Banana Bread Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

This Banana Bread Cake is truly a dessert that hugs your soul. It takes everything you adore about a warm, cozy loaf of banana bread—the moist crumb, the sweet banana flavor, the comforting spices—and turns it into a decadent, irresistible layer of cake, crowned with the most luscious, tangy Cream Cheese Frosting. This recipe is the perfect blend of comfort food and celebration dessert, making it the star of any brunch, gathering, or simple Tuesday night craving. It’s ultra-moist, perfectly sweet, and honestly, the frosting is the buttery, creamy cherry on top. Trust me, you are going to want to devour this.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Ultimate Comfort Meets Celebration: This isn’t your grandma’s dry banana bread! It’s an incredibly moist, soft cake that feels fancy thanks to that irresistible cream cheese frosting.
• A Life-Changing Frosting: The cream cheese frosting is perfectly balanced—a little tangy, a little sweet, and unbelievably creamy. It cuts through the richness of the cake beautifully.
• Perfect for Ripe Bananas: If you have those sad, spotty bananas sitting on your counter, this recipe is their destiny! The riper they are, the more intense and naturally sweet the banana flavor will be.
• Simple to Make: We’re keeping things easy! Baked in a single 9×13 pan, this recipe is straightforward and great for bakers of all skill levels.

Ingredients

All you need for this dream of a cake is about an hour and a well-stocked pantry! But first, let’s gather up these essential ingredients.

For the Cake

• Ripe Bananas, Mashed: The star of the show! Make sure they have plenty of brown spots—this is where the natural sweetness and intense banana flavor come from.
• All-Purpose Flour: Provides the structure for the cake. Remember to scoop and level it, so you don’t end up with a dense cake!
• Baking Soda & Baking Powder: These are our lifters! They work together with the acids in the batter to make the cake light and fluffy.
• Salt: Essential for balancing the sweetness and waking up all the other flavors. Don’t skip it!
• Cinnamon: A warm, cozy spice that is the perfect partner to banana.
• Unsalted Butter, Softened: Adds incredible richness and helps achieve that light and fluffy texture when creamed with the sugars.
• Granulated Sugar & Brown Sugar: The combination of both is key! The brown sugar adds a lovely caramel-like moisture and depth of flavor.
• Large Eggs: Binds all the ingredients together and adds structure.
• Vanilla Extract: A secret weapon in almost every baking recipe, boosting all the other sweet flavors.
• Sour Cream: This is the magic ingredient that guarantees an ultra-moist crumb and a slight tanginess. Yogurt works well as a substitute, too!

For the Frosting

• Cream Cheese, Softened: Make sure it’s fully softened (room temperature is best!) for a perfectly smooth, lump-free frosting.
• Unsalted Butter, Softened: Paired with the cream cheese, this gives the frosting its luxurious, spreadable texture.
• Powdered Sugar (Confectioners’ Sugar): Gives the frosting its sweetness and structure. Sifting is highly recommended for a truly silky finish!
• Vanilla Extract: Enhances the buttery, creamy flavor of the frosting.
• Heavy Cream: Only add this a tiny bit at a time if you need to adjust the consistency to make it easier to spread.
• Chopped Walnuts (Optional): Perfect for a little textural crunch and a gorgeous garnish.

Note: The ingredients with precise measurements will be listed right under the article in the recipe card!

How to Make the Banana Bread Cake

Step 1: Prep Your Oven and Pan

Preheat your oven to 350∘F (175∘C). Take a moment to grease and line a 9×13-inch baking dish with parchment paper. This will be your best friend when it comes to lifting the cake out cleanly!

Step 2: Whisk the Dry Ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together your flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Giving it a good whisk ensures those leavening agents and spices are evenly distributed. Set this aside.

Step 3: Cream the Butter and Sugars

In a large mixing bowl (the bowl of a stand mixer works wonders here!), beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. This step is crucial for incorporating air!

Step 4: Add the Wet Ingredients

Beat in the eggs one at a time, making sure each one is incorporated before adding the next. Then, stir in the vanilla extract and those wonderfully mashed bananas.

Step 5: Finish the Batter

Mix in the sour cream until the batter is smooth. Next, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Stop mixing as soon as the last streaks of flour disappear! Overmixing will lead to a tough cake, and we want it super moist.

Step 6: Bake the Cake

Pour the beautiful batter into your prepared pan and spread it out evenly. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack—you absolutely cannot rush this!

Step 7: Make the Cream Cheese Frosting

While the cake cools, make the frosting. Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together until it’s perfectly smooth and creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, then the vanilla extract. If it seems too thick, drizzle in the heavy cream a teaspoon at a time until you reach your ideal, velvety spreading consistency.

Step 8: Frost and Garnish

Once the cake is completely cool (seriously, wait!), spread the frosting generously over the top. Garnish with those optional chopped walnuts for a professional, crunchy finish. Slice and enjoy!

Pro Tips for Making the Recipe

• Don’t Toss Those Bananas: The best banana flavor comes from bananas that are deeply spotted or even brown. You can also freeze ripe bananas for later use—just thaw them and drain any excess liquid before using!
• The Softening Secret: Ensure both your butter and cream cheese are truly softened (room temperature). If they are cold, your frosting will be lumpy, and your cake batter won’t cream properly.
• The Toothpick Test: If the toothpick comes out clean, you’re golden. If it has wet batter clinging to it, keep baking! If it has moist crumbs, it’s done—don’t overbake!
• Chill the Cake for Clean Slices: For beautiful, neat squares (especially with that thick frosting!), pop the frosted cake into the fridge for about 30 minutes before slicing.

How to Serve

This cake is delightful on its own, but here are a few ways you can elevate the experience:

• Simple Garnish: A dusting of cinnamon, a sprinkle of chopped pecans or walnuts, or a few slices of fresh banana on top of the frosting.
• A la Mode: Warm up a slice for a few seconds and serve it with a big scoop of vanilla bean ice cream.
• Coffee Companion: This cake is the perfect pairing for a strong cup of coffee or a creamy chai latte.
• Drizzle: Drizzle with a little homemade caramel sauce just before serving for an extra layer of decadence.

Make Ahead and Storage

Storing Leftovers

Because of the cream cheese frosting, this cake should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days.

Freezing

The unfrosted banana bread cake can be frozen! Wrap the cooled cake tightly in plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil, and place it in a freezer bag. It will keep for up to 3 months. Thaw it overnight in the refrigerator before frosting and serving.

Reheating

If you prefer a warm slice of the cake, you can heat an unfrosted piece in the microwave for 15-20 seconds. However, the frosted cake is best enjoyed at room temperature or chilled.

FAQs

1. Why did my cake come out dense instead of light and fluffy?

A dense cake is usually the result of overmixing the batter after adding the flour. When you mix too much, you develop the gluten, which makes the cake structure tough and heavy. Be sure to mix your wet and dry ingredients only until the flour is just incorporated! Also, check that your leavening agents (baking soda/powder) are not expired.

2. Can I use frozen bananas for this recipe?

Absolutely! Frozen, thawed bananas are perfect because they release a lot of moisture and flavor. Be sure to thaw them completely and drain off any excess liquid before mashing and adding them to your batter. If you don’t drain them, the extra water can throw off the cake’s chemistry.

3. How can I make this recipe into a layer cake instead of a sheet cake?

To make this a layer cake, divide the batter evenly between two 8-inch round cake pans or three 6-inch pans. The baking time will vary, but start checking for doneness around 25 minutes. You may also want to consider doubling the frosting recipe to ensure you have enough for filling and covering a layer cake.

4. Can I reduce the amount of sugar in the cake?

You can slightly reduce the sugar in the cake, but be careful not to cut too much, as sugar provides necessary moisture and browning, not just sweetness. If your bananas are extremely ripe (and therefore very sweet), you can try reducing the total sugar (granulated and brown) by about 1/4 cup without drastically changing the texture. I wouldn’t recommend reducing the sugar in the frosting, as it’s necessary for structure.