Go Back
"A delicious, moist two-layer banana cake frosted with cream cheese, garnished with fresh banana slices and chopped walnuts, with a single slice served on a plate."

The Best Banana Cake (Moist, Easy, Better Than Banana Bread)

A moist, fluffy easy banana cake made with three overripe bananas, buttermilk, and sour cream. Topped with tangy cream cheese frosting. No mixer needed for the batter. Better than banana bread every single time.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 33 minutes
Total Time 53 minutes
Servings: 14 Servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Banana Cake Layers
  • 3 large overripe bananas brown-spotted or black-skinned, about 1 1/4 cups mashed
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled to room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk room temperature
  • 1/4 cup sour cream room temperature
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
Cream Cheese Frosting
  • 16 oz cream cheese full-fat brick-style (Philadelphia), softened
  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 4 cups powdered sugar sifted
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 pinch salt

Equipment

  • 2 9-inch round cake pans or one 9x13-inch for sheet cake
  • 1 KitchenAid stand mixer or hand mixer for frosting only
  • 1 Digital kitchen scale for accurate flour measurement
  • 1 Cake tester or toothpick for doneness check
  • 1 Wire rack for cooling layers completely
  • 1 Offset spatula for frosting
  • 1 Cake turntable for smooth, even sides
  • Parchment paper rounds for easy layer release

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two 9-inch round cake pans, line with parchment rounds, and grease the parchment.
    "Two 9-inch round metal cake pans, greased and lined with parchment paper, sitting on a wooden kitchen counter."
  2. Mash overripe bananas in a large bowl until smooth.
    "A large clear glass bowl filled with smooth, mashed overripe bananas on a light oak kitchen counter."
  3. Add melted butter, both sugars, eggs, vanilla, buttermilk, sour cream, and oil to the bananas. Whisk until fully combined.
    "A large clear glass bowl containing a smooth, golden-brown blended mixture of wet cake ingredients on a light oak wooden kitchen counter."
  4. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Fold with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix.
    "A large clear glass bowl filled with the fully mixed banana cake batter, showing a smooth, speckled texture on a light oak wooden counter."
  5. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans. Bake 28 to 33 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
    "Two round metal cake pans filled with banana cake batter, ready for the oven, resting on a light oak wooden surface."
  6. Cool in pans 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before frosting.
    "Two golden-brown, freshly baked round banana cake layers resting on a metal wire cooling rack atop a light oak wooden counter."
  7. Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Add powdered sugar one cup at a time on low. Add vanilla and salt. Beat on medium 1 to 2 minutes.
    "A large glass bowl filled with smooth, white cream cheese frosting, swirled to perfection on a light oak kitchen counter."
  8. Level layers if needed. Frost one layer, stack second, apply a thin crumb coat all over, and refrigerate 20 minutes. Apply the final frosting layer.
    "A beautifully frosted two-layer banana cake with a smooth, swirled cream cheese finish, presented on a white cake stand on a light oak table."
  9. Decorate with fresh banana slices, chopped toasted walnuts, or a light dusting of cinnamon.
    "A beautifully garnished banana layer cake topped with fresh banana slices, chopped toasted walnuts, and a light dusting of cinnamon on a cake stand."
  10. Remove from refrigerator 30 to 45 minutes before serving. Slice with a sharp knife, wiping the blade clean between each cut. Serve at room temperature for the best frosting texture and flavor.
    "A fully assembled and garnished banana layer cake on a white cake stand next to a sharp knife, ready to be sliced."
  11. Decorate with fresh banana slices, chopped toasted walnuts, or a light dusting of cinnamon. Remove from refrigerator 30 to 45 minutes before serving so the cream cheese frosting softens to room temperature. Slice with a sharp knife, wiping the blade between cuts for clean slices.
    "A single slice of a rich, layered chocolate and fruit cake served on a white plate with a sharp knife, resting on a wooden surface."
  12. Remove from refrigerator 30 to 45 minutes before serving. Slice with a sharp knife, wiping the blade clean between each cut. Serve at room temperature for the best frosting texture and flavor.
    Serving Tips for the Perfect Slice

Notes

  • Use bananas with brown-spotted or fully black skins. This is the most important tip in the recipe.
  • Quick ripening method: bake unpeeled bananas at 300 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes until skins turn black. Cool before using.
  • Do not overmix after adding flour. Stop as soon as no dry streaks remain.
  • Let melted butter cool before adding to batter. Hot butter will cook the eggs.
  • Cool layers completely on a wire rack before frosting. Warm cake melts the cream cheese frosting.
  • Store refrigerated up to 5 days. Flavor improves on day 2.