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Home / Baking

Moist Banana Cake

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Author: Imma Published:4/06/2018Updated:8/28/2021
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Moist Banana Cake – This 2-layered cake is ridiculously moist, fluffy, and full of wonderful flavors, with or without frosting. It also makes an excellent breakfast treat with only 10 minutes of prep time. Super easy, stick-to-the-back of your fork moist and sweet but not overpowering!

Finished, frosted, and decorated banana cake

After a long quest for the best banana cake recipe, I finally found the one that is light and moist, and you can whip it up in no time.

And I have to say, it has been an enjoyable journey for me and my not-so-little-anymore assistant (my son) – because we enjoy testing recipe after recipe and savoring every single bite during the taste test. Yum.

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

Banana Cake with a slice removed

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

Bananas, flour, eggs, and all the ingredients you need

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.

Frosing ingredients

How to Make Moist Banana Cake

Mixing the dry ingredients, wet ingredients, bananas, and flavoring

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)
Mixing dry and wet ingredients together, dividing batter, and baking

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.
Whip cream, cream butter and cream cheese, add sugar, and finish 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)
Finish the frosting, frost the layers, add finishing touches

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’s the difference between banana bread and banana cake?

Both of them share the same ingredients but in different ratios. Banana bread is denser and firmer because it has less liquid ingredients than banana cake. It’s also not as sweet. On the flip side, banana cake is softer, fluffier, and usually frosted.

Why isn’t my banana cake moist?

Wet ingredients with high-fat content, like butter, egg, milk, buttermilk, and sour cream, make our cake moist. And your cake will come out dry if you don’t add enough fat or liquid. So you must measure your ingredients correctly. Moreover, overmixing the cake batter and overbaking it can dry it out.

Can you use all-purpose flour instead of cake flour?

Yes, you can. However, you’ll need to make a slight adjustment. Replace two tablespoons of all-purpose flour per cup with two tablespoons of cornstarch, sift them together, and voila! Your homemade cake flour is ready. 😉 I have a handy chart for flour substitutes if you don’t have the flour the recipe calls for.

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.❤️

A slice of moist banana cake cut with a fork

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.

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Finished, frosted, and decorated banana cake
Print

Banana Cake

This 2-layered cake is ridiculously moist, fluffy, and full of wonderful flavors, with or without frosting. It also makes an excellent breakfast treat with only 10 minutes of prep time. Super easy, stick-to-the-back of your fork moist and sweet but not overpowering!
4.9 from 37 votes
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 55 mins
Total: 1 hr 5 mins
American
Servings 8

Ingredients

Banana Cake

  • 3 cups (450g) all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 3 large bananas
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • ½ cup (125g) butter
  • ¼ cup (60ml) vegetable oil
  • ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (100g) brown sugar
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon lemon zest, grated
  • 1½ cup (350 ml) buttermilk

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • 1¼ cups (295ml) heavy cream
  • 14 ounces (397g) cream cheese, nearly at room temperature
  • â…“ cup (74g) unsalted butter, nearly at room temperature
  • 1¾ cup (210g) powdered sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Banana Cake

  • Preheat oven to 325℉/163℃. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans lined with parchment paper.
  • In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  • Mash the bananas and add a teaspoon of lemon juice. 
  • In the bowl, whip together butter, vegetable oil, sugar, and brown sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. 
  • Mix in the eggs one at a time. Then add vanilla, lemon zest, and mashed bananas. 
  • 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. 
  • Bake in preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  • Allow to cool completely, then proceed with frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting

  • In a cold bowl, whip heavy cream at high speed until stiff peaks form. Set aside. 
  • Next, in a separate bowl, whip the butter and cream cheese until smooth and fluffy on medium-high speed, about two minutes, occasionally scraping down sides and bottom of the bowl. 
  • Add powdered sugar and vanilla and whip on medium speed, about 2 minutes longer.
  • Add half of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture, gently fold until combined, and then fold in the remaining half. 

Assembly

  • 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. 
  • Spread the rest of the frosting over the top and sides of the cake. 
  • Pipe the remaining frosting and decorate your cake with banana slices and crushed pecans or walnuts. 

Tips & Notes:

  • 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.
  • 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 it sink in the middle.
  • Cover your banana cake with foil or turn down the heat a tad if it is browning too quickly.
  • Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 1slice| Calories: 360kcal (18%)| Carbohydrates: 38g (13%)| Protein: 3g (6%)| Fat: 18g (28%)| Cholesterol: 32mg (11%)| Sodium: 205mg (9%)| Potassium: 168mg (5%)| Fiber: 1g (4%)| Sugar: 49g (54%)| Vitamin A: 57IU (1%)| Calcium: 21mg (2%)| Iron: 0.8mg (4%)
Author: Imma
Course: Dessert/Snack
Cuisine: American
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Comments & Reviews
  1. Lilian Walter says

    Posted on 9/19 at 5:02AM

    Tried this recipe yesterday and it was a huge success. I’m a baker and have been looking for a banana cake recipe that can be covered in fondant, this recipe meets that standard and is so delicious, moist, and fluffy. Thank you for this.

    Reply
  2. pookie says

    Posted on 9/4 at 9:40PM

    since i love your tri-tip recipe so much, decided to try this…banana bread/cake is my favorite. can i use an 8×4 loaf pan? either that or i will make muffins…thanks so much can’t wait to get ‘nanas!

    Reply
  3. Tamara says

    Posted on 8/31 at 6:06PM

    5 stars
    An excellent recipe! Thank you for sharing, Imma.

    Reply
    • Immaculate Bites says

      Posted on 8/31 at 10:07PM

      A perfect pair with coffee and for a midday snack. Thank you for dropping by, Tamara!

      Reply
  4. Tamara says

    Posted on 8/31 at 1:43PM

    5 stars
    Immaculate, I don’t usually write reviews but it’s about time! This banana bread was DELECTABLE! I have tried quite a few, but they couldn’t compare. Moist, light and impossibly fluffy. For some reason, I always have success with your recipes. Thank you for sharing. Love from Trinidad and Tobago.

    Reply
    • Tamara says

      Posted on 8/31 at 1:48PM

      5 stars
      My spellcheck wasn’t happy with just Imma and changed it to Immaculate. Sorry. Thanks again!

      Reply
      • Immaculate Bites says

        Posted on 8/31 at 10:09PM

        No worries, Tamara! Thanks, too.

    • Immaculate Bites says

      Posted on 8/31 at 10:09PM

      This is sweet, Tamara! I’m so touched and happy that you enjoyed this recipe. Thank you so much! 🙂

      Reply
  5. Careen says

    Posted on 8/29 at 10:24AM

    Thank u Imma for the wonderful recipe. I used butter milk instead of sour cream and it was still okay

    Reply
  6. Viera says

    Posted on 4/20 at 12:51AM

    I try it it is delicious, thank you for the recipe , I love watch your videos and try to bake your recipes

    Reply
    • Immaculate Bites says

      Posted on 4/21 at 5:54AM

      Thank you, Viera!

      Reply
  7. Chocolate Gelato Lover says

    Posted on 4/3 at 4:19PM

    If I only have one banana what should I do?

    Reply
    • Immaculate Bites says

      Posted on 4/4 at 10:15PM

      Hi! If you only have 1 large banana, you may do half of the recipe measurements and have half of the serving. Let me know how it turns out. Enjoy! 🙂

      Reply
  8. Davis says

    Posted on 2/19 at 3:09PM

    5 stars
    Amazingly Moist! This recipe is the best one I have ever made. I can’t wait to let others try it out and enjoy. You’re recipes never fail.

    Reply
  9. Esther says

    Posted on 2/8 at 9:29AM

    5 stars
    Girl!!!!
    I loooovvveee this recipe!!!
    (I’m literally screaming )
    It’s amazing! The cake is soft, moist and so fluffy! It lasted four days in my house(I insisted on controlled amounts of dessert) and still tasted amazing!
    I however feels it’s tricky to know the exact size of bananas you talked about, so I tried to cups of mashed bananas and it clearly came out amazing. I also used buttermilk instead of sour cream.
    Thanks again!

    Reply
    • ImmaculateBites says

      Posted on 2/14 at 5:33PM

      YESS! Thanks so much!

      Reply
  10. Aoi Browning says

    Posted on 1/1 at 8:14AM

    5 stars
    This is THE BEST Banana cake recipe ever. I’ve been tried so many recipes for years, but I haven’t met ” this is it” recipe until I found yours! This is amazing and while my family love it too. I love the richness banana flavor and moistness. I always add litt bit extra bnanans, sometimes I don’t have lemon zest but it always came out so good! I am baking a very first Banana cake of the year!
    Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe!

    Reply
    • ImmaculateBites says

      Posted on 1/3 at 10:52AM

      Woohoo!Thanks so much

      Reply
  11. Chloé says

    Posted on 12/19 at 10:46AM

    5 stars
    Easy and simple to make. The best banana cake I have made. I topped it with caramel treat for an extra sweet finish! Definitely saving this recipe.

    Reply
    • ImmaculateBites says

      Posted on 12/20 at 5:05AM

      Glad to hear this . Thanks so much.

      Reply
  12. T in E17 says

    Posted on 12/18 at 10:23AM

    4 stars
    Very yummy. Mine is a bit salty, not sure what I did wrong, but still tastes very nice. Very soft/light cake. Might have another slice to check on that saltiness…

    Reply
    • ImmaculateBites says

      Posted on 12/20 at 5:19AM

      Yes please do. It its not salty at all.

      Reply
  13. T in E17 says

    Posted on 12/18 at 9:30AM

    It’s a first for me and it’s in the oven.
    Unusual way of incorporating the butter I thought, but holding thumbs.

    Reply
  14. Teresa G says

    Posted on 10/28 at 3:15PM

    5 stars
    This is the best banana cake recipe ever.

    Reply
    • Imma Adamu says

      Posted on 10/28 at 9:18PM

      Thank you, Teresa!

      Reply
  15. Adelaide says

    Posted on 9/20 at 12:20AM

    5 stars
    This recipe is so versatile it’s unbelievable! I’ve never made it with the original ingredients(always used all purpose flour and buttermilk and I’ve rarely used lemon rind) and all the loaves come out perfect everytime. Last variation was with chocolate and almonds and my husband loved it! I now want to sample your other recipes!

    Reply
    • ImmaculateBites says

      Posted on 9/27 at 5:44PM

      Please do . Glad to hear it works out every single time.

      Reply
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