Moist Banana Cake

Contents… Imma’s Incredible Cake Recipe Ingredients How to Make It Recipe Variations Tips and Tricks Serving and Storage Instructions FAQs What to Serve With It More Decadent Cake Recipes Conclusion Watch How to Make It

Imma’s Incredibly Moist Banana Cake

You will find everything you seek in a perfect banana cake in this recipe – so moist, light, and flavorful. Ahhh! The sweet smell of success!

I love how it comes out with a perfectly baked soft crust and moist center. It also has a lovely combination of buttery and banana flavors that will surely take you to the moon with happiness.

You’ll love this recipe even more because it allows you to add more flavors, such as nuts and other fruity flavor combinations. This recipe is probably the most dependable banana cake I’ve made so far. I really can’t remember one that didn’t come out absolutely fabulicious.

Classic Banana Cake Recipe Ingredients

This cake is simple to make and comes together quickly. It is the ideal spur-of-the-moment cake and perfect for beginners, too. Because it is as simple as a dump, mix, and bake kinda cake. 😉

Bananas – Moist banana cake starts with juicy, overripe bananas with a few black spots on the peel and delightfully soft inside. The more spots your bananas have, the sweeter they are. Sweet, but not overpowering. A teaspoon of lemon juice with our mashed bananas enhances the flavor.
Butter – Not only does this decadent ingredient adds a rich buttery flavor to our cake, but it also keeps it moist. But if you want a dairy-free version, coconut or canola oil works fine.
Sugar – I used a combination of granulated and brown sugar for this cake. The white sugar will help our cake be firmer, while the brown sugar will help keep it moist while adding a caramel-like flavor. There are also a couple of sugar substitutes that you can use, like coconut sugar, date sugar, or honey. You can go for sugar-free substitutes such as erythritol, stevia, or sucralose if you’re reducing your sugar intake.
Buttermilk – While this tangy and creamy ingredient is in charge of keeping our cake moist even during the following days. You can easily replace buttermilk with an equal amount of sour cream, plain yogurt, or dairy-free yogurt. 👌
Flavorings – I added a tablespoon of lemon zest to give it a bright and refreshing citrusy flavor. And, of course, don’t forget the vanilla extract, too.
All-Purpose Flour – I want my cake to be a little denser with the perfect crumble, so I opted for all-purpose flour. But cake flour makes it lighter, softer, and bouncier. 
Cream Cheese Frosting – The combination of heavy cream, butter, cream cheese, and powdered sugar makes the best cream cheese frosting. Plus, its smooth and velvety texture makes it easier to frost our banana cake. And, most of all, you’ll love its wonderful blend of sweet, creamy, and tangy flavors, making it the perfect frosting for our banana cake. I added vanilla extract to give it a creamy taste boost, but not too overpowering.

How to Make Moist Banana Cake

Prep the Dry Ingredients and the Bananas

1. Preheat the oven to 325℉/163℃.
2. Grease the Cake Pans – Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans, then line them with parchment paper.
3. Combine Dry Ingredients – In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. (Photos 1)
4. Mash the Bananas, then add a teaspoon of lemon juice. (Photos 2 & 3)

Mix the Wet Ingredients

1. Combine Wet Ingredients – In the bowl, whip together butter, vegetable oil, sugar, and brown sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. (Photos 4-5)
2. Add Eggs – Mix in the eggs one at a time.
3. Add Flavorings – Then add vanilla, lemon zest, and mashed bananas. (Photos 6)

Make the Batter and Bake

1. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients – Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk in three batches. Begin and end with the flour mix, stirring just until combined after each addition. (Photos 7-10)
2. Divide the Batter evenly among prepared cake pans and spread the batter into an even layer. (Photo 11)
3. Bake in preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. (Photo 12)
4. Cool – Allow to cool completely, then proceed with frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1. Whip in the Powdered Sugar – Add powdered sugar and vanilla and whip on medium speed, about 2 minutes longer. (Photos 17-18)
2. Fold and Mix – Add half of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture, gently fold until combined, and then fold in the remaining half. (Photos 19-20)

Frost and Decorate the Cake

1. Frost – Place the first cake layer on a serving platter. Then spread the cream cheese frosting over the cake layer. Top with the second cake layer, add more frosting over the cake layer. (Photos 21-22)
2. Spread Frosting – Spread the rest of the frosting over the top and sides of the cake. 
3. Pipe and Decorate –  Pipe the remaining frosting and decorate your cake with banana slices and crushed pecans or walnuts. (Photos 23-24)

Recipe Variations

1. Fruity and Veggie Additions – I love my banana cake with bits and pieces of strawberry, mango, pineapple, or raisins. You can also try it with fresh veggies such as zucchini and pumpkin. These yummy additions can instantly turn our classic banana cake into a fancy one. 😉
2. More Texture and Flavor – But, of course, you’ll love our cake with chocolate chips and nuts, too.
3. Banana Cake Muffin – Use the same batter to make muffins, but bake them at 350°F/177℃ for 20-25 minutes.

Tips and Tricks

1. Measure the ingredients correctly to guarantee the success of your cake. Weighing your ingredients is even more exact, and they’re usually provided on the recipe card.
2. Avoid opening the oven door too often because it disrupts the baking process due to a sudden drop in temperature. And that may underbake your cake or make your cake sink in the middle.
3. Cover your banana cake with foil or turn down the heat a tad if it is browning too quickly.

Serving and Storage Instructions

I always have one or two bananas in a bunch that get too ripe for my liking, so I wait for them to get speckled in anticipation of making this fabulicious banana cake. And you can freeze your overripe bananas or the banana cake to have on hand when the craving hits or unexpected guests come knocking. And best of all, it still tastes delightfully delicious even without the frosting! Oh yes! ❤

Make-Ahead – Bake the cake as instructed and then wrap it tightly with a plastic wrap once cooled completely. It will keep for seven days in the fridge and three months in the freezer. I recommend frosting the cake a day before serving.

Storing Leftovers – Store the leftovers in an airtight container or wrap the cake slices in plastic wrap slices individually. You can keep the leftover banana cake in the fridge for up to a week. And up to three months in the freezer to extend its shelf life.

Tip: You can keep the unfrosted cake on the counter for three days at room temperature. If you intend to frost your cake, I highly recommend refrigerating it for at least two hours before frosting.

FAQs

What to Serve with Moist Banana Cake

You’ll love this cake with a hot cup of coffee. Aside from cream cheese frosting, you can also dust it with powdered sugar for a sweet decorative finish. Or choose from these toppings and frosting below to dress up our ultra-delicious cake. 😉

1. Whipped Cream
2. Caramel Sauce
3. Peach Cobbler Pound Cake‘s Vanilla Glaze
4. Creme Anglaise
5. Chocolate Ganache from Boston Cream Pie 

More Decadent Cake Recipes to Try

1. Mississippi Mud Cake
2. German Chocolate Cake
3. Pumpkin Cheesecake
4. Chocolate Guinness Cake
5. Caramel Cake

Conclusion

Banana Cake is the perfect dessert/snack/breakfast for people on the go. And the cream cheese frosting is the icing on the cake, literally.😉 What special occasion do you plan on making this for? And if you love the results, please give the recipe a 5-star rating.❤️

Watch How to Make It

This blog post was first published in May 2021 and has been updated with an additional write-up, new photos, and a video.