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This super moist banana cake is topped with a tangy cream cheese frosting for a dessert or afternoon pick-me-up that’s impossible to beat. You’ll never believe the secret to this amazing cake: the freezer!
Let me start by saying I hate the word moist. Always have, always will. It’s one of those words that makes my nose wrinkle.
However, I must use the word moist throughout this post because, well, there is really no other way for me to describe this banana cake.
I have mentioned before that we have a problem with buying bananas and never eating them in their yellow state.
Instead, I wait until they are a nice shade of rotten before contemplating their fate. Once they hit the stage just before “really probably ought to be thrown away,” I start searching.
Most of the time, I’ll whip up Dominique Ansel’s banana bread or my favorite banana crumb muffins, but occasionally I’ll reach deep into the archives and make the best banana cake I’ve ever had.
The Secret to a Super Moist Banana Cake
The first time I shared this recipe with you was in 2008.
I had only been blogging a few months at the time, but this banana cake has remained one of my favorite recipes for well over a decade now.
This recipe has an interesting preparation method. After you bake the cake at a low 275°F, you immediately chuck the cake into the freezer for 45 minutes.
Sound weird? Well, apparently this is what makes this cake so…well, moist!
I’ve actually tested this cake recipe without using the freezer method to cool the cake, and there is definitely a noticeable difference in the texture of the cake. If you can spare the room in your freezer for 45 minutes, it’s totally the way to go.
The cream cheese frosting on top is to die for and adds the perfect amount of sweetness to the cake.
If you have some browning bananas and are looking to make a delicious treat, look no further; this moist banana cake is a winner!
How to Make This Recipe
This is a pretty straightforward cake recipe – aside from the freezer part, that is! Let’s walk through how to make it.
Ingredients you’ll need
Most of the ingredients for this cake are pretty standard and things that you’ll probably already have in your refrigerator and pantry. You’ll need:
- 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3-4 bananas)
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup butter, softened
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
Just like with black magic cake or the best chocolate cake, buttermilk is a key ingredient in this recipe.
Even though the freezer cooling method is a big part of what makes this cake so moist and incredible, the buttermilk helps there, too! It also keeps the cake tender and gives a nice bit of tang.
If you’re out of buttermilk, don’t worry. I’ve used my buttermilk substitute many times in this recipe and it works great.
I also recommend that you review how to measure flour properly to set yourself up for success from the start!
Making this cake
The first step to making this moist banana cake is to mash the bananas with the lemon juice. Set that aside for later.
Whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, and salt. Set that aside as well.
Using an electric mixer, go ahead and cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. This will take about 3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, then the vanillas.
Alternate adding the flour with the buttermilk. Add half of the flour, all of the buttermilk, then the rest of the flour. Finally, stir in the mashed bananas.
Add the batter to a greased and floured 13×9-inch cake pan and bake for about an hour. As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, place the pan in the freeze for 45 minutes.
Frosting options
I like to top my banana cake with a cream cheese frosting, similar to my pineapple cake. I think that cream cheese frosting goes so well with fruit-based cakes!
If you prefer less frosting on your cake, you can halve the amount of frosting quite easily.
If you don’t care for cream cheese frosting, you can use my buttercream frosting instead, or even just dust the cake generously with powdered sugar.
More Banana Cake Recipes
If you, like me, are always looking for ways to use up bananas that have gone way past their prime, I’ve got some more great banana cake recipes for you to check out:
Hummingbird Cupcakes
Banana Pudding Poke Cake
Make-Ahead Banana Coffee Cake
Banana Cupcakes
Southern Banana Pudding Cake
Banana Bread Mug Cake
Moist Banana Cake
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups mashed ripe bananas about 3-4 bananas
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup butter softened
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk
For the frosting:
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 275°F. Grease and flour a 9 x 13 metal pan.
- In a small bowl, mix mashed bananas with the lemon juice; set aside.
- In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
- In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream 3/4 cup butter and 2 cups sugar until light and fluffy; about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, then stir in 2 teaspoons of vanilla.
- Beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk, starting and ending with the flour, until just combined. Stir in mashed bananas.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in preheated oven for 60-75 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. This could take longer than 75 minutes depending on your oven.
- Remove from oven and place directly into the freezer for 45 minutes. This will make the cake extremely moist.
Make the Frosting
- While the cake rests in the freezer, make the frosting. Beat the butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth. Add in 1 teaspoon vanilla and mix until incorporated.
- Add powdered sugar and beat on low speed until combined, then on high speed until frosting is smooth.
- Spread over cooled cake. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Notes
-
If you prefer less frosting, feel free to cut the frosting ingredients in half.
If you’re out of buttermilk, don’t worry. I’ve used my buttermilk substitute many times in this recipe and it works great.
I’ve tested this cake recipe without using the freezer method to cool the cake, and there is definitely a noticeable difference in the texture of the cake. If you can spare the room in your freezer for 45 minutes, you absolutely should.
I recommend using a metal pan; a glass pan may not handle the extreme temperature change well.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Can this recipe be made into muffins also? I made the cake and hands down was the best ever !!!
I honestly have never tried this recipe as muffins, so please let me know if you give it a try.
Can you add 1 c walnuts
Sure!
@Jamie,
How come we cook this cake so low at 275degrees. Usually all cakes are at 350 degrees? Please help
Hi Johanne – The temperature is correct. Please trust the process on this one! It makes the perfect moist cake. Happy baking!
Jamie
I made this cake and it is without a doubt one of the most delicious banana cakes I’ve ever tasted. I highly recommend putting it in the freezer as it does turn out incredibly moist. This is a definite keeper recipe and I want to thank you for posting it!
So happy to hear you enjoyed the cake, Patty! Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving your feedback!
-Jamie
Is placing the cake directly inside the freezer wont make the cake hard?
Hello! If you follow the directions in the recipe, the cake will come out nice and moist! Happy baking!
Jamie
Why put the banana cake in the freezer for can’t l leave it out to let it cool off
Hello! As I mention in the post, putting the cake in the freezer immediately is what gives it the moist texture. I have tried simply letting it cool and there is a definite difference in the texture of the cake. I definitely recommend following the freezer method on this recipe. Hope this helps!
Hi jamie
I would love to try yr recipe but can i use a 8×8 pan or 9×9 …do i double the recipe?
thank you
Hello! I haven’t attempted halving this recipe, so I am not sure of the result. If you happen to give it a try, I’d love to know how it turned out. Thanks so much for stopping by.
-Jamie
This recipe was lush! I added milk to the mix instead of buttercream (80mls) and I also added three teaspoons of cream cheese to the mix after adding the eggs to the sugar and butter. I added a tea spoon of cinnamon powder and a tea spoon of mixed spice when everything was mixed together and it was wonderful. I was scared of the whole freezer after oven recommendation but it does work!
So happy to hear you enjoyed the cake, Shadie! Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving your feedback!
-Jamie
Hi – I just wanted to confirm – the oven temp is 275, right? At first I thought that was a typo.
Hello! Yes, 275 F is correct. Hope this helps! Happy baking.
Jamie
I made this cake as soon as I could and it was delicious. Will definitely make again especially for family or parties. Thank you for the recipe.
So happy to hear you enjoyed the cake, Cindi! Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving your feedback!
-Jamie
This cake looks amazing; as a banana bread enthusiast that is diving into the cake baking & decorating world, these look like a great idea! I want to make it layered with strawberry swiss buttercream for my sons’ 1 year B-day (both flavors are his favorite)! Do you think this recipe will fill three 6-inch cake rounds?
Thanks so much for stopping by, Kevin! I appreciate you taking the time to comment. I’m not sure if it will fill 3 6-inch cake pans, but if you happen to give it a try I’d love to hear how it turned out. Happy Baking!
-Jamie
@Jamie, I made this cake with three 8″ cake pans. The layers were around 3 inches thick. I baked at 300 degrees and cut the baking time down to around 35 to 40 mins for the smaller pans. It turned out perfect!
Hi, can we replace eggs in this recipe and with what??
Hello! I haven’t attempted this recipe with an egg substitution, so I am not sure of the result. If you happen to give it a try, I’d love to know how it turned out. Thanks so much for stopping by.
-Jamie
If you are baking eggless cakes, use ground flaxseeds to replace eggs. 1 egg is equivalent to 1 tablespoons of flax. – 1 tablespoon of flax to soak with 3 tablespoons of water. Soak for 5mins before use.