Best Banana Cake Recipe

What Makes This Banana Layer Cake So Good?

• Keep it simple. First of all, there are only simple, wholesome ingredients here! It makes a difference when you bake with real butter, fresh lemon juice, and whole milk.
• Brown sugar. Second, this banana cake recipe calls for a mixture of both granulated and brown sugar. The added brown sugar adds moisture and depth of flavor, which pairs beautifully with the banana.
• Fluffy and moist. Even though the cake is rich, the texture stays soft and fluffy thanks to the buttermilk in the recipe.

Ingredients You’ll Need

These are the ingredients needed to make a dreamy, 3-layer banana cake with cream cheese frosting. For the full recipe with ingredient amounts, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

• Milk – Whole milk will give the best flavor, but 2% is also fine.
• Lemon Juice – You’ll mix lemon juice with the milk to make a homemade buttermilk substitute. Although bottled lemon juice is fine, freshly squeezed will give a brighter taste. If you don’t have lemon juice, substitute white vinegar instead.
• Butter – The butter should be softened at room temperature.
• Sugar – You’ll need light brown sugar as well as granulated sugar.
• Eggs – Use large, whole eggs for a good taste and texture.
• Vanilla – Pure vanilla extract, or vanilla paste. Avoid imitation vanilla because, well, it’s imitation!
• Baking Soda – Not to be confused with baking powder, which isn’t the same thing.
• Flour – You can use all-purpose flour in this recipe.
• Bananas – Make sure the bananas are ripe. If you need to ripen the bananas faster, see the section below!

Cream Cheese Frosting

• Cream Cheese – Soften one block (8 ounces) of cream cheese to room temperature.
• Butter – The butter should also be at room temperature for easy beating.
• Powdered Sugar – Powdered sugar gives the frosting body and sweetness.
• Milk – You’ll need a couple of tablespoons of milk to thin the frosting to the right consistency.

Tips to Make the Best Banana Cake

Let’s get into the process of making this indulgent banana cake! There are basically three parts: the cake, the frosting, and the optional toasted coconut. Here are tips to follow for a perfect banana layer cake.

Choosing the Right Pan

I bake the banana cake batter in three 8-inch round cake pans for a three-tiered cake. Alternatively, you can use two 9-inch round pans for a two-layer cake. Coat the pans generously with non-stick baking spray and line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds to ensure the cakes don’t become stuck.

How to Ripen Bananas Quickly

Like baking banana bread, this banana cake is a great way to use up spotty, overripe bananas. The riper the bananas, the more flavor the cake will have. If you’re short on time, here are three easy ways to speed up the ripening process.

• Countertop: Place the bananas in a brown paper bag with an apple, loosely close the top, and let them sit on the counter for 1-2 days.
• Microwave: Liberally poke holes in the banana peel with a fork on all sides. Then, microwave the banana for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until it’s dark and kind of mushy. It isn’t ideal, but it’s definitely worth doing in a pinch!
• Oven: Preheat your oven to 300°F. Place the whole, unpeeled bananas on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, but check them at 15 minutes. Bake them until they start to brown and get soft.

Toast the Coconut Flakes

If you’re using toasted coconut, it’s easy to make! Just place the coconut in a nonstick skillet and heat over medium-low, stirring frequently. Watch the coconut carefully, because it burns easily. Once the coconut turns golden brown, remove it from the heat and cool it completely before using.

Leveling the Cake Layers for Frosting

If your cake layers have domed while baking, use a cake leveler or serrated knife to carefully trim the rounded tops from the cakes. This makes them nice and level for stacking. Your banana cake doesn’t have to be perfect; just add frosting between each layer as you stack the cake, and then frost all around the outsides. Finish it off with toasted coconut by pressing the coconut into the frosting gently.

Frosting Options

Cream cheese frosting offers a delicious sweet-tangy contrast with the banana flavor, but if you’d prefer, you can easily frost this cake with classic buttercream frosting or any of the following:

• Brown sugar frosting
• Chocolate buttercream frosting
• Heritage frosting
• Peanut butter frosting (from my banana cupcakes)

Recipe Variations

• Garnishes: Instead of toasted coconut, try toasted walnuts or pecans.
• Caramel banana: Drizzle caramel sauce in between cake layers and on top of the frosted cake.
• Chocolate chips: Fold chocolate chips or mini chocolate chips into the banana cake batter.
• Hummingbird cake: Hummingbird cake is a variation of banana layer cake filled with crushed pineapple and pecans.

How to Store

• Refrigerate. Store banana cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Allow the cake to come up to room temperature before serving.
• Freeze leftover slices. To keep the cake from drying out, press parchment paper or wax paper against the cut sides of each slice. Put the slices on a plate or cookie sheet in the freezer until the frosting is frozen solid, and then wrap the slices completely in plastic wrap. Freeze for up to two months, and thaw in the fridge or on the counter before serving.

More Banana Dessert Ideas

• Banana Cream Pie
• Banana Pudding Cake
• Banana Pudding
• Banana Bread Brownies
• Banana Blondie Cheesecake