Buttermilk Banana Cake — Luscious Cream Cheese Frosting
Indulge in a perfect banana cake: buttermilk for tangy moistness, ripe bananas for natural sweetness, creating an irresistible blend of flavors.
Let me tell you about this amazing Buttermilk Banana Cake—it’s seriously a slice of heaven! The combo of tangy buttermilk and naturally sweet bananas makes for a moist, flavorful cake that’s hard to resist. It’s the perfect mix of indulgent and comforting, and with a cream cheese buttercream frosting on top, you’re in for a real treat!
The buttermilk adds that subtle tang while making the cake super tender, and the ripe bananas bring in that sweet aroma and rich flavor. It’s the kind of dessert that feels like a big, warm hug. Plus, the cream cheese frosting is smooth, creamy, and totally indulgent. This cake isn’t just a dessert—it’s a whole experience, especially for banana lovers.
Growing up, we always celebrated my birthday around Thanksgiving at my Great Aunt Jo’s house. For years, I thought our big family Thanksgiving dinner was actually my birthday party! 😂 Fast forward to a recent Thanksgiving with my husband’s family. They surprised me with a banana cake, complete with candles and the birthday song. If you know me, you know I hate being the center of attention (which is why promoting this blog is tough for me). But, hey, I survived the spotlight and was rewarded with a delicious cake!
It came from a French bakery in Springfield, MO, and it was so good I had to recreate it. I came pretty close, though I’m still on the hunt for their secret to that perfectly light icing. Mine’s good, but theirs was next level!
Lessons Learned in the Kitchen
Now, I know some people say you should alternate adding buttermilk and flour when making the batter, but I just dumped it all in—no regrets! I’m also infamous for forgetting ingredients. This time, I forgot the walnuts until after the batter was in the pans. I just swirled them in with a spoon, and it worked out fine! And don’t forget—your butter needs to be room temp for creaming, or else you’ll end up with a denser cake.
Still on the hunt for an even fluffier frosting—drop your tips if you’ve got any!
How Ripe Should Bananas Be for Cake?
You definitely want those bananas soft and spotty—like, the peel should be browning. The riper, the better because the sugar concentrates as they ripen, giving you that rich banana flavor. I always freeze my overripe bananas for later baking. But if you just grabbed fresh ones and need them ripe fast, I’ve got tips!
How to Ripen Bananas Quickly
If your bananas aren’t ripe yet, pop them in a paper bag with an apple for 1-3 days. The apple releases ethylene gas, which speeds up the ripening process. This natural method is my go-to!
In a rush? You can also use the oven method:
- Preheat your oven to 300°F.
- Place unpeeled bananas on a baking sheet.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes until the skins turn black and shiny.
- Let them cool before peeling.
Keep in mind, though, that while this method gets the job done, oven-ripened bananas won’t taste exactly like naturally ripened ones. But they’ll still be perfect for your cake!
Why is my banana cake not moist?
If you didn’t use ripe bananas, this can happen. I suggest adding a 2-3 tablespoons of honey to your batter before baking. Honey adds moisture and sugar to your cake. Keep in mind it can change the taste slightly from a traditional banana cake.
Can I use frozen bananas in banana cake?
Absolutely. When I can’t use my ripe bananas, I place them, peel on, in a freezer safe ziploc baggie. Then they are ready for me when I need them.
More Mediterranean Inspired Recipes
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Banana cake
Equipment
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Hand mixer
Ingredients
Banana Cake
- 3 cup bananas (about 4 medium or 3 large bananas, mashed)
- 6 cup all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cup unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
- 2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup Light Brown Sugar (packed)
- 6 large eggs (at room temperature)
- 4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cup 360ml buttermilk (at room temperature*)
Cream Cheese Buttercream Icing
- 16 oz cream cheese (2 brick, softened to room temperature)
- 1 cup unsalted butter (1 stick, softened to room temperature)
- 5 cup powdered sugar (sifted)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Banana Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and grease 1, 9×13 pan or 2 8 inch circle cake pans.
- Mash the bananas. I use my handheld mixer for this.
- Whisk the 6 cup all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoon baking powder, 2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon salt together. Set aside.
- Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the 1 1/2 cup unsalted butter on high speed until smooth and creamy—about 1 minute. Add 2 cup granulated sugar and 1 cup Light Brown Sugar and beat on high speed for 2 minutes until creamed together.
- Add the 6 large eggs and the 4 teaspoon vanilla extract. Beat on medium-high speed until combined, then add the mashed bananas.
- With the mixer on low speed, add the 3 cup 360ml buttermilk.
- This next part is important. Add the flour a cup at a time and mix on low speed until just mixed. Do not overmix. A few lumps are ok.
- If using nuts, fold them in now with a rubber spatula.
- Spread batter into the prepared pan(s). Bake for 45 minutes – 1 hour. Baking times vary, so keep an eye on yours–mine was done in 70 minutes this time. 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.
- If making a layered cake, when you can safely touch the pan, you can transfer each piece to a plate. First trim the crown off the cake while still in the pan (helps keep your knife level. Then, place a plate on top of the cake (like a lid), turn the cake and the plate over and gently tap the bottom of your cake pan until the cake releases. The side you want to ice will be down. When ready to ice, get your serving plate and place it on top (the bottom) of your cake and flip it over like you did before. The other piece of your cake will be on the correct side, add your icing layer and then place it on top. These cakes look best when the icing does not go down the sides. It also keeps it from being over iced, distracting from the banana flavor.
Cream Cheese Buttercream Icing
- In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combined 16 oz cream cheese, 1 cup unsalted butter, 5 cup powdered sugar (you can use more if you want. I didn't want an overly powdered sugar taste because I wanted it to taste more like buttercream), 1 teaspoon salt 4 teaspoon vanilla extract. NOTE: This is way more icing than you need.
- Ice your cake: Spread the icing on top of the bottom layer (the cut side). Place your second layer (cut side down) on top of the icing, and spread a layer of icing on the top (which is the bottom) of the top layer. Leave the sides icing free for a more traditional feel for banana cake. If you refrigerate the cake for 30 minutes to an hour, it makes slicing