Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- By Amy Dong
- Updated Mar. 24, 2025
This Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is ultra-moist, soft, and perfectly fluffy. With a tender crumb and bold banana flavor, it’s topped with the ultimate whipped cream cheese frosting!
In This Article
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Video: watch us make this Recipe
Why This Recipe Stands Out
This banana cake is as tender and moist as they come. It is soft, fluffy, and tender. The bananas truly shine in this cake, with a big banana flavor in every happy bite. You’ll love that it’s:
- Quick and Easy: We use simple ingredients, straightforward steps, and a no-fuss process to make this cake a breeze to whip up, just like this Easy Raspberry Cake.
- Ultra Moist and Tender: Soft, fluffy, and just a little dense – every bite of this banana cake is packed with rich banana flavor and reminds us of our 5-Ingredient Banana Pudding Cake.
- Dreamy Whipped Frosting: This banana cake is light, fluffy, and perfectly balanced – it’s not too sweet, not too thick, just a pillowy-soft topping that melts in your mouth.
- Stays Moist for Days: You can easily make this cake ahead of time! It stays fresh and tender for days in an airtight container, a lot like our Fresh Orange Bundt Cake.
Key Recipe Ingredients
- Ripe Bananas – Very ripe bananas are the star of our cake. They add a natural sweetness and moistness that is essential for a delicious banana cake. The bananas are mashed and mixed with lemon juice to prevent them from browning.
- Butter – We use unsalted butter in this recipe to have more control over the overall saltiness of the cake.
- Eggs – Large eggs are perfect for this recipe. Make sure they are at room temperature for the best results.
- Cream Cheese – Regular cream cheese is used for the frosting, it needs to be softened before using it.
Substitutions And Variations
Here are some of our favorite variations and substitutions:
- Butter: You can use melted coconut oil or a neutral-flavored oil like vegetable or canola oil instead of butter. The cake may be slightly denser.
- Sugar: Swap granulated sugar with light brown sugar for extra moisture and a hint of caramel flavor.
- Add Mix-Ins: Want extra texture? Fold in chopped walnuts, pecans, or mini chocolate chips before baking.
- Flour: You can replace all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend if needed to make these gluten-free. Or try our Gluten Free Banana Bread.
Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9×13 pan. Mash bananas and set aside.
- Mix milk and lemon juice and allow it to sit.
- Combine dry ingredients by whisking flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
- Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla.
- Alternately add the dry ingredients and milk mixture, mixing just to combine. Stir in mashed bananas.
- Pour batter into pan and bake for 50-55 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs. Cool completely.
- Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla until smooth. Separately, whip heavy cream to stiff peaks, then fold into the cream cheese mixture. Keep chilled until ready to frost.
- Frost the cake and top it off with some garnishes such as sprinkles, nuts, or chocolate chips before serving.
For full list of ingredients and instructions, see recipe card below.
How To Prep Ahead
Take a look at our best prep-ahead tips for this recipe:
- Ripen Bananas Quickly: If your bananas aren’t ripe enough, place them in a 300°F oven for 15-20 minutes until the skins turn black. Let them cool before mashing.
- Make Frosting Ahead of Time: The frosting can be made up to 2 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. Before using, let it sit at room temp for about 20 minutes and re-whip if necessary.
- Freeze the Cake: For longer storage, freeze the cake (without frosting) for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before frosting and serving your banana cake.
Commonly Asked Questions
Can I use a different pan size?
Yes, you can! You can bake this banana cake for 25 – 30 minutes in two 9-inch round pans for a layered cake or in a bundt pan for 55-65 minutes.. Make sure to keep an eye on your cake to avoid overbaking it.
Can I make this cake without frosting?
Absolutely! It’s delicious on its own or with a dusting of powdered sugar. You can also top it with a light glaze instead.
Can I use a hand mixer instead of a stand mixer?
Yes, you can use a hand mixer instead of a stand mixer. While a stand mixer is more convenient, a hand mixer will also do the job. Just make sure to blend the ingredients until they are light and fluffy.
How long does banana cake with cream cheese frosting keep?
This banana cake with cream cheese frosting can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Make sure to cover it with plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container.
Did you make this?
Please give us a rating and comment below. We love hearing from you!
Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
This delicious Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is super moist, tender, and can be served for dessert or brunch. The whipped cream cheese frosting is fluffy, creamy, and light.
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 4 medium bananas, very ripe
- 4 tsp lemon juice
- 1 ½ cups whole milk
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp table salt
- ¾ cup butter, softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temp
- 1 TB pure vanilla extract
For the Frosting
- 8 oz regular cream cheese, softened
- 1 to 1 ½ cups powdered sugar, see notes
- ⅛ tsp table salt
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cup heavy whipping cream
- sprinkles, nuts, or chocolate chips for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F, with rack on lower middle or middle rack.
- Generously grease and lightly flour a 9×13 glass pan (if you use metal, please adjust for less baking time.)
- In a small bowl, mash bananas well, and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, combine whole milk with lemon juice. Let sit at room temp.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisk well, and set aside.
- In the large bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, combine butter and sugar, and blend on medium until light and fluffy; approx 2-3 min. Add the eggs and vanilla. Beat just to combine.
- Add in half of the flour mixture, blending on on medium-low just to combine. Add in half the milk mixture, blending just to combine. Repeat with remaining flour mixture and milk mixture.
- Gently stir in the mashed bananas by hand, just until batter is fully incorporated. Do not overmix.
- Using rubber spatula, scrape down bowl sides and scrape batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven 50-55 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out with a few tender crumbs attached. Let cake cool completely in pan on wire rack.
- To make the frosting start by beat softened cream cheese with powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- In a cold metal bowl, beat cold heavy whipping cream until it maintains stiff peaks. Gently fold the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture, until fully combined. Keep chilled until ready to frost cooled cake.
- Once the cake is cooled, add a layer on chilled cream cheese frosting on top. Garnish with sprinkles, nuts, or chocolate chips before serving.
Notes
- Amount of powdered sugar is up to you. I use 1 cup, as I like my frosting a bit less sweet.
- Make sure your bananas are very ripe for the best flavor and sweetness. The riper the bananas, the easier they are to mash and the more flavor they will add to your cake.
- Adding lemon juice to the milk may seem unusual, but it helps to mimic the tangy flavor of buttermilk, which is a classic ingredient in banana cakes. This also helps to keep the cake moist.
- When combining dry ingredients, make sure to whisk them well. This helps to distribute the leavening agents (like baking soda) evenly, which is important for a consistent rise in your cake.
- Gently fold in the mashed bananas at the end. This will help to keep your cake tender and moist.
- Serve this cake with a scoop of Vanilla Bean Ice Cream or a dollop of Stabilized Whipped Cream for an extra special treat.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 342kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 77mg | Sodium: 238mg | Potassium: 158mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 708IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 65mg | Iron: 1mg
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