Banana Cake
This banana cake pairs a soft, moist crumb with a tangy cream cheese frosting. It’s easy enough for beginners yet impressive for any occasion.
Servings: 8 slices
Equipment
- 2 Cake Pans Round 9-Inch
- Potato Masher Optional
- Digital Kitchen Scale Optional
- Pastry Bag Optional
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 3 bananas large and overripe
- 3 Cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled, plus extra for dusting pans
- 1 ½ Teaspoons baking powder
- 1 Teaspoon baking soda
- ½ Teaspoon salt
- 1 Cup granulated sugar
- 1 Cup light brown sugar packed
- ½ Cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ Cup sour cream at room temperature
- 2 Teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 eggs large, at room temperature
- 1 Cup buttermilk
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 16 Ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- ½ Cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ Teaspoon salt
- 3 ½ Cups powdered sugar
Optional Toppings
- pecans chopped
- Slices banana slice just before serving, so they don't go brown too fast
Instructions
Prepare the Cake Batter
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Grease a pair of 9-inch round cake pans with shortening or butter and dust with flour.
- Set the pans aside.
- Peel and tear apart the bananas and place them in a medium bowl.
- Use a fork or potato masher to mash the bananas completely. Set the bowl aside.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together, and place the bowl to the side.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and butter with an electric mixer until fluffy and well mixed.
- Add the mashed bananas, sour cream and vanilla extract and mix until combined.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, until they are just mixed.
- Mix in about half of the dry ingredients, then add the rest.
- Pour in the buttermilk and mix at low speed until the batter is just mixed. The batter will be thick and wet.
Bake the Cake
- Divide the batter between the cake pans (a digital kitchen scale is helpful here) and bake the cakes on the middle rack of the oven for 40 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cakes comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool in the pans for 15 minutes before removing them from the pans and letting them cool completely on a cooling rack.
Prepare the Cream Cheese Frosting
- Once the cakes have cooled, use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese and butter together in a large bowl until smooth.
- Mix in the vanilla extract and salt.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar, ½ a cup at a time, until the frosting is smooth and thick.
Assemble the Banana Cake
- Move one of the cake layers to a cake stand or platter and spread about half of the frosting over the bottom layer.
- Carefully place the second cake layer on top of the layer of frosting, and spread the remaining frosting on top.
- Alternatively, you could put a third of the frosting between the layers, a third on top, then pipe the remaining third of frosting around the edges.
- Garnish with chopped pecans and banana slices if liked before serving.
Notes
Use room temperature ingredients: Helps the batter mix smoothly.
Don’t overmix: Prevents a dense or tough cake texture.
Weigh batter: Use a scale for even layers that bake consistently.
Cool completely: Ensures frosting spreads evenly without melting.
Don’t overmix: Prevents a dense or tough cake texture.
Weigh batter: Use a scale for even layers that bake consistently.
Cool completely: Ensures frosting spreads evenly without melting.
Nutrition
Calories: 1092kcal | Carbohydrates: 156g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 49g | Saturated Fat: 29g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 191mg | Sodium: 685mg | Potassium: 412mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 113g | Vitamin A: 1727IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 197mg | Iron: 3mg
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