If you’re searching for the best banana cake recipe, your search is over. Not banana bread masquerading as cake—this is a soft, buttery, ultra-moist sheet cake loaded with real banana flavor and topped with silky cream cheese frosting.
I originally published this recipe in 2016 and have since added new photos and a few more success tips.
My Go-To, Never-Fail Banana Cake
This is my go-to banana cake when I have a bunch of overripe bananas sitting on the counter—and once you try it, you’ll understand why. It’s unbelievably soft and moist with a rich buttery crumb and plenty of bold banana flavor in every bite. We’re not making banana bread here—this is a true cake, tender and fluffy, topped with a thick layer of tangy cream cheese frosting that takes it over the top.
It’s simple enough for a casual bake, yet special enough for birthdays, gatherings, and holidays. One bite and you’ll understand why this is a reader favorite!
One reader, Paul, commented: “I have been baking for 15 years. I use nothing but the finest ingredients. This banana cake IS by far the best banana cake I have ever made or tasted!!! ★★★★★“
Another reader, Lorena, commented: “Words don’t do justice to what happens to your taste buds as they experience the first bite. The texture is perfectly moist, the flavor is exquisite. Hands down the best banana cake ever. It’s one of those recipes that you want to pass down as family heirlooms. ★★★★★“
Another reader, Jacqui, commented: “The title of this recipe definitely holds true… this is a keeper for sure! ★★★★★“
Another reader, Barb, commented: “My husband tried it and said that this was the best banana cake he’d ever had. I told him that was the name of the recipe! … We’d give it 10 stars if we could. Great recipe, Sally, thank you! ★★★★★“
Remember that time I told you about the best banana cake I’ve ever had? I enjoyed obsessed over it at a family reunion. My husband’s cousin made it and I stalked her down like a dessert creep and proceeded to talk her ear off about cream cheese frosting and spotty bananas for 35 minutes straight.
What? You don’t do that at parties?
It was the moistest cake I’ve ever eaten. Stick-to-the-back of your fork moist. The perfect cream cheese frosting, both sweet and tangy, sinking into the top of the cake made it even moister. Sweet, but not overpowering. Mega banana flavor, certainly more banana flavor than any banana bread I’ve ever eaten. Very buttery and cakey from creaming the butter and sugars. Just a ridiculously rich, decadent dessert.
The banana cake was dense, but not heavy. If that makes any sense? (Coming from the lady who talks about rotting bananas at social gatherings, but stick with me here.) The crumb was very soft, but they were tight crumbs. The cake didn’t fall apart when you took a forkful.
It was, hands down, the best banana cake I’ve ever had. And I haven’t stopped thinking about it since.
Start With Spotty Bananas
The recipe starts with 1 and 1/2 cups (345g) mashed bananas, or about 4 medium or 3 large ripe bananas. Now, make sure those bananas are nice and spotty. More brown spots = sweeter, more banana flavor. It’s what you want for banana bread, chocolate banana bread, and banana muffins, too. Your cake (and everyone who eats it) will thank you.
I simply mash the bananas in my mixer—the same mixer I use to make the rest of the batter. Beat the bananas on high speed for a minute, then transfer to another bowl. No need to wash the mixing bowl before you cream the butter and sugars.
Can I Use Frozen Bananas?
Yes and I do this often. Thaw the frozen bananas at room temperature. Drain off any excess liquid, mash, then use as instructed in the recipe below. See How to Freeze & Thaw Bananas for Baking.
Other Ingredients You Need:
- Flour: All-purpose flour creates the structure of this banana cake.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda: For lift. Be sure they are fresh—expired leaveners will leave you with a dense, stodgy cake.
- Cinnamon & Salt: For flavor.
- Butter: Be sure to start with proper room-temperature butter.
- Sugar: You need both white granulated and brown sugar to sweeten this cake.
- Eggs: To bind everything together and add tenderness and lift.
- Vanilla: Essential for flavor in all banana desserts!
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk is the moist-maker in this cake. The cake wouldn’t be what it is without it! You also need the acid in buttermilk to help the baking soda do its job. If you don’t keep buttermilk on hand or can’t find it at the store, you can make this buttermilk substitute: measure 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar. Pour into a liquid measuring cup. Then add enough whole milk until it reaches 1 and 1/2 cups. Stir, let it sit for 5 minutes, and then it’s ready to be added to your batter.
Here’s the batter. There will be some lumps, and that’s fine!
You can use either a metal or glass 9×13-inch pan. I usually bake this cake in a glass pan, which works really well and bakes it evenly. If using glass, the bake time may be on the slightly longer end.
The Best Frosting for Banana Cake
This is the silkiest and smoothest cream cheese frosting I’ve ever tasted! It’s similar to the cream cheese frosting that we use for carrot cake, but the ratio of cream cheese to butter is different. For this banana cake, we’re using a 2:1 ratio of cream cheese to butter, instead of the carrot cake’s 4:1 ratio. So this makes the frosting a little firmer, silkier, and definitely more buttery!
There’s also a lot of cream cheese frosting. When you begin slathering it onto the cake, you’ll probably go “Sally, this is way too much frosting!” But it’s not. You want a nice thick layer. It’s essential.
If you love the flavor of brown butter, the brown butter cream cheese frosting from my zucchini cake would be fantastic here.
Not a fan of cream cheese frosting or just want to try something different?
More frosting flavors for banana cake:
This banana cake recipe is simple, reliable, and perfect for everything from casual baking days to celebrations, and I have a feeling it’ll earn a permanent spot in your recipe rotation. Just scroll through the many, many reviews below by home bakers who swear by this recipe for the best banana cake!
Other Banana Cake Sizes
- Layer Cake (Pictured Above): You can make this as either a 2-layer or 3-layer cake. For a 2-layer cake, divide the batter between two greased and lined 9-inch round pans and bake at 350°F (177°C) for 26–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. For a 3-layer cake, divide the batter between three pans and bake for 22–26 minutes.
- Cupcakes: I’ve gotten a few questions about turning this cake into cupcakes. For about 2 dozen cupcakes, fill the cupcake liners halfway and bake for about 20–22 minutes. Same oven temperature. Or use this very similar banana cupcakes recipe.
- Bundt Cake: I recommend using my similar recipe for chocolate marble banana Bundt cake instead. (There’s a little extra baking powder for lift, which is helpful when baking in a large Bundt pan.) You can leave out the chocolate swirl in that recipe if you wish, and top with the cream cheese icing from this recipe for hummingbird Bundt cake.
The Best Banana Cake I’ve Ever Had
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Total Time: 5 hours (includes cooling)
- Yield: serves 12
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Soft, buttery, and ultra-moist, this is truly the best banana cake. Made with ripe bananas and topped with tangy cream cheese frosting, it’s a longtime reader favorite.
Ingredients
Banana Cake
- 1 and 1/2 cups (345g) mashed bananas (about 4 medium or 3 large bananas)
- 3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 and 1/2 cups (360ml) buttermilk, at room temperature*
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces (226g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3 cups (360g) confectioners’ sugar, plus an extra 1/4 cup if needed
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and grease a metal or glass 9×13-inch pan.
- Make the cake: Mash the bananas. I usually just use my mixer for this! Set mashed bananas aside.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
- Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and both sugars on medium-high speed until creamed together, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula as needed. Add the eggs and the vanilla. Beat on medium-high speed until combined, then beat in the mashed bananas. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. With the mixer running on low speed, add the dry ingredients in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk and mixing each addition just until incorporated. Do not overmix. The batter will be slightly thick and a few lumps are OK.
- Spread batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 45–50 minutes. Baking times vary, so keep an eye on yours. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If you find the top of the cake is browning too quickly in the oven, loosely cover it with aluminum foil.
- Remove the cake from the oven and set on a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely. After about 45 minutes, I usually transfer it to the refrigerator to speed things up.
- Make the frosting: In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on high speed until smooth and creamy. Add 3 cups confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then increase to high speed and beat for 2 minutes. If you want the frosting a little thicker, add the extra 1/4 cup of confectioners sugar (I usually do). Spread the frosting on the cooled cake.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving. This helps sets the frosting and makes cutting easier.
- Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving, if desired.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Prepare cake through step 6. Cover the cake tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature, make the frosting, frost, and serve. Frosted or unfrosted cake freezes well, up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, bring to room temperature, and then frost if needed and serve.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9×13-inch Pan (Metal Pan or Glass Pan) | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Cooling Rack | Icing Spatula
- Frozen Bananas: You can use frozen bananas here. Thaw the frozen bananas. Drain off any excess liquid, mash, then use as instructed in the recipe. See How to Freeze & Thaw Bananas for Baking.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk is required for this recipe. You can make your own DIY buttermilk substitute if needed. Add 1 Tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a liquid measuring cup. Then add enough room-temperature whole milk to the same measuring cup until it reaches 1 and 1/2 cups (360g/ml). (In a pinch, lower-fat or nondairy milks work for this soured milk, but the cake won’t taste as moist or rich.) Stir it and let sit for 5 minutes. The homemade “buttermilk” will be somewhat curdled and ready to use in the recipe.
- Cupcakes: For about 2 dozen cupcakes, fill the cupcake liners halfway and bake for about 20–22 minutes. Same oven temperature. Or use this very similar banana cupcakes recipe.
- Can I Turn This Into a Banana Bundt Cake? I recommend using my very similar recipe for chocolate marble banana Bundt cake instead. (There’s a little extra baking powder for lift, which is helpful when baking in a large Bundt pan.) You can leave out the chocolate swirl in that recipe if you wish, and top with the cream cheese icing from this recipe for hummingbird Bundt cake.
- Layer Cake: You can make this as either a 2-layer or 3-layer cake. For a 2-layer cake, divide the batter between two greased and lined 9-inch round pans and bake at 350°F (177°C) for 26–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. For a 3-layer cake, divide the batter between three pans and bake for 22–26 minutes. I often like to pair the layer cake with this brown butter cream cheese frosting.
Reader Comments and Reviews
I was getting ready to make this cake and realized that I don’t have all -purpose flour. Can I use self rising and omit the baking powder, baking soda and salt? I have all the other requirements to make the cake.
Hi Barbara, We haven’t tested this recipe with self rising flour. For best results, stick to the recipe. If you test anything, let us know. You’ll have to tweak the added baking powder and/or soda in order for this dense cake to have enough rise (even when using self rising).
Thank you so much for taking the time to answer me.
I only had two bananas so adapted the recipe accordingly. I also added some pecan nuts which needed using up. It gave it a lovely crunch. Some banana cakes can be a bit rubbery not this cake it is so delicious. I don’t think it will last two days so no need to freeze.
Looking forward to making this cake. In prep info, you say to grease baking pan , which I always assume is a metal pan. Your video and photography shows a glass baking dish. Which is your preference. Thank you kindly. I’m new to your site and I’m excited to try many of your recioes.
Hi Jennie, opinions vary but we love baking quarter sheet cakes in a glass pan. We love being able to see when those edges brown. We also find that metal quickly over-bakes/browns the edges.
Hi Sally! It’s so great to find your recipes through the AllRecipes app! This looks and sounds the perfect recipe to try out tonight. I just bought wayyy too many overripe bananas (the produce guy took a shine to me and overfilled one of the $0.99 bags! Very sweet of him but now I’m scrambling to find recipes!)
My question is: can I use greek yogurt in place of the buttermilk? I’ve done that substitution in other baked goodies.
I’m also going to cut the sugars and the butter back as one reviewer suggested.
Hi Kathleen! So glad you found this recipe! Buttermilk is best for this recipe – see recipe notes for making your own DIY version. We don’t recommend cutting back sugar or butter as they both play integral roles in the flavor and structure of this recipe. Hope you love it!
I make a lot of recipes from this site. This cake was delicious as most of Sally’s recipes are! I always cut back the sugar in every recipe as my family doesn’t like things too sweet. I used half the amount of sugar and only 1/2c (1 stick) of butter. I also made a cream cheese frosting without powdered sugar. I just used a few tablespoons of maple syrup and some cinnamon. It was delicious! I’ll definitely be making it again!
I have a question. I have the bananas in the freezer. Can I use them in this recipe? How do I adjust for the extra liquid?
Hi Sara, frozen bananas can make this cake too wet and dense. If you do have to use them, make sure to thaw and absorb as much moisture off the bananas as you can before beginning.
I made this cake this morning for my sister’s birthday; instead of the cream cheese frosting I made a peanut butter frosting. The cake is very moist without being heavy or pasty. Loved by all!! This is now my favorite banana cake to bring to any function. THANKS FOR THIS GREAT RECIPE!!!!
I made this cake yesterday and it was in the oven for 1 hour and 20 minutes and unfortunately I had to bin it as it was still not cooked. My eggs and butter split so I don’t know if this caused the problem but it was very very wet. Any tips. It was such a shame as it looked a lovely recipe.
Hi Lisa, thank you so much for giving this recipe a try! The texture of this cake will definitely be on the denser side. Did you use fresh or frozen bananas? Frozen will sometimes be too wet to use. Also make sure not to over-mix your batter. Mix just until combined to prevent a dense cake. Hope this helps!
I’m going to try and make this in a Bundt pan. Will the frosting work on a Bundt cake? Typically if you use frosting you use more of a glaze and drizzle it over the cake. Thanks!
Hi Ellen, you can certainly use this frosting as is, simply spreading it on top. Or, you could thin it out a bit by using a little less confectioners’ sugar or add a splash of milk until you reach your desired consistency. The cream cheese icing from these cinnamon rolls would also be a delicious option!
i made this and it is yummy!! i am short with banana so i substituted it with half cup applesauce. came out perfect! thank you!
Hi Can you give me a recipe for a 12″ pan , looking to make a 4 layer 12inch cake , appreciate your help with this
Hi Ana! Here is everything you need to know about converting recipes to different Cake Pan Sizes.
Can you help me with an eggless version ? I would really like to know the substitute for eggs
Hi Neha, we haven’t tried this recipe with any egg replacements, but let us know if you give anything a try. If you’re interested, here are all of our egg-free recipes on the site.
I would of liked to make this recipe but I gave up because of all the ads popping up constantly! Then the whole site crashed! I realise you make your living with the ads but too much
Can chopped walnuts be added?
Hi Eileen, Yes you can! Gently stir in about 1 cup nuts (pecans or walnuts) after the wet and dry ingredients are mixed together.
What about mini cupcakes out of this recipe? How long do you bake and am assuming you’d fill mini cups up to 3/4 full? thank you! I’ve made this cake 3 times already and it’s the #1 requested cake with the entire family! THANK YOU THANK YOU.
Hi Marilyn! We would fill 2/3 full, bake about 11-13 minutes. For a smaller batch (this cake recipe would make a TON of mini cupcakes), you can use our banana cupcakes recipe. It would make about 30 mini cupcakes. Let us know how they go!
I love this recipe. Can i substitute the unsalted butter with something else other than applesauce? Like coconut oil or avocado or something along those lines???
Hi Lisa, You could try using solid coconut oil instead, but we fear the texture will be greasy (and, of course, lacking butter flavor).
I’ve knowingly baked this in the wrong sized cake tin (can’t give the exact size because there’s no labels and I doubt I have something to measure it with). It’s been in the oven for 2 hours now but there’s still crumbs when I tested it with a toothpick. Should I keep it in the oven untill there’s no crumbs or should I take it out now and hope for the best? (I also have no tinfoil on the top because I forgot to shop for some, but I’d planned on cutting the top off anyways).
Delicious cake!!!! Eats more like a carrot cake than a fluffy birthday cake – but that’s to be expected from a banana cake. We loved it! (Used a different frosting so my review is for the cake only. Will absolutely make again!!!
I made this cake on a Friday, and the only addition I made to the cake was in adding 1/2 tsp of Penzey’s “baking spice.” Okay, almost forgot that i only had 277 grams of mashed bananas, so made up the difference with unsweetened homemade applesauce to equal 340 grams (1-1/2 cups). I had set the timer for 40 minutes, and normally I check for doneness 5-10 minutes before the suggested bake time, but I got distracted, and when I heard the timer go off, and checked the cake with a cake tester, it was most definitely done, having pulled away from the sides. I let it sit in the pan for 20 minutes, then turned it out to cool on a rack. I was really concerned that I had overbaked the cake, so made a simple syrup of sugar and water, then added 1 tablespoon each of Grand Marnier liqueur and pineapple juice, and brushed it over the cooled cake. I followed the frosting recipe exactly except added 1/8 tsp fiori di sicilia flavoring and about 45 grams of tiny minced candied ginger. It was wonderful. I refrigerated it overnight, and served it the next evening. Everyone raved over it. Thank you, Sally
I want to make a smaller version of this recipe for a 1-year-old cake smash in a 4-inch cake pan. How should I adjust the recipe?
Hi Luz! Here’s everything you need to know about cake pan sizes and conversions. Or, you can use our banana cupcakes recipe instead. It makes the perfect amount for 3, 6 inch layers. So in your case, fill your 4 inch pans 2/3 way full and use the leftover batter for a few cupcakes.
Hi, I am a little confused. Does the cakestay in the pan, or do you remove it prior to frosting? If it stays in the pan, would you freeze it in the pan as well? Thank you!
Hi Toni, we usually leave the cake in the pan to frost it, but if you’re going to freeze the cake, you cake take it out of the pan once it’s cooled and freeze it. You may find out post on how to freeze cakes helpful!
Need advice I live in Mexico at almost 7000 ft what do I need to do to adjust for the high altitude baking? Also powered sugar is unavailable here what do you suggest? Thank you
Bonnie
Hi Bonnie, we wish we could help, but we have no experience baking at high altitude. Some readers have found this chart helpful: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/high-altitude-baking.html Confectioners’ sugar is necessary for the frosting, but you could use Swiss meringue buttercream instead, which uses granulated sugar instead.
Hi I tried …but the cake inside wet after 1 and half hour baking….I tasted it s look like batter taste…
Hi Viik, we’d be happy to help troubleshoot. Did you happen to make any ingredient substitutions or changes to the recipe? This is a heavier cake, but should still bake through. Be sure not to over mix, as it can lead to overly dense, wet cakes. You might find this post on cake baking tips helpful to review as well. Hope these tips help for next time!
this cake looks delicious! i need to make one for 20 people. would you say this would be big enough to feed 20? thanks so much! 🙂
Hi Emmie! This recipe makes one 9×13 cake. We usually serve 12, but you could cut smaller slices.
I made this cake tonight for my quest.I didn’t have enough buttermilk.I had only half a cup so I warm up 1 cup of milk to substitute.It was mouth watering.Just perfect.LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe almost the same as my grandmas banana cake recipe.
I absolutely love this recipe and have used it many times. I am wondering if I can sub cake flour for a lighter texture? Thanks!!
Hi Jane, With the addition of heavy banana, cake flour is too light for this cake recipe. Best to stick with all-purpose flour here.
Delicious cake! I used three very ripe bananas and was careful to not over mix. The only changes I made were to add some Penzeys cake spice in addition to the cinnamon. I used a different cream cheese frosting recipe and topped with chopped walnuts. Great cake!
Just made this and didn’t have ingredients for the cream cheese frosting so I left it off altogether. Even without it, it tastes very good! Especially combined with a cold glass of milk 🙂
Made this recipe for the first time today. It’s perfect. Thanks!
This cake is amazing and everyone loves it!! It’s even hard to mess up if you don’t measure everything perfectly! I have a friend who needs gluten free and I would like to make this cake for her. Do you think this will still come out okay with an alternative flour?
Hi Sarah, we haven’t personally tested it, but many readers have reported success using 1:1 gluten free baking flour (like Bob’s Red Mill brand) in our recipes. If you do give it a try, we’d love to know how it goes!
I want to bake this in 2 8×8 pans and use as a birthday cake. I need to bake it the day before but can leave frosting until 2 hours before the party. Is there anything special I should do. Also can I sub banana essence for vanilla essence?
Hi Taylor! Here is everything you need to know about scaling recipes for different cake pan sizes and conversions. You could substitute half the vanilla for banana if you’d like. Hope the cake is a hit!
Hi sally, I would like to bake this cake but only have 2 bananas. How does this change recipe?.
Hi Ginetta, it will depend on how big your bananas are – if you have close to 1 1/2 cups mashed banana you’ll be good to go! Otherwise the cake may end up dry and less sweet with not enough banana.
You can sub applesauce or crushed pineapple to make up yhe difference!
I made this yesterday and it turned out great! I didn’t have enough banana so I used applesauce to make up about 1/2 cup of bananas. I also didn’t have enough cream cheese for the frosting recipe so I subbed with a simple glaze that had a smaller amount of cream cheese, powdered sugar, butter and vanilla. Very tasty and even better today… oh and I threw in some mini chocolate chips and pecans. Thank you for this easy, delicious recipe!
This looks and sounds amazing! I want to use this recipe for one of the layers on a 6 inch Atomic cake. Can I half all the ingredients?
Hi Net, You can halve this recipe. The bake time will be shorter, though we can’t say exactly how long. Use a toothpick to test for doneness. For the eggs, use 1 egg then crack a 2nd egg, beat it, and use half of the mixture.
Amazing outcome! Family loved it ❤ ♥