Let’s get into the good stuff. I’ve been meaning to bake my favorite banana cake as a banana layer cake for the past year. Turns out, it’s just as moist/perfect/unbelievable as a layer cake too.
Here’s why it’s my favorite banana cake:
- Front-and-center banana flavor.
- Buttery and cakey.
- Cinnamon-spiced.
- Dense without tasting too heavy.
- Soft crumb that holds its shape.
- Easy to make, very basic ingredients.
Just read the reviews—banana cake is phenomenal. Like next-level banana bread!
Baking the banana cake as a layer cake changes the frosting to cake ratio. More layers = more frosting in each bite. That’s certainly something we’re all OK with. Also, aren’t layer cakes a bit more fancy? I don’t know about you, but I always feel more accomplished/fancier serving a layer cake vs a sheet cake.
La-di-da look at my tall masterpiece sort of thing.
But we’re not only changing the shape and presentation of the banana cake today. We’re also serving it up with THE BEST FROSTING TO EVER HIT YOUR LIPS. Dramatic? Who… me?
And the frosting is what I really want to focus on today.
I’m not sure why I waited over 30 years to turn regular cream cheese frosting into brown butter cream cheese frosting? Learn from my mistake and don’t waste any more time. It’s everything you love about cream cheese frosting—tangy and sweet, but not as tooth-decaying sweet as buttercream. Creamy, thick, silky, smooth. Yep, all of the above. But this version has brown butter hiding inside. Those specks of nutty toasty buttery goodness bring cream cheese frosting up about 700 notches on the delicious scale. Do you want to upgrade a great dessert into the mega-watt billionaire of desserts? Add brown butter. I wrote an entire tutorial on how to brown butter so you can learn exactly how it’s done!
Let’s break it down.
- Brown butter on the stove. (above left)
- Refrigerate it until solid. Cream it. (above right)
- Add cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and salt.
Time saving tip: Browning the butter and refrigerating it until solid is a whole extra step, but do this before you even start the cake. By the time the baked cake has cooled, the brown butter is ready to be whipped into frosting.
Have I mentioned how creamy this stuff is? I love it on this zucchini cake, too.
I brought this cake over to our friends and it was like I gave them a block of gold or something. They were impressed by the cake’s flavor and texture, but kept enthusiastically raving about the combination of banana/cinnamon/cream cheese frosting/brown butter.
I promise you’ll understand what all the fuss is about after 1 bite.
Can’t get enough of this frosting? You’ll love it on top of fresh apple cake also!
Print
Banana Cake with Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours, 55 minutes
- Yield: serves 10-12
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
Want to serve the most impressive homemade dessert? This banana cake with brown butter cream cheese frosting is loved by all!
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/2 cups (345g) mashed bananas (about 4 medium or 3 large ripe bananas)
- 3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 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
Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 12 ounces (339g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 4 cups (480g) confectioners’ sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease three 9-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper rounds, then grease the parchment paper. Parchment paper helps the cakes seamlessly release from the pans. (If it’s helpful, see this parchment paper rounds for cakes video & post.)
- **Time-saving tip** Brown the butter in step 8 now, then place into the refrigerator to solidify as instructed below. This will save time when you’re ready to make the frosting.
- Make the cake: Mash the bananas. I usually just use my mixer for this! Set mashed bananas aside.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together. Set aside.
- Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a rubber 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 up the bottom of the bowl as needed. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients in three additions alternating with the buttermilk and mixing each addition just until incorporated. Do not overmix. The batter will be slightly thick. A few lumps is OK.
- Divide batter evenly between 3 pans. Bake for 22-26 minutes. Baking times vary, so keep an eye on yours. The cakes are done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove the cakes from the oven and set on a wire rack. Allow to cool completely in the pan.
- Make the frosting: Slice the butter up into pieces and place in a light-colored skillet. (Light colored helps you determine when the butter begins browning.) Melt the butter over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Once melted, the butter will begin to foam. Keep stirring occasionally. After 5-8 minutes, the butter will begin browning—you’ll notice lightly browned specks begin to form at the bottom of the pan and it will have a nutty aroma. See photo above for a visual. Once browned, remove from heat, and immediately pour into a heat-proof bowl. Refrigerate until solid.
- In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the solid brown butter on high speed until creamed. Add the cream cheese and beat on high speed until combined, smooth, and creamy. Add 4 cups confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then switch 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.
- Assemble and frost: Place 1 cake layer on your cake stand, cake turntable, or serving plate. Evenly cover the top with frosting. Top with 2nd layer and evenly cover the top with frosting. Finish with the third cake layer and spread the remaining frosting all over the top and sides. Garnish with chopped nuts. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before slicing or else the cake may gently fall apart as you cut.
- Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for 5 days.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: Prepare cake through step 7. Wrap the individual baked cake layers tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 days or freeze up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature, make the frosting, frost, and serve. Frosted cake freezes well, up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, bring to room temperature or serve cold.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 9-inch Round Cake Pans | Light-Colored Skillet or Stainless Steel Skillet | Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Cooling Rack | Cake Stand or Cake Turntable | Icing Spatula | Cake Carrier (for storage)
- Buttermilk: If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make a DIY buttermilk substitute. Add 1 Tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to a liquid measuring cup. Then add enough whole milk to the same measuring cup until it reaches 1 and 1/2 cups. (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 around and let sit for 5 minutes. The homemade “buttermilk” will be somewhat curdled and ready to use in the recipe.
- 9×13-inch Cake: Use my Banana Sheet Cake recipe.
- Cupcakes: For about 2 dozen cupcakes, fill the cupcake liners about 3/4 full and bake for about 20-22 minutes. Same oven temperature.
Reader Comments and Reviews
This recipe looks great. Would it be suitable to use it in mini bundt pans?
Thank you
Hi Janet, that should be fine! You could also use our banana cupcakes batter.
This cake is amazing, I have already baked it twice! Do you think the brown butter frosting would go on carrot cake? Thank you!
Yes, that would be delicious, Mary. Enjoy!
This cake with the frosting, oh my gosh! Absolutely delicious. Thank you for sharing
Absolutely amazing cake and the frosting was outstanding! I took this to a BBQ and kids and adults alike raved about it. We added semi sweet chocolate chips and I decided to cut the icing sugar in the frosting by a cup. The flavour from the browned butter was next level. I’d make this cake again in a heartbeat!
Amazing!!!!
I used half spelt and half wholemeal flour. It was awesome!
I baked this last night in 9 inch pans, and the layers are just shy of an inch tall each. Soda was brand new, powder is fairly new, didn’t overmix. I cut a sliver out and it seems okay, but I’m curious if the height I got seems normal?
Hi Caroline, these are thinner cake layers – hope you love it!
Would you not-too-sweet whipped frosting go well on this cake? Will it hold up 3 layers?
Hi Caroline, it should hold up well!
This is absolutely insanely delicious. It’s moist, full of banana flavor, sweet and are you kidding me with that browned butter, cream cheese frosting? Chef’s Kiss. I loved it so much that after I made it as a gender reveal cake for a friend, the NEXT DAY I made it again for my family. I did it in a 9×13 pan for myself and it turned out really great. Love slicing up a giant square piece slathered with that frosting.
It’s perfection! Thank you so much for sharing!
Can I add chocolate to the frosting or would the taste be off with the browned butter?
Hi Pam, we wish we could help, but we haven’t tested a chocolate version, so are unsure what changes would need to be made.
I didn’t have buttermilk, or whole milk…and I wasn’t going out to the store again! I used 226g of 1% cottage cheese blended with skim milk to make the 1.5 cups “buttermilk”. This cake is unbelievable!! One day, I will try it with buttermilk, but it did not disappoint with that minor adjustment.
Thank you, Sally. My coworkers are fighting over it!!
Hi, will an electric hand held beater without a paddle attachment work ok for step 9? Thanks
Hi Juliet! Yes, you can use a hand mixer to make the frosting.
Hi! Can I leave the finished cake in the fridge for 24hrs prior to serving?
Hi Nikki, absolutely. Enjoy!
Hi! Should I bring the brown butter to room temperature after solidifying it in the fridge? I want to make sure there’s no lumps in my frosting!
Hi Kaia, you need room temperature butter to make frosting!
Quick question about the browned butter: After browning (before refrigerating), cover bowl? Or not?
You don’t have to cover it, but you certainly can!
I made the cake tonite & want to frost in the morning . I only have mascarpone cheese on hand , do you think that will that work in this recipe . Mascarpone seems to be softer in texture that regular cream cheese .
Hi Lynda, you can certainly try it, although the frosting may be a bit looser. Let us know how you like it!
Hi Ashley, will this work without a paddle attachment? I can use regular whisk attachment or manual. What do you think is better?
Hi Melody, the whisk attachment should be okay.
hi there! could I use brown butter for the cake as well and follow the same steps In solidifying it in the fridge before using?
Hi Ashley! You can definitely use brown butter here. You’ll need it to come to proper room temperature before using in the cake and frosting.
Thank you! Should I add an extra tablespoon to make up for any lost moisture during cooking to maintain the total 170g of butter used?
Hi Ashley, yes, you definitely could start with an extra Tablespoon if you were using the brown butter in baking, but we don’t notice the loss of moisture as much in a frosting, so it’s not really necessary here. Enjoy!
Hi!
I’m really wanting to make this cake for my birthday coming up on the 25th, but unfortunately I have celiac disease. I was wondering if I could replace the flour with gluten free flour? I’ve only known I’ve had celiac for about a year, so I’m not super experienced in gluten free baking. Last year for my cake, I just used a gluten free boxed cake and wanted to do something better lol.
Thanks so much!
Hi Ariel! We haven’t tested a gluten free version of this cake, but many of our readers report success using 1:1 gluten free flour blends in our cake recipes. Let us know if you try it!
Do you have any suggestions as to the best egg replacement for this recipe?
Hi! I love your cakes! Planning to make this one again but I’m having 20ppl over. Was thinking of adding a 4th layer so slices can be thinner but just as filling. How much should I multiply the quantities by?
Hi Keymi, you could try adding a 1/3 the recipe for a fourth layer, but that may start to get a bit heavy for this denser cake. You may want to use cake dowels to support it, or you might try this banana sheet cake instead!
I only need about a 2 layers 6 inch for a small cake. Would you half this recipe for that?
Thank you!
Hi Shaye! Here is everything you need to know about converting recipes to different Cake Pan Sizes. Or, you can use our banana cupcakes recipe to make a three layer 6 inch cake (or a two layer cake with a few extra cupcakes).
Hello, excited to try to make this cake tomorrow! am I correct that if using 3x 6 inch round cake pans I would half the measurements? I’ve checked your cake pan sizes link. Just wanting to confirm
Hi Imogen, we’d recommend using our similar banana cupcakes batter instead. It will yield the perfect amount for a 3 layer, 6 inch cake. Enjoy!
Hi there, I’m planning on making this in one deeper springboard 9 inch circle pan ans then cutting the cake in half and using any spare mixture for cupcakes. How would you recommend adjusting the cake baking time?
Hi Hayley! We don’t recommend baking all the batter in one deep cake pan. It won’t bake through properly. We would stick with the three layers!
Can I use three 8” pans instead of 9”?
Hi Emily, You can use three 8 inch pans for this cake (your layers will be a bit thicker and take a bit longer to bake)
Perfection…Every recipe I have made has been perfect the first time, every time…my go to site for amazing recipes!
Hi Sally,
I made the cake and frosting and it’s delicious. But I have a question about the frosting. It’s gummy. I used full fat cream cheese. My cake looks very similar to yours except my frosting is not creamy and soft-looking like yours. I know that I did something wrong, but not sure what it is.
Hi Nancy, we’re happy to help troubleshoot. What brand of powdered sugar were you using? Did it seem especially clumpy? If you were using full-fat brick cream cheese, it sounds like the issue may have been the powdered sugar. For next time, you can try sifting the powdered sugar before using in the frosting. You can also add a splash of heavy cream or milk to help smooth it out. We’re glad you still enjoyed the cake!
I used two brands of powdered sugar because I had run out of one of them. I used a store brand and Pioneer. Yes, the sugar did seem heavy when I scooped it and there were clumps. I will definitely try sifting it next time and see if that’s the problem. I tried to troubleshoot this myself on the internet and one site suggested that it could also be from over-mixing. Could that have contributed to the consistency and how much is too much? Thank you for helping me figure this out and responding so quickly.
I just made your banana cake and it is heavenly. Earlier today I made your chocolate cake (the one with espresso powder. They turned out great. They’re going to be a four layer chocolate banana cake for my partner’s birthday. Since the banana recipe yielded 3 cakes and I only need two, we had a sneak preview of the banana cake. Beautiful texture and flavour. Thank you for these fine recipes!
Hi, I was wondering if I could substitute the sugar for either honey or maple syrup? Do you think that would affect the consistency of the cake batter? Thanks in advance!
Hi Kreed, we haven’t tried honey or syrup in place of the sugar here — that would require some additional testing before we could guarantee results, as the swap would change the taste, texture, and structure of the cake. If you’re looking for a healthier alternative, how about our whole wheat banana bread? You could top that loaf with this frosting if you wish. Hope the cake is a hit!
Hi! I love all your recipes and am trying this one this weekend. Instead of buttermilk, can I use kefir or sour cream? Would the measurements be the same!
Hi Jennifer, You can try it, but the texture may be dense in this already heavy cake. Let us know how it turns out if you do try this!
I want to use this Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting for a 9 x 13 cake. Will it be too much frosting – should I halve the recipe?
Hi Leslie, you can use the brown butter cream cheese frosting from this cake. Enjoy!
I love the frosting, been doing it multiple since I found it. Now, is it possible to color it?
Definitely! We recommend gel food coloring.
Can I add mini chocolate chips to this??
Hi Hannah, definitely. You can gently fold in 1 – 1.5 cups of chocolate chips.