Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting (Coop-vid Up and Going Bananas)
I bought WAY TOO many bananas on my COVID reconnaissance to the grocery store last week. Luckily, too many bananas is a happy problem. Eat em’, freeze em’, bake em’ in a cake.
Banana Bread was out. I had just baked a loaf of banana bread from Shauna Severs’ latest book, Midwest Made. These overripe bad boi bananas were destined for a banana cake with CREAM CHEESE FROSTING. After all, calories don’t count during the time of COVID-19. That’s right, zippo calories.
Let them eat CAKE
My favorite Banana Cake recipe comes from Clementine Bakery in Los Angeles. I found it on the blog site, Ipso Fatto (love, love, love). How good is it? It’s our 2nd most favorite birthday cake, right after Wes’s Carrot Cake. It’s really good. Mui just made one and took it to another level by adding a layer of chocolate ganache in the middle and gorgeous sprinkles on the top. Just for little, OLD, me for my birthday. Time to find another banana cake recipe to add to my evergrowing “all things banana” arsenal of recipes. I went back to Ipso Fatto (she loves all things bananas as much as I do) and whaddya know, this popped up on her site.
Best Banana Cake I’ve Ever Had
Ever had? That sounds like a challenge. Game on. The recipe comes from Sally’s Baking Addiction. It’s straightforward and comes together easily. I made this late at night so no process pics. Classic cake instructions-cream the butter, add the sugars (in this case dark brown sugar-sweet and caramel-ly), eggs, and mashed bananas. Then alternate the dry ingredients with buttermilk (nice little tang). Don’t worry if at various points the mixture looks curdled, it will come together as you add the dry ingredients. The batter will be lumpy-looking but pourable at the end. While it’s baking, start the best part of any cake, the frosting, in this case, my favorite, cream cheese frosting.
I used hubby’s cream cheese frosting recipe, I think it’s perfect but then again I am biased. Sally’s recipe calls for 3 cups of powdered sugar, while hubby’s calls for only 3/4 cup to 1 cup at most, plenty for my taste. Beat the cream cheese and butter until creamy and smooth BEFORE adding the powdered sugar. This is key, once you add the sugar, mix just until blended and to the consistency you like. Don’t overbeat as the sugar will break down the frosting. You’ll end up with runny, loose frosting. Spread the frosting on the cake and then lick the spatula-perks of being the baker. The cake is yummy at room temperature or chilled, straight out of the fridge.
Texture-wise this cake reminds me of a snack cake, springy, with a little density, and a compact crumb. You want a tall glass of cold milk to go along. I still like the Clementine Banana Cake more, but that’s probably my personal preference. Clementine’s cake has a looser crumb and isn’t quite as dense, perfect for a layer cake. But both are delicious.
That’s it folks…enjoy!
Banana Cake (Sally's Baking Addiction)
Ingredients
The Cake
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (spoon & leveled) 375g
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 3 large ripe bananas about 1 and 1/2 cups mashed
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature 170g
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200g
- 1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar 100g
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1-1/2 cups buttermilk, at room temperature 360ml
Sally's Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces full-fat block cream cheese, softened to room temperature 224g
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature 115g
- 3 cups confectioners’ sugar, plus an extra 1/4 cup if needed 360g
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Hubby's Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 brick Philadelphia Cream Cheese 8 ounces
- 1 stick salted butter 4 ounces
- 3/4-1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and grease a 9×13 inch pan. I always use parchment on the bottom of my pan, makes it easier to remove the cake.
- Make the cake: Mash the bananas. I use a potato masher. Set mashed bananas aside.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together. Set aside.
- Using a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on high speed until smooth and creamy – about 1 minute. Add both sugars and beat on high speed for 2 minutes until creamed together. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bow. Add the eggs and the vanilla. Beat on medium-high speed until combined, then beat in the mashed bananas. Scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl as needed. With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients in three additions alternating with the buttermilk and mixing each addition just until incorporated. Always start and finish with the dry ingredients. Do not overmix. The batter will be slightly thick, a few lumps is OK.
- Spread batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes. Baking times vary, so start checking at 40 minutes. Keep an eye on it. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If you find the top of the cake is browning too quickly in the oven, loosely cover it with aluminum foil.
- Remove the cake from the oven and set on a wire rack. Allow to cool completely. After about 45 minutes, I usually place it in the refrigerator to speed things up.
- Make the frosting: In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the cream cheese and butter together on high speed until smooth and creamy.
- Add 3 cups confectioners’ sugar, vanilla, and salt. Beat on low speed for 30 seconds, then switch to high speed and beat for 2 minutes. If you want the frosting a little thicker, add the extra 1/4 cup of confectioners sugar (I add it). Spread the frosting on the cooled cake.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving. This helps sets the frosting and makes cutting easier.
- Cover leftover cake tightly and store in the refrigerator for 5 days.
Hubby's Cream Cheese Frosting
- Beat butter to soften before adding the cream cheese, 15-30 seconds. This helps prevent lumps. Add cream cheese and beat on medium high speed until smooth, light, and creamy. Beat on high if using a handheld mixer.
- Add vanilla and beat on medium to blend. Add powdered sugar and beat on low speed to blend in and then increase to medium speed to incorporate, at most 1 minute. Do not OVERBEAT!!! Taste the frosting, add additional 1/4 cup of sugar if you want it sweeter. If it seems a little flat, add a pinch of salt.
- Spread on the cooled cake. For special occasions flip the cake out of the pan and frost top and sides. You may need to make a recipe and a half of frosting in that case.
Notes
Buttermilk: If you don’t have buttermilk, you can add 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice or white vinegar to a large liquid measuring cup. Then add enough regular room temperature milk (whole milk is recommended) to make 1 and 1/2 cups total. Stir and let sit for 5 minutes. This soured milk can be used in the recipe instead of buttermilk.
Cupcakes: I’ve gotten a few questions about turning this cake into cupcakes. For about 2 dozen cupcakes, fill the cupcake liners halfway and bake for about 20-22 minutes. Same oven temperature.
Bundt Cake: You can bake this batter in a 10-12 cup bundt pan, but I find it’s not quite as moist when baked in the bundt shape. Bake for 50-65 minutes, give or take. Use a toothpick to determine doneness. Same oven temperature.
Layer Cake: I use this recipe to make my banana layer cake. If you want to make a 2 layer cake, divide batter between 2 greased 9-inch cake pans, and bake at 350°F (177°C) for 26-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.