This easy banana crumb cake is a moist, tender banana coffee cake swirled with an irresistibly buttery streusel crumb. Enjoy a slice as a sweet pick-me-up for breakfast, brunch, or any time of the day.
You might also love this gooey cinnamon roll cake and this sour cream coffee cake with crunchy pecans. Both are delicious for breakfast or dessert!
This banana bread crumb cake could very well be my favorite coffee cake recipe, possibly ever. It has everything a perfect crumb cake should have. We’re talking a moist and tender cake layer swirled with cinnamon sugar, topped with a crumbly, buttery streusel. Only, I make this dessert with one major, game-changing twist: bananas!
What Makes This Banana Coffee Cake So Great
- Put those overripe bananas to good use. I’m always looking for recipes using bananas, especially the ones in my fruit bowl that are barely past their prime. Overripe bananas are perfect for baking banana bread, banana muffins, and, yes, crumb cake!
- Two favorite treats in one. This recipe is a delicious mash-up of banana bread with crumb cake, made in a pan and layered with crunchy streusel. It’s a match made in baking heaven!
- It’s super easy to make. This cake requires simple pantry ingredients and only a handful of steps. It comes together with just 15 minutes of prep.
- It pairs perfectly with coffee or a glass of milk. So you can literally have your cake for breakfast, and eat it, too. Not to mention, this soft, tender crumb cake also makes a fabulous dessert topped with a scoop of ice cream.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s what you’ll need to make this amazing banana coffee cake. I’ve included notes and substitutions here, and you’ll find the full printable recipe with the amounts in the recipe card after the post.
- Bananas – This cake is the perfect occasion to use any ripe or just over-ripe bananas you have, the senior citizens of the bunch.
- Butter – For best results, bring the butter to room temperature.
- Granulated Sugar – When it comes to a moist and fluffy cake, white granulated sugar is always the most reliable. You could also use light brown sugar.
- Dry Ingredients – All-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Check the expiration date on your baking powder to make sure it’s fresh.
- Vanilla – Pure vanilla extract will give the best and most natural flavor.
- Milk and Eggs – You can use any kind of milk you’d like. For even more flavor, try substituting regular milk with buttermilk.
For the Streusel
- Butter – Make sure it’s cold from the fridge and cut into cubes.
- Brown Sugar – Light or dark brown sugar both work well here.
- Flour
How to Make Banana Crumb Cake
The secret to this banana cake is in the delicious crumb that’s not just sprinkled over the top, but also swirled throughout the cake. It’s easy to do following the steps below. Scroll down to the recipe card for the printable instructions.
- Mix the batter. Start by whisking flour with baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, mash your bananas, then mix in the butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Then, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk, until the batter is just combined.
- Prepare the streusel. In a new bowl, combine the crumb ingredients and cut in the butter with a fork (or a pastry cutter, if you have one).
- Assemble the cake. Now, pour about half of the batter into a greased 9×13″ baking pan. Sprinkle a layer of streusel over the top, and add the remaining batter over the crumb layer. Lastly, top with one last layer of crumb mixture.
- Bake. Bake this banana crumb cake at 350ºF for 50-55 minutes. When a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, your cake is done!
Recipe Tips
- Measure correctly. When it comes to baking, the number one misstep is too much flour packed into the measuring cup. If you’re using a measuring cup and not a kitchen scale, rather spoon the flour into the cup and then level it off with a knife, to avoid adding too much flour to the batter.
- Don’t overmix. Another cardinal rule is not to overmix the batter! When mixing in the flour, add it in gradually, alternating with the milk, and mix until the batter is just combined. This will yield the best possible texture when the cake is baked.
- Add a glaze. After the cake has cooled for a few minutes, whisk 1 cup of powdered sugar with 1-2 tablespoons of milk, and drizzle it over the cake.
How to Store
- On the counter. Store this coffee cake airtight at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Freeze. Wrap the cake tightly in a double layer of plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then store frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw the crumb cake in the fridge overnight and then allow it to come to room temperature before serving.
More Banana Recipes
Banana Crumb Cake
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Cake
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Breakfast
Description
This easy banana crumb cake recipe is a soft, moist banana coffee cake swirled with a buttery streusel. Enjoy a slice with coffee or tea as a pick-me-up any time of the day!
Ingredients
Scale
Cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 ripe bananas, mashed
- 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup milk
Crumb Filling/Topping:
- 1 cup cold butter, cubed
- 2 cups light brown sugar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
Glaze (Optional):
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1–2 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Cake: Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9×13 baking dish with baking spray, set aside
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, stir together the mashed bananas, butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until mixed well.
- Add in the flour mixture and milk in alternating portions and stir until combined. Set batter aside while you make your crumb mixture.
- Crumb Filling/Topping: In a large bowl, combine the cold, cubed butter, light brown sugar, and flour using a fork or pastry cutter until a coarse crumb forms.
- Assemble: Pour 1/2 of the batter into the prepared pan. Top with 1/3 of the crumb mixture. Cover the filling with the remaining batter and then top with the remaining crumb mixture.
- Bake for 50-55 minutes until the center is set and a toothpick comes out clean.
- If desired, mix powdered sugar and milk together and drizzle on top of slightly cooled cake.
- Can be served warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Can be served at room temperature or warm.
- Store airtight for up to 2 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 658
- Sugar: 69.8 g
- Sodium: 229.1 mg
- Fat: 24.3 g
- Carbohydrates: 106.3 g
- Protein: 6.7 g
- Cholesterol: 92.5 mg
This was absolutely delicious but wayyyyy too sweet. Next time I make it I will cut the sugars in half. I also used oat flour and monkfruit sugar to cut down on carbs and sugar.
We think it’s pretty sweet too so we sub applesauce for the butter in the cake portion and use 1.5 cups of sugar instead of 2 cups and that helped. I wouldn’t adjust the crumble sugar though.
I have NEVER EVER commented on a recipe HOWEVER I accidentally (red wine) forgot to add the granulated sugar to this recipe and it was still delicious !
lolol! so glad to hear it still worked!!
I have made this many times, and we live it!!! I have to admit though that I tweet the recipe by adding raspberries and/or blueberries to the middle. It just adds a little something!
great idea!!
I was thinking blueberries would be a nice add for a twist sometimes. Did you use frozen or fresh?
Can i freeze this? I just realized after I finished making it that the recipe says it keeps 2 days. We can’t eat thus in 2 days. Please let me know.
Yes, this will freeze great! Thaw out at room temp!
My family loves this “crack cake” I cut the crumb in half the second time I made it and its absolutely delicious!! No one noticed and I’ll continue to make it this way going forward.
HAHA! Love that…crack cake! lol!
Will it still work the same if I substitute plant based butter and almond milk for a DF version?
I haven’t tried that, but I imagine it would work fine!
I made this last night with vegan butter and almond milk and it turned out amazing!
My coworkers call this banana crack cake. Every time I make it I have to double the recipe. One for home and one for work. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
hahaha! love that!
It’s so discouraging reading the comments from so many sugar haters. I have formal training in culinary arts. The french love their buttery and sugary treats. We don’t do anything halfway. Now I’m going to bake this cake with two sticks of butter just to spite everyone who complained. lol
That’s funny. I love this just as is. I had a banana bread recipe I made a few times and accidentally doubled the butter and it was insanely good. This one would be insane. Lol
I made this 3 times and each time it came out perfect. It’s a little over the top with all the butter and sugar but isn’t that what dessert is all about? Awesome!
This was delicious! I did like the other comments suggested and only made half the streusel topping it was yummy.I wouldn’t change anything else though. I didn’t put the glaze on either.