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–+ servings
a slice of banana cake on a white plate
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5 from 7 votes

Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

This is the only banana cake recipe you’ll ever need! It is super moist, easy to make and is topped with a thick layer of luscious cream cheese frosting. Delicious!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Course: baking, Dessert
Cuisine: Australian
Servings: 20
Calories: 289kcal
Author: Andrea Geddes

Ingredients

  • 185 grams butter unsalted, softened at room temperature
  • ¾ cup brown sugar 150 grams
  • ¾ cup sugar approx. 170 grams
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or good quality vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs room temperature
  • 1 ½ cup mashed bananas (400 grams) about 4 medium bananas, over-ripe and spotty
  • ½ cup vegetable oil or canola oil
  • 2 ½ cups plain flour all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon bicarb soda baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup buttermilk

Optional

  • ½ cup chopped walnuts

Cream cheese frosting

  • 1 ⅔ cup cream cheese 375 grams, softened at room temperature
  • 1 ½ cups icing sugar confectioners sugar
  • 3 tbs lemon juice
Metric - US Customary

Instructions

To make the banana cake

  • Pre-heat oven to 175 °C (347 F) and line a 10 x 10 inch square (25cm square) cake tin with baking paper.
  • Place the softened butter, sugars and vanilla into a large mixing bowl and beat with a wooden spoon for a few minutes, until pale, soft and fluffy. An electric beater can also be used.
  • Add one egg and beat until the egg has incorporated into the mixture. Add the second egg and beat until combined.
  • Add the mashed banana and oil and stir to combine.
  • In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, bicard soda and salt and stir to combine. Add half of the flour mix to the butter mixture and gently fold until combined.
  • Add half of the buttermilk and stir.
  • Add the remaining flour and fold, followed by the remaining buttermilk. Gently fold until just combined. If you are adding chopped walnuts, gently fold them into the batter.
  • Gently add the batter to the prepared cake tin and bake for 40-45 minutes (60 minutes for an 8 x 8 inch square tin), or until the cake has cooked through. You can test the cake by inserting a wooden skewer into the centre of the cake. If it comes out clean, with a few crumbs sticking, it is ready.
  • Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

For the cream cheese frosting

  • Make sure the cream cheese is at room temperature and soft, to avoid lumps.
  • Using an electric mixer on medium speed (or a hand mixer if you don’t have an electric one), beat the cream cheese and lemon juice until smooth. Slowly add the icing sugar bit by bit, until completely combined. For a thinner frosting, add a little more icing sugar and lemon juice. Refrigerate until required.

To decorate

  • Top the cooled cake with a layer of cream cheese frosting and when ready to serve, sprinkle with any of your favourite toppings, like chopped walnuts. Slice and serve. Enjoy!

Notes

  1. Make ahead and freezing instructions; prepare the cake and bake according to the instructions below. Allow it to cool completely and then wrap it firmly. Store in the fridge for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature before topping with the frosting.
  2. Make sure you have brown and spotty bananas for this cake. The browner, the better! You will notice the difference in flavour.
  3. Buttermilk is required for this recipe. If you don't have any on hand, you can easily make a substitute at home. Just add 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup of full cream milk. Stir and let it sit for 10 minutes before adding it to the batter.
  4. Be sure not to overmix the batter, or the cake won't be as light and fluffy. You want to keep the bubbles in the batter so the cake is soft, airy and light.
  5. While this cake stores best in the fridge, I recommend leaving it at room temperature for 30 minutes before eating, for the best texture.
  6. Please note that the nutrition information is based on the recipe being cut into 20 pieces, with one piece of cake topped with frosting being one serve. The nutritional information is an estimate only and does not take into account any additional toppings being added to the cake.
  7. This recipe is made using Australian cups and spoon measurements. Due to cup sizes varying from country to country, I advise adjusting if necessary.

Nutrition

Calories: 289kcal | Carbohydrates: 43g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 232mg | Potassium: 201mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 29g | Vitamin A: 323IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 1mg