perfectly fine.
- Raw sugar - raw sugar is also known as granulated sugar.
- Brown sugar - using brown sugar in recipes adds a deeper, more caramel flavour and colour, and keeps the texture moist. You can use either light or dark brown sugar in this recipe.
- Eggs - when using eggs in a recipe, it is best to have them at room temperature before you start. I suggest cracking eggs into a separate bowl before adding them. If they are past their best, or you have pieces of the shell fall in, you won't waste the ingredients.
- Vanilla extract - you can use vanilla essence or paste if you prefer.
- Buttermilk - if you don't have buttermilk, you can very easily 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. See my FAQ's.
For The Cream Cheese Frosting
- 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, and to make sure it's at room temperature to get the smoothest results.
- Butter - ensure that your butter is at room temperature so that it combines with the cream cheese easily and smoothly.
- Icing sugar – there's a difference between Pure Icing Sugar and Icing Sugar Mixture. I recommend using pure icing sugar which doesn’t contain any cornflour.
- Vanilla extract - you can use vanilla essence or paste if you prefer, or that's what you have on hand.
Equipment Required
This recipe uses the Thermomix to mash the bananas and mix the cake batter, and then to mix the frosting. The cake is baked in the oven and frosted once cooled to room temperature.
- Thermomix machine - this recipe is suitable for use in all Thermomix models - the TM31, TM5 and TM6. It is also suitable for use in other brands of Thermal cooker as well. If you don't have a Thermomix machine, you can use my conventional banana cake recipe instead.
- 23cm round cake tin - if you choose a cake tin with a different size and shape, your cooking time may vary slightly from the time specified in the recipe.
- Oven - I use a fan-forced oven, and have provided instructions in the Expert Tips and FAQs section for adjusting the temperatures if you have a conventional oven
Step by Step Instructions
Using your Thermomix to mash the bananas and mix the cake batter makes this a quick and easy recipe, with minimal preparation time and minimal clean-up as well!
Note: Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom for the ingredients quantities and full detailed method.
Step 1 - Sift The Dry Ingredients
Add the dry ingredients to the Thermomix bowl and sift by mixing for 5 seconds, Speed 10.
Set aside in a separate bowl.
Step 2 - Combine The Wet Ingredients
Place the bananas into the Thermomix bowl and mash by mixing for 5 seconds, Speed 4.
Insert the butterfly and add the softened butter.
Mix for 1 minute, Speed 3 to combine.
Then add the raw sugar and brown sugar to the mixture.
Mix the sugar in for 2 minutes, Speed 3.
With the blades turning, add the eggs (one at a time through the MC hole) and vanilla extract and mix for 30 seconds, Speed 2. Remove the butterfly.
Step 3 - Prepare The Batter For Baking
With the blades turning on Speed 3, alternate adding the dry ingredients with the buttermilk and continue mixing until only just combined.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix for a further 5 seconds, Speed 5.
Pour the cake mixture into a greased 23cm round baking tin and bake for 45-50 minutes, depending on your oven.
Leave the cake in the baking tin for 15 minutes after taking it out of the oven. Turn onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 4 - Make The Cream Cheese Frosting
Add all of the frosting ingredients to a clean Thermomix bowl.
Mix for 30 seconds, Speed 5. Scrape down the sides and repeat for a further 5 seconds or until smooth.
Step 6 - Frost The Cooled Cake
Spread the frosting over the cooled cake and serve!
Expert Tips & FAQ's
Yes, this recipe is suitable for all the Thermomix models, and you can also follow the recipe and make any adjustments you may need for a different brand Thermal cooker, such as using the blunt blade if your machine doesn't have a Reverse function.
If you can't buy buttermilk locally, 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.
I specify fan-forced oven temperatures in my recipes, so if you have a conventional oven, increase the temperature by between 10 and 20 degrees Celsius.
If your cake is over-browning, place a sheet of foil loosely over the top of the banana cake and continue baking until cooked through.
You can keep this banana cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Note: if you live in a warm climate and need to keep the cake in the fridge, allow it to come to room temperature before serving (it will dry out in the fridge, so bringing it to room temperature will allow the moistness to return).
Yes, this cake can be frozen for up to 1 month. Allow to defrost at room temperature before consuming.
More Classic Thermomix Cakes
Whether you're baking for a cake stall, a casual afternoon tea or to celebrate a special occasion, a freshly baked cake with a delicious frosting is always a winner! Make these with the help of your Thermomix or browse my collection of Thermomix recipes for more ideas.
Thermomix Banana Cake
Ingredients
For The Banana Cake
- 375 g plain flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon bi-carbonate soda
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- pinch of salt (approx ½ tsp)
- 400 g ripe bananas approximately 3
- 170 g unsalted butter room temperature
- 200 g raw sugar granulated sugar
- 100 g brown sugar light or dark
- 3 eggs room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 375 g buttermilk see notes
For The Cream Cheese Frosting
- 250 g full fat cream cheese room temperature
- 115 g butter room temperature
- 360 g icing sugar confectioners sugar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Thermomix Method
- Preheat oven to 170 degrees celsius (fan-forced). Grease a round 23cm cake tin.
- Place the plain flour, baking powder, bi-carbonate soda, cinnamon and salt into the Thermomix bowl. Sift by mixing for 5 seconds, Speed 10. Set aside in a separate bowl.
- Place the bananas into the Thermomix bowl and mix for 5 seconds, Speed 4.
- Insert the butterfly. Add the room temperature butter and mix for 1 minute, Speed 3.
- Add the raw sugar and brown sugar and mix for 2 minutes, Speed 3.
- With the blades turning, add the eggs (one at a time through the MC hole) and vanilla extract and mix for 30 seconds, Speed 2. Remove the butterfly.
- With the blades turning on Speed 3, alternate adding the dry ingredients with the buttermilk and continue mixing until only just combined (it's fine for the mixture to be a little lumpy). Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix for a further 5 seconds, Speed 5.
- 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, add all of the frosting ingredients to a clean Thermomix bowl and mix for 30 seconds, Speed 5. Scrape down the sides and repeat for a further 5 seconds or until smooth.
Notes
- Room temperature butter - it's very important that the butter is softened to room temperature before using (otherwise it will get stuck in the butterfly).
- Buttermilk - if you can't buy buttermilk locally, 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.
- Icing sugar – there's a difference between Pure Icing Sugar and Icing Sugar Mixture. I recommend using pure icing sugar which doesn’t contain any cornflour, and holds firmer than icing sugar mixture.
- Different brand of Thermal cooker - you can still follow this recipe and make any adjustments you may need, such as using the blunt blade if your machine doesn't have a reverse function.
- Conventional oven - increase the fan-forced temperature in the recipe by between 10 and 20 degrees Celsius.
- Cooking time - will vary depending on your oven. I recommend checking the cake after 45 minutes and then every 5-10 minutes afterwards until cooked through when tested with a skewer inserted into the middle. The skewer should come out clean.
- Over-browning - if your cake is over-browning, place a sheet of foil loosely over the top of the banana cake and continue baking until cooked through.
- Storing - you can keep this banana cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Note: if you live in a warm climate and need to keep the cake in the fridge, allow it to come to room temperature before serving (it will dry out in the fridge, so bringing it to room temperature will allow the moistness to return).
- Freezing - this cake can be frozen for up to 1 month. Allow to defrost at room temperature before consuming.
Louise says
Can you help me ? I’ve made this recipe twice - but following each and every step of the recipe via the thermomix. For some reason, the cake rises high while in the oven. I also cook until dry. But then post cooking the cake sinks and then also has a ‘fudge’ like consistency. What is going wrong ?
Lucy says
Hi Louise, a banana cake should be moist (not dry). However, all ovens are different so perhaps try turning up your temp a little or cooking it for a bit longer.