Good cake recipes use common pantry ingredients and deliver outstanding flavor. Banana cake with cream cheese frosting definitely checks both those boxes! This is one of the best banana cake recipes with its intense banana flavor, tender texture, and sweet, tangy icing.
For more great banana desserts, I suggest my show-stopping banana pudding cake. It’s every bit as delicious as it sounds! Of course, bananas go great in more than just cake. Give coconut banana cream pie or banana cream pie a try for a creamy, dreamy slice of pie heaven!
Like a lot of fruit cake recipes, it’s super moist! Let’s head to the kitchen and get started!
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What I Love About This Recipe
This recipe has SO amazing many qualities! Here’s the top of my list!
- SO moist!
- Mega banana flavor
- Tangy cream cheese frosting
- Makes plenty to go around
How To Make Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe
Begin by combining the mashed bananas and lemon juice. Set that aside and combine the dry ingredients. Next, cream together the butter and sugar until fluffy and add the eggs and vanilla.
Stir in the buttermilk and dry ingredients. Mix in the bananas and pour it into the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean. Immediately, put the cake in the freezer for at least 45 minutes.
Make the frosting by creaming the butter, cream cheese, and vanilla together. Add the powdered sugar and mix until it is smooth and spreadable. Ice the cake once it is completely cooled.
Recipe Notes
Recipe NotesThere’s nothing fancy about making this banana cake, but here are a couple of tips to make it even easier!
The freezer- I find that my Pyrex dish does just fine going from the oven to the freezer. However, if you’re concerned about your glass pan, I suggest using a metal pan. It’s a crucial step to lock in the moisture and arrest the cooking process of the cake.
Low and slow oven- It’s not a misprint! This cake needs to bake low and slow. Because of this, I find that baking times vary quite a bit. For me, an hour is enough, but it might take up to an hour and a half for some.
Ingredient Notes
Buttermilk- Buttermilk brings acid and moisture to the mixture. If you don’t have any on hand, mix 1 tablespoon of acid (like lemon juice or vinegar) into a 1 cup of whole milk. Let it sit until it thickens.
Storing Tips
Be sure to store this cake in a cool place in a well-sealed container to hold in the moisture. With the cream cheese icing, a fridge is a good option.
Can You Freeze This?
This cake freezes beautifully. Use good freezing techniques and wrap the cake well for freshest results. You can thaw the cake overnight in the fridge and frost it when you’re ready.
You can freeze the frosted version. I suggest freezing uncovered until the frosting is solid before wrapping it for long-term storage.
Make Ahead Tips
This cake holds really well for a couple of days. You can also freeze it for more advanced prep.
How Long Can You Keep This In The Fridge?
According to food handling guidelines, this cake will last up to 7 days in the fridge and up to 3 months in the freezer.
Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Cake:
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter
- 2 1/4 cups sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 1/2 cups very ripe bananas mashed
Frosting:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 275 degrees. Spray a 9X13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- Mix mashed bananas with lemon juice and set aside.
- Whisk together flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl and set aside.
- In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together 3/4 cups butter and 2 1/4 cups sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time. Stir in vanilla. Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk, starting and ending with the flour. Add the bananas and mix just until evenly distributed. Spread batter into prepared pan.
- Bake in preheated oven for about 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and place immediately into the freezer for 45 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the frosting; In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together 1/2 cup butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add the vanilla and beat until combined. Turn the mixer on low and slowly add the powdered sugar. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat just until frosting is smooth. Do Not overbeat or frosting will become runny. Spread frosting over completely cooled cake.
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More Fruit Cake Recipes
Check out these fantastic fruit cake recipes!
- Cherry Coffee Cake – perfect for brunch
- Sara Lee Pound Cake – as if the iconic chef baked it herself
- Chocolate Cherry Cake – chocolaty, cherry deliciousness
- Pumpkin Crunch Cake – moist pumpkin cake with a bit of crunch
- Dundee Cake – traditional fruit cake straight from Scotland
- Banana Pound Cake – totally crave-worthy warm weather dessert with an ultra-yummy cream cheese glaze that really sets it off!
- Banana Coffee Cake – cake you’ll want from breakfast to dinner
Conclusion
This banana cake with cream cheese frosting has got it all! Moist, loads of banana flavor, and tangy, sweet frosting! Get ready to hand out the recipe because it’s gonna be requested!
I look forward to seeing your comments!
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Absolutely FABULOUS Recipe !!!! Make this moist, delicious, irresistible banana cake instead of banana bread. If you’re like me and find it difficult to make banana bread that is fully cooked ant still moist, Make This Cake INSTEAD OF Banana Bread. You’ll Never look back. Everyone loves this cake. I made it for my mother in law on Mother’s Day and she swooned. I’m waiting on bananas to ripen to make this again.
Way to go, Michelle! 💗
I have made many of your recipes and they are delicious. I was looking for an alternative to banana bread and this recipe came in my inbox. I’m really glad it did. It is great. I like to make it the day before to let the flavours blend and then ice it and serve it. However I have also made the cake, iced it and froze it and that works well too. Thank you for sharing your recipes and also your techniques.
You are so welcome Mariann! I’m so happy you’re enjoying my recipes. I hope you find many more <3
BEST! Cake ever. Loved it!
Thanks so much, Jax!
One of my new favorite recipes! In addition to making this cake in 3 – 9″ cake pans (which I did place in the freezer after baking) I made a bundt cake this past weekend! The only variation was baking time increased to 90 minutes, and I placed the cake in the frig overnight before frosting the next morning. It turned out moist & delicious! Thank you! This is one of my new favorite go-to dessert recipes!
Hi Susan! Great to know! I think this would make an amazing bundt!!! Thanks for sharing 🙂
This cake was awesome- everybody loved it! Glad you shared this wonderful recipe. It’s a real keeper and I will make this over and over again.
Thank you Kathleen
Yay! I’m so glad it was a hit for you, Carol! I totally agree-it’s a keeper!
I will be the first to report this recipe is absolute perfection when made in three 9″ pans as well as a sheet cake! I increased the icing 1.5 times and had some left over. My favorite cake pan is a bundt, so I will try that next time and imagine it will work out great. I gave pieces to my neighbors and they raved AND my husband let me know I should “make this again.” That’s how I know this recipe is a winner! ???? Thank you!
Hi Susan, I’m so happy you got rave reviews for this Banana Cake!!! Thank you so much for sharing that the recipe works in the 3-9 inch pans. Did you place those in the freezer after you took them from the oven?
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The flavor is wonderful! However, this is not a light, fluffy, airy cake. It is very moist, but still thick and dense. Maybe not as dense as banana bread, but still dense. If you’re looking for dense, this is your recipe. If you want light and airy, keep looking.
Hi Tina. I’m glad you liked the banana cake. When I make this cake, I don’t consider it very dense or heavy. Certainly it’s not airy like a Chiffon cake. Anyway, I think you’re right, in that if someone is looking for a Chiffon style Banana cake, this isn’t the right recipe for them.
Made this for the 1st time last night. So good!!! Thanks for the recipe. Tamara
You’re so welcome Tamara! I’m glad you enjoyed 🙂
If I am planning on making this the night before an event, should I just transfer the cake from the freezer to the refrigerator and ice it the day of?
Hi Anna. Thats exactly how I’d do it 🙂
Really good cake!! Super moist! Thinking next time I’ll add some cinnamon to the batter. I did add some honey for extra flavor and sweetness.
Hi Jenna. So glad you liked the Banana Cake! I think the cinnamon sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing 🙂
OMG… I did this Banana cake this past weekend and can I tell you its to die for. I was so proud of myself. I was a bit nervous in doing it and my husband and mother in law gave me 2 thumbs up. I loooooovvvvveeeee this cake. Its just so moist. I need a butter cake/pound cake recipe that is going to be moist like that. Thanks for sharing. That’s why I love pinterest!
Hi Suzz. So glad you enjoyed 🙂
Good article. I absolutely appreciate this site. Keep
it up!
This cake turned out AMAZING!! Everyone raved over it! I also had to bake mine for 1.5 hours like a few other commenters said but it was worth every extra minute 🙂 Will definitely make again! Thanks!
Hi Chelsea. So glad you enjoyed the cake!
Made this cake and everyone absolutely loved it.
Wondering if the bananas can be substituted for carrots and baked the same way…anyone know?
Appreciate your help! ☺
Hi Candy. Interesting question. I haven’t tried it, but maybe another reader will let us know. So glad you liked the recipe.
Wow!!! First and foremost, this is an absolutely delicious cake!!
Things worth noting: I started making this and then realized i only had about half a cup of white sugar, so i used brown sugar for the rest. Tastes amazing so clearly this didn’t affect much!
It took about 30 minutes longer than the recommended hour cook time before mine was done, but that’s okay.
I did mine in a glass pan because I don’t have a 9×13 metal one. I was nervous but willing to take the risk. I placed two wooden hot pad type things on a cookie sheet and then placed the Glass pan on top of those. No cracking, and my glass pans are certainly not the old school better quality ones they used to make in the good old days.
I wish I could post a picture here of mine, it literally looks exactly like yours!! So yummy!!!!!
Thanks Heidi!
i am using peach compote I made and frozen blueberries instead of Bananas. I am baking it at 325F and I will not put it into the freezer till I try it with my coffee
Hi Gunther. Hope you enjoy!
i just made this today! Delicious! I had to crank up to 350 degrees after the 45 minutes @275, it took about 10 minutes after that.
I think it serves way more than 12
Thanks Melissa I’m happy you like it! I try to be conservative on the amount served 😉
I totally made the mistake of making this cake in a round cake pan. I have one of those side by side freezer/fridges ….BAD IDEA. So I then had to put the cake in the fridge. I figured I would increase the time to an hour since it’s not in the freezer. Hopefully, this works!!
Hey Cristal. I’d love to hear how it came out!
Just loved this recipe! Brought it to work and it was gone in a very short amount of time. Very moist and loving the flavor. I always preheat my oven at least 15 minutes before baking. I was going to put some chopped walnuts in the one I am going to make tonight. A suggestion from a fellow co worker. 🙂 Though I like it as is. Thanks for the great recipe
Hi Penny. So glad it was a hit! Thanks for sharing your experience 🙂
have you ever made this in 9 inch round pans? Would it fit in 2?
Hey Keri. No I haven’t but I think it should work out fine. I’d love to hear back if you give it a try 😉
Hi, I made this last night and was worried when I looked in the oven after an hour and the cake was still soupy. I turned the temperature up to 350 and cooked the cake for another 20 minutes. The cake came out beautifully. My husband shared with his co-workers today, a definitely a hit. Will for sure be making this again.
Hi Iona. Thanks for sharing your experience. I’m so glad it came out well for you. Good to know it need another 20 minutes.
I put my Pyrex pan on a hot pad, then on a cookie sheet, and place it in the freezer. Worked perfectly!
Hi Laurie. So glad it worked out well for you! Love this cake 😉
Am making the cake and time for it to come out. Totally not cooked. Have turn the oven to 350 and cooking for at least another 20 minutes. Think the temperature needs to be changed.
Hi!
I just tried your recipe; and I have the same glass baking dish. As I was taking my cake out of the oven (which I had to cook for another 20 minutes @ 350 as someone suggested :-D), I realized that I can’t stick a hot glass dish into the freezer. My dish will break. Has this happened to anyone. I’m waiting for my cake to cool a bit and then I’ll stick it in the freezer.
Hey Lenore. Well I’d only make this recipe with a Pyrex brand glass baking dish. Honestly, I’ve made it many times with no problem at all. I’m a bit stumped. I remember my Mom always saying her Pyrex went from oven to freezer. I thought that was they’re big advertising hook. I’ve just checked Pyrex.com and it doesn’t make that claim now. I also read that Pyrex changed its glass formula in the late ’80’s and it’s not as durable as it originally was!!!
Really glad I read through the comments! I won’t use my glass baking dish even if it’s Pyrex. I have an alternative that is not glass. I am making this cake this weekend for bingo at my fire co we have every Sunday. I bet the crowd will love it! Usually I’m the chocolate cake an peanut butter icing girl I seriously have to make THREE of those!!
Hi Amanda. Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!
Is there an adjustment for high altitude? My cake took 1 1/2 hours to cook and sunk in the middle.
We are at about 49000 feet east Salt Lake City Utah
Hi Sue. I’m sorry I live at sea level and do not have any experience at baking at high altitude.
My cake has been baking 1 1/2 hours… Still extremely runny… Top is very VERY golden 🙁 taking it out to freeze and hoping it will turn out okay… Any ideas how to fix? I feel like there’s too much batter, I will not use all next time unless someone has a fix for me to try.
Hey Mom of 2. The cake will not be baked in the center if its still runny. The toothpick inserted in the center is the best way to tell if its done regardless of how golden the top is. Any chance you baked it on the top shelf of the oven? Sometimes that will brown the outside of the cake too quickly. Another thing that can happen is, if you put the cake in the oven before the oven is heated to the called for temperature, in some ovens, the broiler comes on to heat up the oven even if you have the oven set on bake.
I’ve made this many times. I bake it in a standard pyrex 9X13 inch baking dish and there isn’t too much batter for that size. Some other decorative baking dishes aren’t exactly 9X13.
I hope the cake comes out for you! Let me know how it goes!
The cake was absolutely delicious!! Moist and fluffy as advertised. I only had 1 stick of unsalted butter so I used it for the icing. I used salter butter in the cake mix but omitted the 1/4 tsp of salt. After an hour my cake was still soupy, left it at 275 but ended up cooking it for an extra 1/2 hour. Lots of ingredients and some work but well worth it!! 5 stars!
Hey Marie, so glad your cake came out well. I’m happy to know its a 5 star recipe 🙂
My husband loved this cake so much he’s been begging me to make another! Today is his lucky day!
Hey Dawn thank you. Love hearing that!!!
I haven’t made the cake yet, but am excited to do so! After the cake is in the freezer for 45 minutes, does it need to be stored in the refrigerator after eating or can it be stored at room temperature?
Hey Rachel. It needs to be stored in fridge because of the cream cheese.
Hi Michele, I am wanting to make this cake for my husbands birthday. Have you ever made a layer cake from this receipt?
Hey Michelle, no I haven’t. Sorry. You will definitely need more frosting for a layer cake.
I just made this. After one hour mine was not done yet. just baked a little longer. Gas stove is why I think. Cant wait for a taste!!! 🙂
Hope you enjoy 🙂 Kay
Why do you put it in the freezer?
Hey Sandie. It stops the carry over cooking after it’s removed from the oven. Somehow the freezer also seems to intensifies the moisture as well.
Another hit at our house from Gonna Want Seconds. We went out to a fancy restaurant last night and had 2 desserts. My husband just said this was better than either one of them. Very moist and I used super-ripe bananas so the cake was loaded with flavor.
SOUNDS WONDERFUL CAN YOU EMAIL IT
please PLEASE
I’m not sure what happened but after 1 hour at 275*f my cake was still soupy in the centre so I baked it at 350*f for another 20 minutes then stuck it in the freezer. It was delicious!!!
Hey Marnie! Glad to hear it ultimately came out and you liked it. Oven temps can vary greatly thats why I love that this recipe uses the toothpick test!
I too found this recipe on allrecipes.com and make this banana cake all the time for my family and it is a favorite! I don’t know if it’s the buttermilk or the slow bake and freezer that makes it so moist…whatever it is, it is to die for!
Hey Michele, absolutely to die for!!!