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A perfectly baked best banana cake with a creamy frosting.

The Ultimate Moist Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

This recipe yields a super moist banana cake with a delightful cream cheese frosting. Perfect for any occasion, it's easy to make and guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 12 slices
Calories: 350
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cake
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1.5 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup mashed ripe bananas
  • 0.25 cup milk
Cream Cheese Frosting (Optional)
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 4 oz cream cheese, softened
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Equipment

  • Oven
  • 9x13 inch baking pan or two 8 or 9-inch round cake pans
  • Medium bowl
  • Large bowl
  • Electric mixer
  • Wire rack
  • Wooden skewer

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C), then grease and flour a 9x13 inch baking pan or two 8 or 9-inch round cake pans.
Mixing
  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
  2. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar using an electric mixer until light and fluffy (2-3 minutes).
  3. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, then stir in the vanilla extract.
  4. Gradually add the mashed bananas and milk to the butter mixture, mixing until just combined.
  5. Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined without overmixing.
Baking & Cooling
  1. Pour the batter into your prepared pan(s) and bake for 50-60 minutes for a 9x13 inch pan, or 30-35 minutes for round cake pans, until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
  2. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 10-15 minutes, then invert it onto the rack to cool completely.
Frosting (Optional)
  1. Once the cake is completely cool, beat softened butter and cream cheese until smooth, then gradually add powdered sugar and stir in vanilla extract, spreading evenly over the cooled cake.

Notes

For the best results, ensure your bananas are very ripe with plenty of brown speckles. Do not overmix the cake batter, as this can lead to a dense, tough cake. If you don't have an electric mixer, you can cream the butter and sugar by hand, though it will take longer. The cake can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days. You can also freeze individual slices for longer storage.