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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.
Will this cake work for a stacked wedding cake? Does it come out of the pan nicely after being in the freezer? Thanks.
Hi, Cindy! I have not stacked this particular cake, but I would give it a try! The cake should come out nicely after being in the freezer. Let me know how it turns out!
A couple weeks ago I couldn’t find my favorite banana bread/cake reciept. I now have a new one. And both our moms agree. Good thing I have lots of frozen bananas. Only change: 1 cup sugar creamed with butter & 1 cup splenda added with flour, since it creams poorly.
I’m so glad you liked it, Liz!
This is hands down the best banana cake I have ever tasted and I don’t really like banana cake! I had a new customer ask me to make a banana cake with raspberry filling and chocolate buttercream frosting. My thought was YUK. So I searched for a banana cake recipe (I have done banana cupcakes but not cake), I passed on so many before thinking this would work. The combination to my surprise was delicious.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it, Peggy!
Made this a few weeks ago and forgot to write on here to say, this is literally the best cake I’ve ever had. Hands down. I ran out of flour, so I kinda had to guess that it was 2/3 the right amount, and changed the rest of the ingredients accordingly. I was terrified how this guessing game would turn out but…yummmmmm!!!!! So. Moist. Even my husband liked it and he doesn’t like sweets, crazy pants that he is. Thank you for the recipe!
So happy to hear you enjoyed the cake, Rae! Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving your feedback.
-Jamie
I made this today, in a greased and floured bundt pan. I used 5 smallish bananas, and it almost overflowed . I baked it at 300* F and it took 120 min. (1 1/2 hrs) I didn’t frost it nor did I freeze it because of space but it’s still perfect, not dry at all!! I also cut back on the sugar to 1 1/4 cups white and 1/4 cup light brown. The brown sugar and extra banana may have given it a ‘wet’ boost
Nana-
Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving your feedback! I am so happy to hear you enjoyed it. :)
-Jamie
I’ve made this 90 minutes ago and my cake is no where near done its time in the oven. Are we absolutely sure it’s 275? I’ll keep checking it but at this point it looks like it needs at least another 45-60 minutes.
Frosting is tasty.
Hi, Lorna! I’m sorry the cake didn’t bake the way you wanted. Did it turn out okay? I’m glad you enjoyed the frosting.
URGENT! will this make for good cupcakes??
Vanessa-
I have never made this recipe into cupcakes, so I have no idea of the outcome. Sorry I am not more of a help.
-Jamie
I baked this cake and it’s delicious. I doubled the mix and therefore the time was doubled too. 1 hour and 15mins in the freezer and then ice with topping of your choice. I used a chocolate buttercream icing which made the cake taste even better. Thanks for this recipe I will keep it for all my banana cake making.
Tina-
I am so glad the recipe worked out well for you. Thanks so much for stopping by.
-Jamie
I tried to make half of it today without cream cheese toping !!! …….The best cake ever!!!! Thank you for sharing the recipe. Ive always wanted to bake banana cake and you made my day!
MV-
I’m so glad the recipe worked for you. Thanks for visiting!
-Jamie
So after I take the pans out of the oven, do I wrap them with plastic wrap before putting them into the freezer?
Patty-
I didn’t wrap in plastic, I just put it directly into the freezer for the specified time. Thanks for visiting.
-Jamie