Banana Cake

This Banana Cake with cream cheese frosting is one of the most delicious and moist cakes ever. It is a scrumptious dessert to make for any occasion and is great for potlucks.

banana cake slice and a fork on a plate and a glass of milk.


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What Makes This Banana Cake Recipe So Good?

Honestly, I think a lot has to do with using buttermilk and the way the eggs are handled in the recipe.

Buttermilk gives everything a better balance of flavor and whipping the eggs allows the eggs to aerate giving the cake a more fluffy and moist texture.

But don’t take my word for it, try this recipe for banana cake, and let me know what you think!

Why you should try this recipe

This recipe is the hit of game nights with my friends. Everyone loves banana bread, many never tried banana cake before. This soon became a highly requested recipe, and even people who don’t normally eat dessert wanted to give this cake a try.

Ingredients for Banana Cake from Scratch

I have made a list of everything you will need to make the best banana cake recipe. Take a look and make sure you are prepared!

P.S. Most of it will probably already be in your pantry.

  • Shortening
  • Sugar
  • Eggs
  • All-purpose flour
  • Baking powder
  • Baking soda
  • Salt
  • Mashed bananas
  • Buttermilk
  • Vanilla extract

Recipe Variation – Banana Nut Cake

If you enjoy nuts, then add some chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds to the batter. You’ll need about 1/2 cup of chopped nuts.

How ripe do the bananas need to be for this recipe?

Ideally, they should be yellow with brown spotting. You should be able to feel them give a little in your hand when you squeeze them.

If you are worried about it, there are also some grocery stores that sell ripe bananas for baking! 

How to Ripen Bananas Quickly

Sometimes you buy bananas and get a hankering to have some delicious banana bread or this moist banana cake.

You can take a look at this Allrecipes article to find 3 different ways to ripen bananas quickly. Let me know which one you like best.

banana cake slice on a cake server over the cake.

How to Make Banana Cake

  1. To make this moist banana cake, start by creaming together the shortening and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy.
creamed butter and sugar in a mixing bowl.
  1. Then add the beaten eggs and mix everything together until it is completely combined.
creamed butter and sugar and beaten eggs in a mixing bowl.
cake wet ingredients in a mixing bowl.
  1. For the dry ingredients, sift together the baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a bowl.
  1. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and cream them together.
cake wet and dry ingredients in a mixing bowl.
cake batter in a mixing bowl.
  1. Next, add the mashed bananas, buttermilk, and vanilla extract and beat it all together until it is well-mixed.
adding mashed bananas to cake batter in a mixing bowl.
banana cake batter in a mixing bowl.
  1. Then pour the banana cake mixture into a 9×13 inch greased pan and bake it at 350°F in a preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes.
banana cake batter in a baking dish.
banana cake in a baking dish.
  1. Test the cake with a toothpick, and if it comes out clean, then it’s done.

You can enjoy this cake plain without frosting. However, some creamy frosting makes it totally irresistible!

Best Frosting for Banana Cake

I absolutely LOVE pairing this moist banana cake with cream cheese frosting.

The cream cheese frosting is so good with the banana flavor it is divine! But, if you are a chocolate lover, consider using a chocolate buttercream frosting, or even a peanut butter frosting!

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients

You only need a few simple ingredients to make the frosting:

  • Butter
  • Cream Cheese
  • Powdered Sugar
  • Vanilla extract
  • Nuts, are optional to sprinkle on top.
cream cheese frosting ingredients.

How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting for Banana Cake

  1. Mix softened butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth.
  2. Slowly add in powdered sugar while mixing on low speed. Then mix in the vanilla.
cream cheese frosting in a mixing bowl.
  1. Spread the frosting over the cake and sprinkle nuts on top.
banana cake with cream cheese frosting in a baking dish.
banana cake topped with cream cheese frosting and nuts in a baking dish.

How to Store Banana Cake

You can store this recipe at room temperature or in the fridge. It will last longer in the fridge. Just note if you top the cake with cream cheese frosting or any frosting with butter, it will need to be refrigerated.

You can also freeze this banana cake. I would suggest slicing it up and individually wrapping the slices to freeze it. That way, when you want some banana cake, you can pull out a piece at a time and let it thaw on the counter.  

Can you make this Banana Cake recipe into cupcakes?

This banana snack cake recipe would do wonderfully as cupcakes. You can keep the baking temperature at 350°F, but you will need to change the cooking time. I would say to bake for about 12 to 15 minutes, but just watch them to make sure they don’t overcook.

a slice of banana cake and a fork on a plate.

Love bananas? Try these recipes!

Check out more of my easy cake recipes and the best dessert recipes here on CopyKat!

The recipe comes from Sue A. Mertens Minick from Hazelwood, MO. She actually found this site on the internet! And yes, she is family 🙂

banana cake slice and a fork on a plate and a glass of milk.

Banana Cake

Your whole family is going to love this moist and delicious banana cake with cream cheese frosting.
5 from 6 votes
Print Pin Rate Add to Collection
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Banana Cake, Bananas, Cake, Cake Recipes
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 12
Calories: 586kcal

Ingredients

Cake

  • 1/2 cup shortening
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 2 eggs beaten until fluffy
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup mashed bananas
  • 1/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 4 ounces butter
  • 8 ounces cream cheese
  • 1 pound powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cake Topping

  • ½ cup chopped nuts

Instructions

Cake Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13 inch baking pan.
  • Cream together shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs in, and mix well.
  • Sift together the dry ingredients, and add this to the creamed shortening mixture.
  • Add bananas, buttermilk, and vanilla. Beat until well mixed.
  • Bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes.
  • Let the cake cool completely.

Frosting Instructions

  • Allow the butter and cream cheese to soften at room temperature.
  • Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter together in a large bowl until thoroughly combined and smooth.
  • Slowly add in powdered sugar while mixing on low speed.
  • Add vanilla extract and mix it into the frosting.
  • Frost the cake and then sprinkle chopped nuts on top.

Nutrition

Calories: 586kcal | Carbohydrates: 83g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 27g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 69mg | Sodium: 311mg | Potassium: 144mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 65g | Vitamin A: 547IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 1mg

About Stephanie Manley

I recreate your favorite restaurant recipes, so you can prepare these dishes at home. I help you cook dinner, and serve up dishes you know your family will love. You can find most of the ingredients for all of the recipes in your local grocery store.

Stephanie is the author of CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home, and CopyKat.com's Dining Out in the Home 2.

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