This Banana Bread Crumb Cake is a fun twist on a classic crumb cake recipe! Moist and tender banana bread layers are filled and topped with a perfectly irresistible buttery streusel crumb. The result is an easy cake recipe that you’ll love to enjoy for breakfast, brunch, or even dessert!
My Favorite Banana Crumb Cake
Oh my sweetness – this could very well be my favorite recipe for crumb cake, or any breakfast cake for that matter! Possibly ever. It has everything a perfect crumb cake should have: a moist and tender cake texture, a crumbly, buttery streusel topping, and all those delicious cinnamon-sugary flavors. With one major, life-changing twist: bananas!
I am always looking for recipes using bananas, especially ones in my fruit bowl that are barely past their prime. Overripe bananas are perfect for recipes like banana bread, banana muffins, etc. And crumb cakes are just plain perfect. Which is what inspired this incredible, mouthwatering Banana Bread Crumb Cake with a delicious streusel filling. The combination is pure magic!
What Makes this Recipe so Good?
A Banana Bread Crumb Cake may sound like a confusing breakfast/dessert recipe. But trust me, it makes total sense as soon as it touches your tastebuds! Here’s why I love this recipe, and why you will, too:
- Banana Crumb Cake is a fun twist on two classic recipes. This recipe involves a soft and moist banana bread-cake, made in a pan and layered with a decadent streusel crumb filling/topping. The contrast is 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 in no time!
- 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, it also makes a fabulous dessert.
Ingredients You’ll Need
To make things even better, this recipe calls for basic pantry ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:
For the Cake
- Bananas: This 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!
- Flour: I use all purpose flour for this recipe. If you’re making a gluten free crumb cake, you can substitute this with your preferred alternative (almond flour, oat flour, etc.)
- Vanilla: Pure vanilla extract will give the best and most natural flavor.
- Milk
- Eggs
- Baking Powder
- Salt
For the Crumb Filling and Topping
- Butter: Cold from the fridge and cubed.
- Light Brown Sugar
- Flour
You’ll also need powdered sugar and a couple teaspoons of milk if you’re planning to make a glaze.
How to Make Banana Crumb Cake
The secret to this fabulous breakfast cake is in the delicious crumb. Not just sprinkled over top, but also layered in between the banana bread. The resulting cake is moist and buttery and just plain amazing!
Make the Banana Bread Batter: Whisk together the flour with baking powder and salt. In a separate bowl, mash your bananas until you reach a smooth consistency, then mix in the butter, followed by the sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Gradually add in the milk and flour mixture until the batter is just combined.
Make the Crumb: Combine all the crumb ingredients and cut them together with a fork (if you have a pastry cutter, all the better!).
Fill the Pan: Pour one half of the batter into a prepared baking pan, then sprinkle a layer of crumbs over top. Pour the remaining batter over the crumb layer, and then top with one last layer of crumb mixture.
Bake: Bake the crumb cake in a preheated oven until the center is set. The cake is ready when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Glaze: After the cake has cooled for a few minutes, drizzle the top with sweet glaze if desired.
Serve this Banana Crumb Cake either warm or at room temperature, and revel in it’s deliciousness!
Tips for Success
- Measure the Flour 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 Over Mix the Batter: Another cardinal rule is not to over mix the batter! When mixing in the flour, add it in gradually and mix until the batter is just combined, for the best possible texture when the cake is baked.
How to Store
This Banana Bread Crumb Cake can be stored airtight at room temperature for up to 2 days.
Can I Freeze a Crumb Cake?
You can! 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 Desserts
- Banana Blondies
- Pumpkin Banana Bread
- Banana Pudding Cheesecake
- Moist Banana Pound Cake
- Peanut Butter Banana Fudge
Banana Bread Crumb Cake
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
- Category: Cake
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Breakfast
Description
This Banana Bread Crumb Cake recipe is made with moist and tender banana bread layers filled and topped with a perfectly irresistible buttery streusel crumb. An easy cake recipe that you’ll love to enjoy for breakfast, brunch, or even dessert!
Ingredients
Cake:
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 ripe bananas, mashed
- 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 cup milk
Crumb Filling/Topping:
- 1 cup cold butter, cubed
- 2 cups light brown sugar
- 2 cups all purpose flour
*optional glaze
- 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 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 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
Want To Save This Recipe?
Find more recipes like this:
I see the service size is 1 slice, but I want to ask is that calorie count (658) for the whole thing or per slice?
It’s a good recipe, but it is very confusing, like with the 2 cups of flour, it should say 2 cups of flour for the first part then another 2 cups of flour for the banana filling part. Also what is the flour, baking powder, and salt for? It doesn’t say anything about adding that into it?
Hi! The full recipe card at the bottom has all the instructions 🙂
Does the milk go in w the rest of
The ingredients in the cake part? It isn’t in any of
The instructions.. so now
I have a cake in the oven that has been in there for almost 2 hours an isnt cooking at all.. I’m thinking maybe it was because I didn’t put the milk in because I missed it
BcuZ I don’t see it in the instructions only in the ingredients so idk what to do now… I can’t get it to cook.. the glaze filling an topping didn’t crumble either it’s in the form of a thick glaze
Which is fine I will take it’s but I couldn’t
Get it to ever crumble ..
But idk what to do now cuz I’m afraid to put the milk in now
An pretty much have to re mix it an put it back in the over to basically start over m.. if I don’t do that I will have to remake the whole thing all over
That’s the part that’s confusing to you?? I would have thought it would have Ben the fact that the cake part of the recipe calls for two cups of milk but NOWHERE a in the instructions does it tell you to add the milk .. …/ LOL.. I hve the cake baking right now and I’m concerned because i still had the two cups of milk left w NO where to add it in.. does anyone else see this?? Or just me?? I know the 2tbs calls for the drizzle on top w the powder sugar but the two cups is not part of the instructions.. so idk
How This cake is going to turn out … but I hope you’re turned out great! It really sounds like it’s delicious.. guess I will find out Soon enough
The recipe for the cake part says 1 cup milk and in step 4 of the directions it says to alternate adding the flour and milk to the banana mixture. Hope that helps!
This is AMAZING! Oh my goodness. I want to devour the whole thing. I added a dash of cinnamon in the glaze too.
OMG! Thank God I only made half the recipe because I’m going to eat the whole thing! This is soooo good! I added walnuts. This is a keeper.
Hi. I love this cake, and it’s always a hit.
Have you ever tried it as muffins instead of a cake? Thank you
OMG! I had some over-ripe bananas and wanted to make something other than regular banana bread. This recipe is so amazing!!! I made half the crumb topping and just put it on top, instead of layered, and it worked out just fine. It made a full 9×13 pan, so I kept half for us & took half to one of my best friends house still warm from the oven. She immediately demanded the recipe! This is a WINNER. So much better than coffee cake. <3 Thanks!
So glad you liked it!
Can use cake flour instead and if so will I still need baking powder
Believe it! This cake is wonderful. I don’t comment on recipes, but I just HAD to for this cake. You can not screw it up. I do bake a lot, but have had many fails. Never failed with this recipe!! And I take some liberties.. I add lots of spice (ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon, clove) I also use a little light cream with the milk. I’ve added applesauce when I only had 2 bananas. I used chopper for crumb mixture and also just my fingers (better using pastry cutter or fingers – fyi.. The chopper made the topping a little too dense, but still AMAZING!) I’ve made full recipe and half recipe.
If you think it’s too sweet, yes maybe, so cut back on the sugars like others have suggested, but that is why this cake is wonderful, there are changes you can make to suit you. And, RE: “Moist”.. This is bona fide MOIST, not “tender, fluffy, or other descriptions of moist.. ” It is TRUE TRUE MOIST!!!! For people who love “moist” like me, I will describe it like this … It almost drips!!! NO crumbs!! And for those of you searching for moistness, you will understand exactly what I mean! Sorry so wordy, but this cake warrants these accolades!
Do you use an electric mixer or do it by hand? I made this years ago and can’t remember what I did, the recipe says mix and stir,lol.
You don’t need to use a mixer!
5 stars all the wayyyyy . SO SO GOOD! Thanks for the delish recipe. And thanks for all the laughs I had reading your comments up to the recipe!!