Super Moist Banana Bread Cake Recipe With Luscious Cream Cheese Frosting by Elisa Schmitz

Time to kick your banana bread up a notch! If you're looking for a new way to let your overripe bananas shine, then you need to try this super moist banana bread cake recipe. Yes, banana bread cake! This delightfully buttery banana cake is wonderful all on its own, but when you top it with the luscious cream cheese frosting, it becomes a decadent dessert you'll want to make over and over again.

I made this banana cake recipe for my dad's 90th birthday. Because he's such a fan of banana bread, I was looking for a way to elevate my banana bread recipes into a celebration-worthy cake. The nonagenarian birthday boy (and his guests) loved it! The secret to this cake's appeal (haha) is not only the mashed overripe bananas, but also plenty of butter and buttermilk that add rich moisture. Check out the health benefits of bananas and the health benefits of buttermilk. Then there's the cinnamon, brown sugar and vanilla that enhance the banana bread flavor. So good (and even packs some protein, too)!

Here's what you need in order to make this moist and buttery banana cake recipe: overripe bananas, flour (all-purpose or gluten-free), baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, salt, unsalted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract and buttermilk. For the optional cream cheese frosting, you'll need a brick of cream cheese, unsalted butter, confectioners sugar, vanilla and salt.

This super moist banana bread cake with luscious cream cheese frosting is the perfect dessert to serve at a party, if you're hosting company, or for no reason at all. It's delightful with a cup of hot tea or coffee, or even just a cold glass of milk. The yummy cake also makes a wonderful snack any of time day!

Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 30 minutes (plus cooling/setting time)
Cook Time: 45 to 50 minutes (ovens vary)
Total Time: 1 hour and 20 minutes (plus cooling/setting time)
Servings: 12

Ingredients

Cake

• 3 cups flour (all-purpose or gluten-free flour), leveled
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups (about 4 medium) overripe bananas, mashed
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, divided, at room temperature

Frosting

• 8 ounces (1 brick) cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3 1/4 cups powdered) sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt

Here's how to make it:

1. In a medium bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Whisk to blend and set aside. (To make this cake gluten-free, use gluten-free flour.)
   
2. In a large mixing bowl, add the butter. Using a handheld mixer or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high until creamed (about 45 seconds).
   
3. Add the granulated sugar and the light brown sugar. Beat until creamed together with the butter, about 60 seconds.
   
4. Add the eggs and vanilla. Beat until combined, about 30 seconds.
   
5. Add the mashed bananas and beat until combined, scraping down sides as needed (about 30 seconds).
   
6. Set the mixer to low and slowly add the dry ingredients in three batches, alternating with three batches of buttermilk. Mix each batch of dry ingredients and each batch of buttermilk until just incorporated. Do not over-mix.
   
7. Pour batter into a 13x9-inch baking pan or casserole dish that's been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake in a preheated 350-degree F oven until cooked through and golden, about 45 to 50 minutes. Cake should pass the toothpick test. (If the cake is getting too brown on top, cover it gently with aluminum foil.)
   
8. Remove cake and allow it to cool completely before frosting.
   
9. While cake is cooling, make the frosting. In a large mixing bowl, add the cream cheese and butter. Using a handheld mixer or a stand mixer, beat the butter and cream cheese on high until creamy (about 45 seconds).
   
10. Add the confectioners sugar, vanilla and salt. Beat on low until combined, then on high until smooth (about 2 minutes).
    
11. Frost the cooled cake with the icing.
    
12. Feel free to add fresh fruit or other decorations, if desired (I decorated Dad's cake with fresh berries). Refrigerate finished cake to allow frosting to set, if desired (about 20 minutes). Then slice, serve and enjoy! Store leftover cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
    

Recipe cooking times, nutritional information and servings are approximate and provided for your convenience. However, 30Seconds is not responsible for the outcome of any recipe, nor may you have the same results because of variations in ingredients, temperatures, altitude, errors, omissions or cooking/baking abilities. Any nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and it is up to the individual to ascertain accuracy. To ensure image quality, we may occasionally use stock photography.

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