Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Published April 1, 2018. Updated April 20, 2020

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This Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is an irresistible cake! If you’re looking for a banana cake recipe, let this be the one you choose. I’m telling you, it does not disappoint!

It’s made from scratch and one of the best you’ll find. Just think of banana bread made even better, and that’s what you get here!

slice of Banana Cake with cream cheese frosting on a white plate

Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

This easy banana cake recipe tastes just like banana bread, but in cake form with the delicious addition of a light and tangy homemade cream cheese frosting…yes, I definitely accept! You are going to want to eat this frosting by the spoonful (like I may or may not have done).

Banana bread has always been one of my favorite desserts/snacks/breakfasts since I was little, so when I finally tried it in cake form many years ago it was a given that I was going to be hooked. I mean, I still have a hard time resisting a piece of this first thing in the morning. Leave the frosting off and it does make a perfect weekend breakfast.

Lately, I just buy more bananas at the grocery store than I plan on my family eating on their own, because I love to bake with them and add them to smoothies or oatmeal. The hard part, though, is waiting for them to ripen. It’s like Christmas when I’m at the grocery store and every once in a while they have those overripe bananas wrapped with a red tape.

That means they’ve done the hard part for me and I don’t have to wait a week for my bananas to become generously speckled. I’d pay more for those bananas than the regularly priced ones, but they label and sell them like they are the lesser quality.

I love this banana cake with cream cheese frosting so much that I’ve made it twice in one week, and both times it disappeared in no time!

Banana Cake with cream cheese frosting on a white cake stand

Banana Cake Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make the best ever banana cake:

  • All-purpose flour
  • Baking soda
  • Salt
  • Mashed overripe bananas
  • Lemon juice
  • Granulated sugar and brown sugar
  • Butter
  • Vegetable oil
  • Eggs
  • Vanilla
  • Buttermilk
  • Heavy cream
  • Cream Cheese
  • Powered sugar

How to Make Banana Cake

  • Preheat oven and butter and line cake pans.
  • In a bowl whisk together flour, baking soda and salt.
  • Mash bananas with 1 tsp lemon juice.
  • In a stand mixer whip together butter, 2 Tbsp vegetable oil, sugars until pale and fluffy.
  • Stir in remaining 2 Tbsp vegetable oil then blend in eggs one at a time.
  • Stir in vanilla and mashed bananas.
  • Stir in flour and buttermilk alternating with several additions.
  • Divide batter evenly among prepared cake pans and spread batter into an even layer.
  • Bake until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 – 50 minutes.
  • Allow to cool completely then frost with whipped cream cheese frosting.

How to Tell If a Cake is Done

You’ll know when this easy banana cake is finished baking when a toothpick or knife inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.

slice of Banana Cake sitting in front of cake on a cake stand

Can I Add Less Sugar to the Cream Cheese Frosting?

Yes, you can scale the sugar back to make the frosting less sweet, if desired.

Can I Use a Buttermilk Substitute?

Yes, you can make your own by measuring out 1 1/2 cups milk, removing 1 1/2 Tbsp, and replacing it with 1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice or plain vinegar. Whisk and let sit 5 minutes before adding to the batter.

Can I Freeze Banana Cake?

Yes, this homemade banana cake should be fine to freeze. Ideally, you should freeze the banana cake frosting in a separate container (rather than freezing the frosted cake).

But if you wind up with leftovers, go ahead and freeze the frosted cake — just note that the texture of the cake may change slightly once thawed.

Tips for the Best Banana Cake

  • I’d recommend frosting the cake within 30 minutes of serving, as the top layer of cake will begin to weigh down that center layer of frosting (and you may not want a really thick layer in the center, just because after a while it will begin to spill out the sides).
  • You want to use overripe, practically black bananas for this easy cake recipe.
  • If you only have salted butter on hand, scale back on the amount of salt you add into the cake batter.

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Banana Cake
5 from 24 votes

Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

A double layered, moist and flavorful banana cake topped with rich and luscious, fluffy cream cheese frosting. It's the perfect use for those overripe bananas sitting on the counter. Everyone will love this cake!
Servings: 14 people
Prep30 minutes
Cook50 minutes
Cooling time2 hours
Ready in: 3 hours 20 minutes

Ingredients

Banana Cake:

Cream Cheese Frosting:

Instructions

For the Banana Cake:

  • Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. 
  • Butter two 9-inch round cake pans then line bottom with a round of parchment paper, butter parchment and dust lightly with flour.
  • In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt for 30 seconds. Set aside. 
  • Mash bananas with 1 tsp lemon juice.
  • In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, whip together butter, 2 Tbsp vegetable oil, granulated sugar and light brown sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy.
  • Stir in remaining 2 Tbsp vegetable oil then blend in eggs one at a time.
  • Stir in vanilla and mashed bananas.
  • With mixer set on low speed, slowly add flour mixture alternating with buttermilk in 3 separate batches, beginning and ending with flour mixture and mixing just until combined after each addition. 
  • Divide batter evenly among prepared cake pans and spread batter into an even layer. 
  • Bake in preheated oven 45 - 50 minutes, until toothpick inserted into center comes out clean. Allow to cool completely then frost with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting.

For the Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whip heavy cream on high speed until stiff peaks form, then transfer whipped cream to a mixing bowl and set aside. 
  • Replace whisk attachment with paddle attachment and add cream cheese and butter to stand mixer bowl. 
  • Whip together cream cheese and butter until smooth and fluffy on medium-high speed, about 2 minutes, occasionally scraping down sides and bottom of bowl.
  • Add in powdered sugar and vanilla and whip on medium speed, about 2 minutes longer.
  • Add half of whipped cream into cream cheese mixture and gently fold until combined, then fold in remaining half. Spread over cake and keep cool.

Notes

  • For best results, frost within 30 minutes of serving and store leftover cake in refrigerator. Allow to rest at room temperature about 10 - 20 minutes before enjoying. 
  • You want to use overripe, practically black bananas for this easy cake recipe.
  • Recipe Source: Cooking Classy
Nutrition Facts
Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Amount Per Serving
Calories 594 Calories from Fat 306
% Daily Value*
Fat 34g52%
Saturated Fat 21g131%
Cholesterol 126mg42%
Sodium 372mg16%
Potassium 226mg6%
Carbohydrates 65g22%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 38g42%
Protein 5g10%
Vitamin A 1130IU23%
Vitamin C 2.4mg3%
Calcium 88mg9%
Iron 1.8mg10%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Nutrition values are estimates only. See full disclaimer here.

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249 Comments

  • Indu S

    Hi do i need to make them in 2 different bowls? Cant i make it in 1?pls advise if yes temp and time

    • Jaclyn

      Jaclyn Bell

      Do you mean to bake in 1 pan? It should work to bake this in a 9 by 13 as well but I couldn’t say for sure on time, I’d guess about 45+ minutes.

  • Odessa Perawiti

    Great recipe. Would be better if the measurements were available. On the whole lovely recipe.

    • Jaclyn

      Jaclyn Bell

      Sorry for any confusion if you scroll down the page a ways there’s a recipe box there with ingredient amounts and directions.

  • Mila Tellez

    Five stars and fabulous. if you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own from powdered. I keep that on hand because i can’t always get buttermilk. You could probably make this with regular whole milk too.

  • ThereseJ

    I followed the cake recipe to a tee! Made sure my oven was correct temperature, etc. Checked with toothpick. I noticed after frosting the bottom layer that, upon closer look, the second layer looked a bit raw on top. I even put back in for 10 minutes without change. Then, I realized, that the cake batter was just too greasy. I was disappointed. Not just this recipe, but various I’ve gotten from the internet that have excellent reviews and come out, well, poorly. I put a lot of time into and costly ingredients. I just don’t understand all the positive reviews.

    • Jaclyn

      Jaclyn Bell

      Sorry to hear that! I’d love to help pinpoint what may be going on. Are you sure ingredients were properly measured and nothing was forgotten (you may find it very helpful to use a kitchen scale)? Is oven properly calibrated (does top element work properly)?

  • Heather

    Absolutely perfect! I made this for my daughter’s birthday and was told by numerous guests that it was the best cake they had ever eaten. It was even requested by my niece for her upcoming wedding! I will definitely be making this again! Thank you for the great recipe!

  • Mel

    Can I double/ triple the amount of batter ? Would any of the ingredients need to changed? Or do I have to make separate. Batches? I am looking to make this to use on a fondant cake would this be sturdy enough?

    • Jaclyn

      Jaclyn Bell

      It is a pretty sturdy cake. I’m guessing it would be fine to triple (while tripping each ingredient) but without testing I can’t say with certainty.

      • Caz

        Thank you so much for sharing it looks amazing! Is there a substitute for the buttermilk part please?

        • Jaclyn

          Jaclyn Bell

          You can make your own by measuring out 1 1/2 cups milk, remove 1 1/2 Tbsp and replace with 1 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice or plain vinegar. Whisk and let sit 5 minutes.

  • Ay

    How much are 1 1/2 cups mashed overripe bananas (from about 4 medium bananas) in grams? Please tell me
    Thanks do muchh?