Easy Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

by: Katerina Petrovskapublished: Feb 10, 2021

Easy Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is a soft, fluffy and incredibly moist cake topped with the best ever cream cheese frosting. It is the most delicious way to enjoy your ripe bananas.

My Favorite Frosted Banana Cake

You know those bananas that have been sitting on your counter forever? Well, it’s time to use them up in this Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting! It’s moist, nutty, sweet, and just the thing to enjoy with a mug of coffee or tea.

One of the reasons I love this fluffy banana cake so much is that it’s perfect for any occasion. You can grab a small slice for a casual snack, but it’s also a treat that you could make to celebrate a birthday! Personally, I recommend doing both because I can’t get enough of this sweet cake with silky frosting. 🙂

Sidenote: If you need something way lighter, but still made with bananas, go get the recipe for my Homemade Baked Banana Chips.

What is the Difference Between Banana Bread and Banana Cake?

Banana bread and banana cake may sound like the same thing, but they’re pretty different. Banana bread is firmer than most cakes are, and denser in texture, while banana cake is lighter and spongier. If you want to know which is better, I really couldn’t tell you – I love them both! (Especially this Blueberry Banana Bread.)

Recipe Ingredients

The ingredients for this cake are all pretty basic. If you’ve already got the bananas, I bet you have everything else you need as well, already in your pantry!

For the Cake

• Butter: Let it come to room temperature and soften.
• Sugar: White sugar is best for this recipe, but substitutes like honey or maple syrup can be used in a pinch. 
• Baking Powder and Baking Soda: The acidity of the sour cream will balance out the bases in these two ingredients. 
• Salt: If using Kosher salt, use a little more because the granules are bigger.
• Egg: Let this come to room temperature.
• Bananas: You’ll need 1 cup mashed, ripened bananas (about 2 to 3).
• Sour Cream: Buttermilk can also function as an acidic ingredient in banana cake. 
• Vanilla Extract: For extra sweet flavor! 
• Flour: I used 2 cups all-purpose flour.
• Nuts: Use 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts.

For the Frosting

• Cream Cheese: You’ll need 1 package (8-ounces) cream cheese, softened (I use 1/3 Less Fat Cream Cheese).
• Butter: Also softened.
• Pure Vanilla Extract
• Powdered Sugar: I used about 5 cups.

How to Make Banana Cake from Scratch

This banana cake with cream cheese frosting is a breeze to mix together. The prep work won’t take you more than 30 minutes, and then all you have to do is wait (im)patiently for the cake to be done!

I highly recommend getting little ones to help you out on this one – it makes the process more fun!

• Prepare: Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 9×13 glass baking dish with cooking spray; set aside.
• Cream the Butter: In a large mixing bowl beat butter on high until creamy; about 30 seconds.
• Mix in Sugar: Add sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; beat until combined.

• Combine with Wet Ingredients: Add egg, mashed bananas, sour cream and vanilla; beat until incorporated.

• Add Flour & Pecans: Mix in the flour; continue to mix until combined. Stir in pecans.

• Pour Batter into the Baking Dish: Transfer batter to previously prepared baking dish and, using an offset spatula, spread batter evenly.
• Bake the Cake: Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting

Once you’ve got the cake baking in the oven, you can get started on the frosting. You’re almost done, by the way, just 4 ingredients and 4 easy steps to go!

• Mix Cream Cheese, Butter & Vanilla: In your mixer’s bowl, combine cream cheese, butter and vanilla; mix until fluffy and completely combined.

• Add Powdered Sugar: Slowly add powdered sugar, about 1/3-cup at a time; continue to mix until smooth and thoroughly incorporated.
• Let Cake Cool: Remove cake from oven and let cool on a wire rack.
• Frost and Enjoy: Frost with previously prepared Cream Cheese Frosting. Cut and serve.

Tips for Success 

Not too bad, eh? There’s nothing better than a good slice of cake.

Anyway, here are some tips to help you get the best results with your banana cake:

• Let Ingredients Come to Room Temp: When the butter, cream cheese and egg are at room temperature it makes the mixing process a whole lot easier. The texture of the cake will turn out better this way, too.
• Don’t Over-Mix the Cake: Just make sure that all of the ingredients are combined. The cake could turn out dense or tough if you mix the batter too much.
• Watch the Baking Time: The cooking time for this cake can be different depending on what your oven is like. Adjust the time accordingly – you don’t want a burnt cake on your hands! Keep an eye on the cake starting at around 32 minutes. When checking to see if the cake is done, use a toothpick – if it comes out clean, take the cake out.

How to Store Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

• I like to store this banana cake in an airtight container for 2-3 days in the fridge. You can also keep it on a plate with a couple layers of plastic wrap if that works better.

Can I Freeze Extra Cake?

• Definitely. Keep any extra cake in an airtight container and freeze for 2 to 3 months. Remember to let the cake thaw overnight in the fridge before you enjoy it again.

ENJOY!

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5 from 1 vote

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Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

23 23 23

WW Freestyle: 23

Prep Time30 mins

Cook Time40 mins

Total Time1 hr 10 mins

Decadent, easy to make Banana Cake topped with a silky Cream Cheese Frosting.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 16

Calories: 428

Author: Katerina | Diethood

Ingredients

CAKE

• ▢ 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
• ▢ 1-1/3 cups sugar
• ▢ 1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 1/4 teaspoon salt
• ▢ 1 egg
• ▢ 1 cup mashed ripened bananas, about 2 to 3 bananas
• ▢ 1/2 cup sour cream
• ▢ 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ▢ 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ▢ 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

• ▢ 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened (I use 1/3 Less Fat Cream Cheese)
• ▢ 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
• ▢ 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• ▢ 5 cups powdered sugar

Instructions 

CAKE

• Preheat oven to 350˚F.
• Lightly grease a 9x13 glass baking dish with cooking spray; set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl beat butter on high until creamy; about 30 seconds.
• Add sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; beat until combined.
• Add egg, mashed bananas, sour cream and vanilla; beat until incorporated.
• Mix in the flour; continue to mix until combined.
• Stir in pecans.
• Transfer batter to previously prepared baking dish and, using an offset spatula, spread batter evenly.
• Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

In the meantime, prepare the Cream Cheese Frosting.

• In your mixer's bowl, combine cream cheese, butter and vanilla; mix until fluffy and completely combined.
• Slowly add powdered sugar, about 1/3-cup at a time; continue to mix until smooth and thoroughly incorporated.
• Remove cake from oven and let cool on a wire rack.
• Frost cooled cake with previously prepared Cream Cheese Frosting.
• Cut and Serve.

Notes

Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book, Sixteenth Edition (Better Homes and Gardens Plaid) 

 

• WW POINTS: Without the Frosting, the Cake is 11 POINTS.

Nutrition Facts

Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Amount Per Serving (1 slice)

Calories 428 Calories from Fat 207

% Daily Value*

Fat 23g35%

Saturated Fat 11g55%

Trans Fat 1g

Cholesterol 60mg20%

Sodium 129mg5%

Potassium 130mg4%

Carbohydrates 53g18%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 39g43%

Protein 4g8%

Vitamin A 610IU12%

Vitamin C 1mg1%

Calcium 40mg4%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Keywords: banana and walnut cake, basic cake recipe, best banana cake recipe, easy banana cake, moist banana cake

Recipe originally published on November 3, 2014. Updated post and photos on February 10, 2021.

More Dessert Recipes

Looking for more dessert recipes? Try some of these!

• Bananas Foster Upside Down Cake 
• Banana Bread Scones
• Banana Split No Bake Cheesecaked