Banana Cake

Total Time
Prep: 25 min. Bake: 30 min. + cooling

Updated on Sep. 24, 2024

Leftover ripe bananas aren't just for banana bread! Try our banana cake recipe covered with cream cheese frosting to make a sheet cake that you'll want to eat right out of the pan.

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Banana bread might be your go-to for leftover, overripe bananas, but banana cake recipes take all the things you love about the loaf version and add cream cheese frosting. Instead of a banana bread recipe that bakes in a loaf pan to produce a treat that’s more dense than sweet, this recipe for banana cake creams shortening and sugar before mixing in any of the other ingredients, creating an airy texture and sweetening the batter. Baked as a sheet cake, a banana cake recipe can become the ultimate homemade cake if you layer it and frost a cake like a pro. Or, keep things simple by smothering it in frosting and serving it up in the pan in which it was baked.

Ingredients for Banana Cake

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  • Shortening: The recipe for banana cake calls for shortening rather than butter for a richer flavor. However, if you prefer, you could use softened, unsalted butter instead.
  • Sugar: Granulated sugar adds sweetness to banana cake recipes. Sugar, after being creamed and aerated with the shortening, also plays a role in the structure of the cake.
  • Eggs: Our recipe for banana cake uses two eggs, but they’re separated to add the yolks and whites at different times. The eggs provide moisture and flavor and play an important role in a fluffy structure as they help the cake rise while baking. If you’re not great at separating eggs, you can use a slotted spoon to help.
  • Bananas: You can’t create banana cake recipes without bananas. Bananas provide the flavor for this cake and play a role in creating the moist crumb. Choose very ripe bananas for the best flavor (the longer they’ve ripened, the more the starches have converted to sugars). Here’s how to quickly ripen bananas if yours are too yellow.
  • Milk: A cup of 2% milk added to the batter provides moisture for the banana cake recipe. If preferred, you could use whole milk.
  • Flour: Regular all-purpose flour is all you need to create the spongy structure for banana cake recipes.
  • Baking soda and baking powder: Baking soda is a leavening agent, which helps make the cake rise while baking. The baking powder works similarly, helping create air bubbles in the batter. The difference between baking soda and baking powder is that the latter contains an acid.
  • Salt: Just a touch of salt in the batter helps balance the sweetness of the ingredients in our cake with banana recipe.
  • Cream cheese: Our recipe for banana cake is paired with a cream cheese frosting. For the best results, be sure to start with softened cream cheese to create a smooth frosting without any unwanted lumps.
  • Butter: Cream the butter with the cream cheese to make the frosting for this cake with banana recipe. Start with softened, unsalted butter for the best results.
  • Confectioners’ sugar: Confectioners’ sugar provides sweetness and plays a key role in the structure of the cream cheese frosting on top of this banana cake.
  • Vanilla extract: A small amount of vanilla extract enhances the flavor of the cream cheese frosting while also balancing the sweetness.

Directions

Step 1: Combine the creamed mixture

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Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, cream the shortening and sugar until light and fluffy, five to seven minutes.

3/4th shot; grey background; A white bowl contains a mixture of cream cheese and sugar, An electric mixer is being used to beat the mixture together, The mixture is a pale yellow color and is starting to become light and fluffy, A single egg yolk is visible in the bowlTaste of Home

Add the egg yolks, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

overhead shot; grey background; A white bowl contains a mixture of mashed bananas and a liquid, likely milk, An electric mixer is being used to beat the mixture together, creating a smooth and creamy consistency; The bananas are partially visible in the mixtureTaste of Home

Add the bananas and milk, and mix just until combined.

Step 2: Add the dry ingredients

Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture just until blended.

Step 3: Beat and add the egg whites

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In another bowl, beat the egg whites until soft peaks form.

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Fold the egg whites into the batter.

Step 4: Bake the cake

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Pour the batter into a greased 13×9-inch baking pan. Bake the cake for 30 to 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool the cake completely on a wire rack.

Step 5: Make the frosting

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In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter until fluffy.

3/4th shot; grey background; A white bowl contains a mixture of powdered sugar, cream cheese, and a small amount of vanilla extract, An electric mixer is being used to beat the ingredients together, creating a creamy and fluffy frosting; The mixture is a pale yellow color, and the electric mixer is partially submerged in the bowlTaste of Home

Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and salt, and beat until smooth.

3/4th shot; grey background; A person is using an offset spatula to spread buttercream frosting onto a baked cake; The cake is in a rectangular baking pan, and the frosting is a creamy white color, The frosting is being spread evenly across the top of the cake; There are a few mounds of frosting on the cake, and some of the frosting is spilling over the edges of the panTaste of Home

Spread the frosting over the cooled cake. Serve the cake with sliced bananas on top, if desired.

Editor’s Tip: If you try to spread frosting over a cake that hasn’t completely cooled, crumbs will catch in the frosting. Let the cake cool, then frost it.

overhead shot, grey background, A delicious-looking banana cake is featured in the image, A rectangular baking sheet holds a whole, frosted banana cake, while two smaller plates each contain a slice of the cake topped with banana slices; The cake has a golden-brown crust and is covered in a creamy white frostingTaste of Home

Recipe Variations

  • Add chocolate chips or nuts: Want to play with the texture and flavor of this cake with banana recipe? Consider mixing mini or regular chocolate chips into the batter, or try it with chopped walnuts or pecans. Mix the add-ins into the batter before baking the cake. Chocolate chips or chopped nuts would also make a pretty garnish on top of the finished cake.
  • Choose another frosting: A tangy cream cheese frosting is a wonderful topping for this cake, but the sky’s the limit if you prefer another flavor pairing. Top this banana cake with a vanilla buttercream frosting, or try it with peanut butter frosting or chocolate frosting.
  • Turn the batter into cupcakes: To make this sheet cake that much easier to serve, go for individual servings. Divide the batter into greased or lined cupcake pans. You’ll end up with 24 cupcakes to feed a crowd, or a few extras to store in the freezer for a later date.

How to Store Banana Cake

This banana cake recipe is topped with cream cheese frosting containing dairy, so the cake should be stored in the refrigerator to keep it cold. It can be kept at room temperature if you choose to top it with a buttercream frosting instead. No matter where you store it, keep it covered or in an airtight container to preserve its texture and flavor.

How long does banana cake last?

Stored in the refrigerator, a cake with banana recipe will last up to five days. To keep the cake even longer, freeze it either whole or cut into individual slices. Store the cake wrapped in a layer of storage wrap and then in a layer of foil, or in an airtight bag, in the freezer for up to two months.

Can you make banana cake ahead of time?

This recipe for banana cake can be made ahead of time to keep on hand for when you need to pull out a dessert. You can either prep just the cake and frost it the day you plan to serve it, or you can prepare the whole frosted cake to store it. Store the baked cake in the refrigerator for up to two days or in the freezer for up to two months. To thaw the cake, transfer it from the freezer to the refrigerator to sit for about four hours until softened.

Banana Cake Tips

3/4th shot, grey background, a delightful slice of banana cake, perfectly frosted with a creamy white icing and topped with fresh banana slices; A fork rests on a green napkinTaste of Home

How do you keep banana cake recipes soft and moist?

The key to a soft, moist, fluffy banana cake is all in how you mix the batter. Once the dry ingredients are added to the creamed mixture, mix until just combined. Overmixing the batter will cause too much gluten to develop, which results in a cake that’s more dense.

Can you use frozen bananas for banana cake?

Just as with other banana desserts, banana cake recipes are a great way to use some of the overripe bananas stored in your freezer. Take the bananas out of the freezer to thaw before mashing them up and using them in the cake batter.

What can you serve with banana cake?

This recipe for banana cake with cream cheese frosting doesn’t need anything else added to make it the perfect dessert. However, use our cake with banana recipe as a blank canvas to add another special touch, such as a drizzle of salted caramel sauce or chocolate sauce, for an elevated pairing. If you don’t want to add anything to the topping, serve it with a post-dinner coffee or hot toddy.

Watch How to Make Banana Cake

Banana Cake

Prep Time 25 min
Cook Time 30 min
Yield 18 servings

Ingredients

  • 2/3 cup shortening
  • 1-1/2 cups sugar
  • 2 large eggs, separated, room temperature
  • 2 cups mashed bananas (about 4 medium)
  • 1 cup 2% milk
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1-1/4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1-1/4 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
  • 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup butter, softened
  • 4 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Dash salt
  • Sliced banana, optional

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add bananas and milk; mix just until combined. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture just until blended.
  2. In another bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold into batter. Pour into a greased 13x9-in. baking pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30-35 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.
  3. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy. Add the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and salt; beat until smooth. Spread over cake. Store in the refrigerator. If desired, serve with sliced bananas.

Nutrition Facts

1 piece: 416 calories, 15g fat (6g saturated fat), 42mg cholesterol, 269mg sodium, 66g carbohydrate (47g sugars, 1g fiber), 4g protein.

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As a mother of three sons, I always have sweets in my kitchen! I buy lots of ripe bananas on sale and freeze them with this cake in mind. I’m often asked to bring it to family picnics and dinners.—Bonnie Krause, Irvona, Pennsylvania
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