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
CAN I USE CAKE FLOUR
I have never tried this with cake flour, I use all purpose flour in this recipe.
This is the best banana cake recipe I have made! It comes out so moist and the lemon cream cheese frosting makes the cake!. This is my husbands favorite and as soon as he sees bananas starting to turn he is bugging me to make it
Is it safe to go right from oven to freezer with glass cake pan?
Also when I mixed the lemon juice and milk it curdled the milk…is this normal?
Hi Joann, you can let the glass pan rest on the stove top for a few minutes to cool down before placing it in the freezer. Also when combining milk and lemon juice, make sure you are combining them cold to help prevent them from curdling.
Can’t wait to make this
I really like your recipes
Thank you!
Do I adjust anything if I want to make cupcakes with this recipe? I’m making it soon. Thanks.
While I haven’t made this into cupcakes, many readers have. I would suggest to fill your cupcake liners ⅔ full and bake for about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
This is basic banana bread with frosting. And I did not find it “moist” at all.
Sorry to hear that you didn’t enjoy this Mary. This is banana cake, not a bread, and has a very light, moist texture. Did you perhaps add a bit too much flour? That would be one reason why this cake may not be as moist.
Hello –
I am planning on making this for my son’s birthday cake. If I make it tomorrow and put it in the freezer – when should I take it out to frost and then once frosted – does it go back in the freezer or on the fridge? Thanks!
McKenna, we take this cake straight from the oven to the freezer per the recipe instructions. You can cover it, store it in the fridge and try to leave it at room temp at least 30 min before serving. You could frost either before storing it, or just before serving if you prefer. Enjoy and Happy Birthday to your son!
I detest banana bread, and cake is not my thing. I don’t even particularly care for bananas. But somehow this recipe is amazing. It is nothing like banana bread. And it is different from any other cake I have ever tasted. I have made it three times over the past several years and it is always perfect. However, I disagree with those who find it an easy recipe. I would not give it five stars because it creates so many bowls, measuring spoons, measuring cups, and utensils to wash. And a big mess to be cleaned up. I never like making frosting for a cake since that requires everything to be used and the whole procedure repeated. Some may find this unimportant, but I find it tiresome. So be prepared. Still, it is the best cake ever. Not just the best banana cake! By the way, I have not put it in the freezer since I would never have room for it, but it doesn’t seem to matter. Thank you for a very special recipe.
So happy to hear that you like the cake so much Lynnie!
Can this be done in a Bundt pan?
I haven’t tried it in a bundt pan. Other readers have baked it in a bundt pan with success. Let us know if you try it Charlie!
This came out amazing! I took a chance and used spelt flour since I’m in lockdown and had no all purpose flour on hand. I only make cakes like once a year if I’m lucky, so I was very excited with how simple and rewarding the recipe was!
Hi, I want to know if the cake goes in the freezer or fridge, and if you have to cover it.
Thank you so much
Cristina
Cristina, we take this cake straight from the oven to the freezer. For leftovers, I usually cover, store it in the fridge and try to leave it at room temp at least 30 min before serving.
This came out more like a dense bread and not at all like a cake. I was so careful not to over mix as I wanted this to be a light and airy cake.
Disappointed, will not be making again.
I’m sorry it didn’t work out for you, we’ve made it many times and it always comes out moist and delicious. A few things to consider. Did you use over ripe bananas? Did you fluff and spoon the flour when you measured it? As you mention, if you over mixing can also make a denser cake. Did you turn the oven down? Hope that helps!
I made this cake before exactly to the recipe and it came out sooo delicious, the best cake I’ve ever made!! However, I want to make a vegan version.. could I leave out the eggs? Or would that be a disaster? Thank youuuu
I don’t live a vegan lifestyle, so maybe some other readers can help you out Dzastina!
This is delicious!!! Do you think other flavors would be this moist by baking the same temp, freezer etc?
Haven’t tried out the recipe just yet!!! BUUUUT would I be able to substitute the milk for almond milk? Or for something else?
I have only tried the recipe as written, so can’t say for sure. Other readers have commented that they used almond milk with success. Let us know if you try it with almond milk!
It looks great! I want to make it for Easter, can I make it in 2 layer pans?
While I haven’t tried it, I know readers have successfully made this in different pan sizes. I would suggest two 8×8 pans if dividing in half and to start checking the cake around 30 minutes for doneness with a toothpick. They should still go in the freezer out of the oven. Some readers have successfully put this into 2 9″ pans. Let us know how it goes!
I made this cake today as a 2 layer cake. It took me all day as I have to keep going back and forth from ingredient, to mixing instructions, to putting into pans, baking and with a memory that doesn’t remember things for more than a New York minute; It is done.
Glad you got it done Pat!
I made the Best Banana Cake and it was excellent! We all loved it and it was easy to make.
Thank you,
Pat
You’re welcome Pat!
Thank you so much, I made the cake it was delicious. Would definitely make again.
The banana cake was a big hit with everyone raving how good it was.
Holly! This is so phenomenal!! I made jumbo muffins & a small layered birthday cake for a friend. I’ve saved this to my files because it’s so fabulous. I don’t usually follow recipes very closely & I decided to follow this one ( except, I added a couple teaspoons banana extract) because it sounded perfect. Your use of lemon & zest is so delightful & makes for such a freshness flavor & feel. Thanks so much…. I look forward to using this well balanced & executed recipe many times. Thank you thank you thank you! You are a rockstar!
Thank YOU! So happy to hear how much you love this cake! It’s a special recipe to me ❤️
Can you put this directly in the freezer after it’s been in the oven? Won’t the glass have an issue going from extreme temperatures? Thanks!
Thank you for asking :). If I use pyrex, I let it cool slightly (20 min) before putting it into the freezer.