This is, hands down, the BEST banana cake I’ve ever had. It’s soft, moist and rich all at the same time! Once cooled this cake is topped with a totally irresistible lemon cream cheese frosting for a perfect dessert your family will love.
I love a good banana cake, it just reminds me of being a kid because my Grandpa and Grandma made the BEST banana cupcakes. I can still smell them baking in my grandma’s kitchen, waiting impatiently with my sisters.
This cake is reminiscent of my favorite banana cupcakes. It is soft and fluffy and incredibly moist and topped with my favorite ever lemony cream cheese frosting.
As much as I love a fluffy banana cake, I love it even more when it’s topped with an amazing cream cheese frosting! I add in a little bit of lemon zest and lemon juice for extra flavor in my cream cheese frosting but if you prefer, you can leave out the lemon and substitute vanilla.
Regardless of how you top it, once you try this cake, it’ll be your go-to. Every time you have overripe bananas on the counter you’ll want to make this recipe! In fact, I often buy extra bananas to ripen and make this cake!
Tips to ensure a soft moist result:
- Ensure your ingredients are at room temperature (eggs and butter)
- You need the acidity from the lemon juice (& milk) mixture. Subbing in just milk or cream won’t work. (You can use buttermilk in its place if needed).
- When mixing your butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla, beat the mixture until VERY fluffy, almost the consistency of a fluffy buttercream frosting. This should take about 5 minutes.
- When adding the flour mixture you want to mix until just combined. Over-mixing will cause a dense chewy result.
- The cooking time on this cake can vary! Check your cake at 55 minutes, if it isn’t ready, continue cooking until a toothpick comes out clean (this can be up to an additional 20 minutes depending on your oven). The result will be a moist and irresistible banana cake.
Happy Baking!
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups milk
- 2 ½ tablespoons fresh lemon juice divided
- 1 ⅓ cups mashed bananas about 4 medium bananas
- ⅔ cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese
- ⅓ cup butter softened
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice or vanilla extract
- 1 ½ teaspoons lemon zest from 1 lemon, optional
- 3-3 ½ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9 x 13 pan.
- Place 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice in a measuring cup. Top to 1 ½ cups with milk. Set aside.
- Mix together mashed banana with 1 tablespoon lemon juice, set aside.
- Beat together butter, brown and white sugar until combined. Add in eggs one at a time and vanilla. Mix on high until light and fluffy (almost the texture of frosting).
- Combine flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Alternate adding flour mixture and milk to egg mixture stirring just until combined. (Do not overmix). Fold in bananas. Pour into prepared pan.
- Put into the oven and reduce heat to 300°F. Bake 60 – 70 minutes (see note below) or just until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean (do not over bake).
- Remove from oven and place in the freezer for 45 minutes to make the cake extra moist. Cool completely before frosting.
FROSTING
- Cream together butter & cream cheese until fluffy. Add in lemon zest and juice.
- Add powdered sugar a little at a time until you reach desired consistency. Spread over cooled cake.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.
This recipe has been retested and updated 11/20/16.
Very slightly adapted from food.com
I will try this yumm
I have got to make this. I love banana cake. Thanks for linking up at Tell Me About It Tuesday. We hope you hop over and share with us again next week.
Enjoy
We store it in fridge , till it has to be served?
Is the milk supposed to be curdled from setting aside with lemon juice ? It took me about 10 mins to mix everything after settingilk aside and it is curdled. Not a lot but it is.
Thank you!
It is “soured” so it can look a little curdled yes and it should be a bit thick. Just give it a stir and as long as the milk was fresh it will be great.
I’m making this right now and am super excited to have my family try this out!
One quick question though; the frosting calls for 3 tablespoons of milk in the ingredients, but then in the instructions, it says to melt the butter with 2 tablespoons of milk. Am I to add the rest of the milk at some point, or is this just a typo?
It should read 2 tablespoons milk in the ingredients list. :)
The family absolutely loved this recipe, by the way! This is a keeper for sure; thank you so much!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
2 tablespoons of milk should be added on the ingred. list for the frosting? Because I do not see any milk listed in the list
Frosting
• 8 oz cream cheese
• ⅓ cup butter, softened
• 3 – 3.5 cups powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1½ teaspoons lemon zest (form 1 lemon)
Thanks!
The recipe has been updated and the ingredients list you see is correct.
I was going to make this cake tonight, but I usually read the comments first, with the frosting my ingredients says 8 oz. cream cheese -1/3 cup butter -3-31/2 cups powdered sugar – 1 teaspoon lemon juice -11/2 teaspoons lemon zest, you do not mention anything about milk, how much milk do you add.
Thank you the cake looks wonderful
No milk is added, the recipe has been updated for better results. Enjoy!
Do you think these would work as cupcakes?
I haven’t tried it but I do think it would work.
I will let you know how it turns out. My daughter’s first birthday party is this Sunday. I am going to try making them as cupcakes. Wish me luck!! This sounds amazing!!
Just so you know they came out deliciously. We baked them per directions and they were done at 30 minutes. This will be a go to recipe from now on in our house! Thanks for posting such a delicious recipe.
That’s awesome! THank you for coming back and letting us know how they worked out! I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
did you put them in the freezer?
I tried these as cupcakes and they work great. Just needs less baking time.
This sounds wonderful!! I use to make a poke cake with a banana supreme cake mix they no longer sell, poked holes in it, used 1 can condensed milk, layer of slice bananas, and layer of cool whip. Do you think I could do this with this cake? My son would be so hapoy if I could!!! He misses that cake so much! Thank you for the recipe!
I have’t tried it but … WOW! That sounds fantastic. I do think that would work well with this cake. If you do try it I would love if you would let me know how it works out for you! I think my husband would love that cake too!!
Hi Holly, I am sorry to say my idea did not work on this recipe! Probably because the cake is so moist. The condensed milk made it too wet!!! Next time I will follow your frosting recipe for it…
Thank you for letting us know Jodie! I still think your recipe idea sounds fantastic and while it didn’t work with this recipe, I am going to play around with it and find one that it does work with! My hubby will love it!
Maybe over bake the cake and dry it out then try te poke cake , that might work. Worth a shot.
The way you used to make the banana cake with condensed milk sounds similar with the one I make is called tres leches, so just buy a vanilla cake mix fallow the Instructions on box then let it cool off poke holes and add the condense milk and bananas n cool whip or you can also add a can of evaporated milk a can of media crema mix them all together and pour it on the cake and you have a tres leches cake but I whip a small heavy cream n some powder sugar for frosting.
This is THE best banana cake I have ever had or made. It will be in the recipe vault for life. My recipe took much longer to cook. I finally raised the temperature to 325 for the last 10 minutes. Enjoy!!!!
<3 I am so glad it worked out for you!!
Hi julie, do you happen to still have the original recipe? I made it several times perfectly for my family and friends and they devoured it. Unfortunately I didn’t print it out before they decided to change the recipe. I remember the frosting was to die for and my cake was absolutely moist no freezer needed. I’m hoping you can help… thanks!!
Hi Teresa,
This recipe was originally posted in 2013 and the recipe is exactly the same. We have updated the images however the ingredients have not changed.
Originally we didn’t suggest the freezer but found that the cake came out even more moist with the freezer cooling. Hope that helps!
Sorry, what happens if you over bake?
Would like to know, what happen if you over bake?
If you overbake it the cake will be dry.
Delicious Does this need to be refrigerated
Absolutely scrumptious and moist.
Why is mine taking so long .its over 50 minutes and its still soupy?
At 275 degrees
Hmm, the temperature is right and mine took about 50 minutes.
I’m reading 275, but the directions say to bring down help to 300 when placing in oven. Which should I follow?
Bring it down to 300.
In the best banana cake recipe, what flour is used, thank you Joan
I use all purpose flour in this recipe.
Maybe altitude
Hmm. I’m not sure why it took so long but I am really glad it was delicious!!
I have had mine in the oven for an hour now and it is still soup! So upset!
I’m not sure why for most the temperature/time works perfectly but for a couple of you it didn’t bake. :/ I’d recommend turning up the heat slightly and baking until a toothpick comes out clean.
The ones that are having trouble with it not baking at 275 degree, did y’all preheat the oven to 350 and then reduce to 275 when you placed the cake in the oven?
Correction of the measurements would be much appreciated. Am I to use 1 teaspoon lemon juice with bananas, or the remaining 1 TABLESPOON ?
Mix one tablespoon of lemon juice with the bananas. :) Thank you!
I know you don’t have to use lemon in the frosting, but can you get away without it in the cake too?
Yes. You can substitute lemon juice in the cake with white vinegar and mix it with the milk as directed or replace the milk and lemon juice with buttermilk.
I was afraid the lemon in the cake & frosting would overpower the banana flavor, so I used vinegar to sour the milk and made brown butter frosting instead. It was the perfect compliment to the banana cake! I then garnished the top with chopped walnuts. Here’s my brown butter frosting recipe: 1/3 cup melted butter, 3 cups powdered sugar, 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla, 3-4 Tbsp. milk (thin to desired consistency). Delicately brown the fat solids in the butter by slowly heating (boiling) the butter in a saucepan until small tan specks appear in boiling butter. Once they start to turn brown watch it very closely…Do not burn them. Remove from heat. Stir melted butter that has been “browned” into powdered sugar in a mixing bowl. Add vanilla and milk. Beat or whip for a few minutes until it is a good spreading consistency. Spread on the cake right after taking it out of the freezer. Sprinkle chopped walnuts on top for garnish if desired. I love the tan speckles in this frosting!
Taking out of freezer? Or oven?
Hi Janice, once the cake is done baking you want to pop it in the freezer (step 7) for about 45 minutes. Then you would add the frosting :)
I made the banana cake I used truvia instead of white sugar, cake was a little heavy not light and fluffy. Do you think the truvia caused that. Also thought I’d take a short cut and used Canned frosting terrible next time will follow receipe for the frosting.
Hello there, I find Truvia is not that great in baking and it personally opens my appetite which I certainly don’t need. If you want to use canned frosting, use cream cheese frosting x 2 cans, mix with 2 cups icing sugar and a half tsp lemon juice (fresh). Hope this is helpful.
Sorry I was a pain in the rear end on the instructions, I’m not much of a desert maker. Cake turned out great, took it to thanksgiving potluck at my work last night. Thanks for the recipe!
Not at all Heather! :) So glad it worked out for you!
instead of the lemon/milk combo could I use buttermilk? Is that kind of what you are trying to do with the rest of the lemon juice, sour up the milk a bit? I get putting some on the bananas to keep them from browning. Thanks! I’m going to try this tonight. I don’t have any cream cheese but I may just whip up some chocolate frosting instead.
That definitely should work!
Is it all purpose flour. Just wondering because I have recipes that you use baking powder or baking soda with self rising flour. Sounds really good can’t wait to try it. I just didn’t want to mess up on the flour. Thank you so much
This uses all purpose flour! Enjoy!
Your Banana Cake looks so moist and delicious. Thanks so much for sharing your great recipe with Full Plate Thursday and enjoy your Thanksgiving week!
Come Back Soon
Miz Helen
Oh man, I LOVE banana cake and this version looks great (and now I know what to do with the bananas on my counter :)!
That looks so yummy! I found your blog @ Works for me Wednesday. I would love it if you linked up a post at my new linky party:
I just make the cake and it is wonderful. And the icing is to die for. Thanks for the recipe
How was it? Dense cake? Light fluffy moist cake? Banana bread like?
The first time it was dense but o didn’t follow the directions properly. FOLLOW DIRECTIONS PRECISELY!! I’m making another one right now and I’ll post another feedback after following the directions accurately. Wish me luck bc this look so darn yummy.
Are the oven temperatures for normal or fan oven please. And is the flour all pulse or self raising?
Semi-dense, fluffy moist, DELICIOUS! Follow exactly, including beating time. It will not disappoint. Makes a BIG high cake. I used a lasagna pan, as it rises quite a bit.
I have never put a cake right into the freezer when it comes out of the oven. I don’t want to crack my pan. Do you cool it down first??
Thank you for asking :). If I use pyrex I let it cool slightly (20 min) before putting it into the freezer.
Looking forward to trying this, sounds and looks great!