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
Absolutely delicious and moist!
Cake was made and was delicious even without the frosting the frosting I had to put in 2 tablespoons of milk but it was delicious very good recipe
Hi Sally,
I’m from Suriname, a small country in South America and I love to bake. I have tried making banana cake twice already, tried two different recipes, but they didn’t turn out as cakey as your recipe. Yours is really the best banana cake I have ever had!! Even my mother-in-law who is a vegetarian loves it and my 2 year old daughter….thank you!!!
Yes!! During baking, my husband said three times, “geez, that cake smells good.” I made sure the toothpick was clean when testing. Cake has been cooling for 30 minutes, no sinking in the middle. Huge thank you for making me a better baker.
Too sweet so I will cut the brown sugar by half next time. I think 3/4 of the cream cheese next time for the frosting. Deliciously moist though. Will make it again.
This recipe is a keeper! My husband loves all things banana. I can officially say this recipe will be used time and time again.
Can this be baked in 8 or 9″ layer pans? Will it still be as moist? I would use cream cheese frosting as you would normally ice a layer cake. Thanks for the recipe
Sure can! Here is the recipe as a 3 layer banana cake.
Can you use frozen bananas in this recipe? I have some just waiting to be used!
Hi Amanda! Fresh (ripe) is best, but you can use thawed frozen bananas. I would drain them if there’s a lot of liquid.
I just made it and it smells heavenly in my house right now!!
I just finished cooling my banana cake on the plate and it was so good! Moist and smelled so good! I used 6 smaller sized bananas and it came out still as good! Thank you for the recipe!
Hi Sally. I saw a recipe for a banana bread cheesecake online and though it looked good, several of the comments by those who made it made me concerned on how it might turn out. I was wondering if a combination of your banana cake atop your no bake cheesecake scaled to a 9″ springform pan might be an ideal pairing. Any ideas?
Hi Eric! I’m nervous about the outcome of that. The baked banana cake would weigh down the no-bake cheesecake filling. You could maybe try scaling down this recipe and have it be the base for a portion of the no bake cheesecake filling, but this isn’t something I’ve tested. Let me know if you do!
Perfect! Something to try is chopped pecans in the icing. Really good.
Thanks
Just made this and was so happy with the result. I think the cream cheese was a little too sweet and prefer just humble banana cake alone. Subscribed to your blog thereafter! Can’t wait to try more recipes from you. Thank You!
I desperately wanted to bake a banana cake so I tried this recipe because of the high ratings. Imagine my horror when I discovered (after pulling a perfect cake out of the oven), a bowl of mashed bananas that I had set aside and had somehow forgotten to add to the cake mixture! The cake tasted delicious nevertheless and after my mother, who was a witness to this disaster, had stopped laughing at me, we enjoyed the cake with a hot cup of tea. I will try recipe again (with bananas this time) but will certainly try the “banana-no-banana” cake again. I don’t normally bother to rate recipes but this one deserves 5 stars.
Thank you for the amazing recipe Sally. Turned out well, however I had an issue with the cake being fluffier on top but dense on bottom. Could I have over-mixed?
Overmixing could be the culprit as it over develops the gluten and you cake doesn’t rise properly. Always check that all of your ingredients are at room temperature and that you are measuring correctly also 🙂
Do I double the recipe if I’m using a 1/2 sheet cake pan (13X18X2)?
Hi Phyllis! This batter will fit into a 1/2 sheet pan. The cake will be thinner and require a shorter baking time, of course.
Awesomely tasty, moist, delicious. Really the best banana cake that I’ve ever baked and served.
Just made this cake, it’s a keeper, was moist and had a good banana flavor, will certainly be making this again
Hi Sally,
The banana cake turned out so delicious..the texture was super soft and moist..this is the first time im trying a cake..you inspire me to try baking new dishes..Thank you so much..
I made this cake for my son’s first birthday. He loved it! Thank you for this great recipe.
You can, yes, but I find it’s not quite as moist when baked in the Bundt shape. Use a 10-12 cup Bundt pan and bake for 50-60 minutes, give or take. Use a toothpick to determine doneness.
I always read the comment section before trying a new recipe. It was just like the comments, my first ever banana cake and its delicious, the kids have already eaten half of it. Its a keeper in a recipe book. Thank you
I love that this is not sweet and its light but dense at the same time perfect as a cake. The icing as any recipe Ive tried is not stable for a hot weather and find it sweet for my liking thus the4 stars but everything else is great. This is going to be my go to banana cake recipe without the frosting. Thanks
Finally! I have tried so many banana cake recipes that tasted more like bread than cake that I was ready to give up . This recipe was my last try and I’m so glad I made it. It was moist and it was cake! Everyone loved it.
It’s true, this is the best banana cake I’ve ever had! I followed the recipe exactly, right down to the extra 1/4 cup of icing sugar in the cream cheese icing. My husband had 4 pieces, and he usually hates anything with banana in it.
This is a winner!
I made this for my family and it went over very well! For a banana cake it was actually very rich and satisfying. I was serving the cake out of the pan so I halved the frosting recipe and it was plenty for the top of the cake. I will definitely be making this again!
I made this exactly as written and it turned out fantastic! Just a described!
Thanks!
Simply sensational. Easy to make, wonderful texture and Gorgeous taste. Our new fav recipe. Thank you very much
This cake is so moreish, light and moist, got to be the best ever. I made it for my ladies group yesterday, and they all had two pieces, that speaks for itself. Thank you for such a wonderful recipe.
Moist and delicious! Definitely a hit!