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A square slice of banana cake with cream cheese frosting sits on a white plate with a fork holding a bite, in front of a pan and another plate with more cake. A dark checkered cloth is underneath the plate.
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Banana Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

Soft, moist, and full of real banana flavor—this Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is perfect for any occasion. The classic flavor and moist texture of the cake, topped with a luscious cream cheese frosting, is sure to please everyone!
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Diet: Low Salt
Servings: 24 pieces
Author: Melissa Griffiths

Ingredients

For the Cake:

  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 1/3 cups mashed ripe bananas about 3 medium bananas
  • 10 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, combine the milk and lemon juice. Let sit for 5–10 minutes to curdle.
  • In another bowl, mash the bananas until smooth. Set aside.
    A clear glass bowl containing mashed bananas sits on a white surface, with the banana mixture appearing soft and slightly lumpy.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the melted butter and sugar. Stir until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla.
    A glass bowl containing a mixture of wet and dry ingredients, with a cracked egg and a wooden spoon resting inside, on a white surface.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
  • Add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir gently. Add 1/3 of the milk mixture and stir again. Repeat this process two more times, alternating between flour and milk until everything is just combined.
  • Gently fold in the mashed bananas until evenly distributed.
    A glass bowl filled with yellow pancake batter sits on a light surface, with a metal spoon resting inside the bowl.
  • Pour the batter into a well-buttered 9x13-inch baking pan. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 55–65 minutes, or until the center is set and springs back lightly when touched. Let the cake cool completely before frosting.
    A golden-brown, rectangular loaf of baked banana bread sits in a metal baking pan on a light-colored surface.
  • To make the frosting, in a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth and fluffy.
  • Add the vanilla extract and gradually beat in the powdered sugar until the frosting is smooth and spreadable (start with 3 cups and add more as needed).
  • Spread the frosting over the cooled cake. Slice and enjoy!
    A rectangular cake in a metal pan is topped with a thick layer of swirled white frosting. The pan sits on a dark, checkered cloth against a light surface.

Notes

*This cake is a simple delight that you can make when you have a few ripe bananas but don't quite want banana bread. 
*I love to take this cake to a pot-luck or picnic because everyone loves it and it's really simple to make. 
Best Bananas: Choose bananas with plenty of brown spots for maximum sweetness and easy mashing. Slightly overripe bananas actually work best! If your bananas aren't quite ripe enough, place them in a paper bag for a day or two to speed up the process.
Testing for Doneness: The cake is done when the center springs back lightly when touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. The cake should also start pulling slightly away from the sides of the pan.
Cool Completely Before Frosting: Even slightly warm cake will melt the cream cheese frosting, creating a mess. Allow the cake to cool for at least 2 hours, or until it's completely room temperature. For faster cooling, you can refrigerate the unfrosted cake for 30-45 minutes. If dusting with powdered sugar rather than using frosting, it will only need to cool 30 minutes to an hour before dusting.
Recipe Variations:
  • Skip the Frosting: You do not have to frost this cake; it is plenty sweet without the cream cheese frosting. You can just add a dusting of powdered sugar or nothing at all if you prefer, it's still delicious. Or for a lighter option, try whipped cream or simple buttercream frosting.
  • Add Nuts: You can stir in 1 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts to the batter when you add the bananas if you'd like. Nuts in this cake a delightful. And if you really like nuts you can sprinkle more chopped nuts on top of the frosting if you'd like.
  • Make it Gluten-Free: If you need to make this cake dairy free you can use oil instead of the butter in this recipe, no problem. I haven't tried it but I have a feeling this cake would lend itself well to being gluten free by using a 1:1 gluten free baking flour. The banana, butter, and eggs would all help the cake to stay moist even when switching flours. I'm going to try it!
 
Storing Leftovers:
  • The cake stays fresh for up to 5 days when stored covered at room temperature (without frosting) or in the refrigerator (with frosting). The high moisture content from the bananas helps it maintain freshness longer than typical cakes.
  • Wrap unfrosted cake tightly in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before frosting. You can also freeze individual slices for quick treats later.

Nutrition

Serving: 12 inch square piece | Calories: 297kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 51mg | Sodium: 162mg | Potassium: 95mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 411IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 1mg

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