Classic Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Name: Classic Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep time: 54 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h 24 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2½ cups (300 g) all-purpose flour, spooned into the cup and leveled; 1½ tsp (6 g) baking powder; 1 tsp (5 g) baking soda; 1 tsp (6 g) fine salt; 1 tsp (3 g) ground cinnamon; 1¾ cups (450 g) very ripe bananas, peeled and mashed with a fork until mostly smooth (about 4 to 5 medium bananas); ¾ cup (180 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature; 2 tsp (10 ml) pure vanilla extract; ¾ cup (1½ sticks) (170 g) unsalted butter, softened, still cool to the touch, plus extra for greasing the pans; 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar; ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, firmly packed; 3 whole (150 g) large eggs, at room temperature; 12 oz (340 g) full-fat block cream cheese, softened but still cool, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces; ¾ cup (1½ sticks) (170 g) unsalted butter, softened, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces; 3 cups (360 g) powdered sugar, sifted; 2 tsp (10 ml) pure vanilla extract; ¼ tsp (1½ g) fine salt

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Two tender, moist layers of banana cake scented with cinnamon and brown sugar, filled and covered with tangy, silky cream cheese frosting. A reliable showpiece for birthdays and potlucks, and the ideal use for very ripe bananas.

Prep: 54 min
Cook: 30 min
Wait: 1 hr 30 min
Total: 2 hr 54 min
Makes: 1 two-layer 9-inch (23 cm) cake (12 slices)

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Ingredients

12 servings

For the cake
2½ cups (300 g) all-purpose flour, spooned into the cup and leveled
1½ tsp (6 g) baking powder
1 tsp (5 g) baking soda
1 tsp (6 g) fine salt
1 tsp (3 g) ground cinnamon
1¾ cups (450 g) very ripe bananas, peeled and mashed with a fork until mostly smooth (about 4 to 5 medium bananas)
¾ cup (180 ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
2 tsp (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
¾ cup (1½ sticks) (170 g) unsalted butter, softened, still cool to the touch, plus extra for greasing the pans
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, firmly packed
3 whole (150 g) large eggs, at room temperature
For the cream cheese frosting
12 oz (340 g) full-fat block cream cheese, softened but still cool, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
¾ cup (1½ sticks) (170 g) unsalted butter, softened, cut into 1-inch (2.5 cm) pieces
3 cups (360 g) powdered sugar, sifted
2 tsp (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
¼ tsp (1.5 g) fine salt

Equipment (11)

Two 9-inch (23 cm) round cake pans, at least 2 inches (5 cm) deep
Parchment paper
Stand mixer with paddle, or hand mixer and large bowl
Medium and large mixing bowls
Fork or potato masher
Rubber spatula
Wire cooling racks
Fine-mesh sieve
Offset spatula or butter knife
Kitchen scale (recommended)
Toothpick or cake tester

Steps

Before you start

Set out the butter, cream cheese, eggs and buttermilk 1 hour ahead so they are at cool room temperature (about 68°F/20°C). Cold cream cheese makes lumpy frosting.
Use bananas that are heavily speckled or mostly brown. They should smell sweet and feel soft. You need about 450 g (1¾ cups) mashed, which is usually 4 to 5 medium bananas.
Place a rack in the center of the oven. Do not preheat until you reach step 1.
Plan for about 3 hours total. The cakes must cool completely (about 1 hour) before frosting, or the frosting will melt.

1
Preheat and prep pansOven 350°F / 175°C
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 350°F (175°C).
- Grease two 9-inch (23 cm) round pans with a thin layer of softened butter from the cake butter.
- Trace and cut a parchment circle for each pan bottom, press it in, and grease the parchment lightly.
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Ready when: Pans are fully coated with no bare spots and parchment lies flat.
Tip: Parchment is essential: banana cakes are sugary and tend to stick to the pan bottom.
2
Whisk dry ingredients
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon for about 30 seconds.
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Ready when: The mixture is a uniform pale tan with no streaks of cinnamon or clumps of leavener.
3
Mix banana mixture
- In a separate bowl, mash the bananas with a fork until mostly smooth with a few small lumps.
- Stir in the buttermilk and the cake vanilla.
- Set aside.
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Ready when: No large banana chunks remain; the mixture looks like a thick, loose puree.
Tip: Weigh the bananas. Too much banana makes the cake gummy and dense; too little makes it dry.
4
Cream butter and sugars
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle (or using a hand mixer), beat the remaining softened cake butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar on medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Stop and scrape the bowl and paddle halfway through.
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Ready when: The mixture is noticeably lighter in color, fluffy, and looks like wet sand that holds the paddle marks.
Tip: Use butter that is soft but cool. If it is greasy or shiny, the cake will bake up heavy.
5
Beat in eggs
- With the mixer on medium-low, add the eggs one at a time, mixing about 30 seconds after each until fully absorbed.
- Scrape the bowl, then continue for 15 seconds.
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Ready when: The batter looks smooth, creamy and glossy, with no visible streaks of egg.
Tip: If the batter looks slightly curdled, it is fine; it will come together when the flour is added.
6
Combine and fill pans
- Reduce the mixer to low.
- Add one-third of the dry ingredients, mix until just combined, then add half of the banana mixture.
- Repeat with another third of the dry mixture and the remaining banana mixture, finishing with the last of the dry mixture.
- Stop as soon as no dry flour streaks remain, then fold once or twice with a spatula from the bottom of the bowl.
- Divide the batter evenly between the pans (about 740 g each if weighing), and smooth the tops.
- Tap each pan firmly on the counter twice.
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Ready when: The batter is thick, smooth and pourable, with no dry pockets of flour.
Tip: Overmixing after adding flour develops gluten and makes the cake tough, so mix only until just combined.
7
Bake the layersOven 350°F / 175°C
- Bake both pans on the center rack at 350°F (175°C) for 28 to 32 minutes.
- Rotate the pans front to back after 20 minutes if your oven bakes unevenly.
- Start checking at 28 minutes.
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Ready when: The tops are deep golden brown and spring back when pressed lightly, the edges just begin to pull from the pan, and a toothpick in the center comes out clean or with a few dry crumbs.
Tip: Do not open the oven in the first 20 minutes, as the layers can sink in the middle.
8
Cool and unmold
- Cool the pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes.
- Run a thin knife around the edge of each cake, invert onto the rack, peel off the parchment, then turn right side up.
- Let the layers cool completely, about 60 minutes, before frosting.
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Ready when: The cake bottoms feel neutral or cool to the touch, with no warmth at the center.
Tip: Frosting a warm cake causes the cream cheese frosting to slide and turn greasy.
9
Make the frosting
- While the cakes cool, beat the frosting butter on medium speed for 1 minute until smooth.
- Add the cream cheese pieces and beat for about 1 minute, just until smooth and no lumps remain.
- Reduce to low and add the sifted powdered sugar in 3 additions, mixing until incorporated.
- Add the frosting vanilla and salt, then beat on medium for 30 to 45 seconds, only until fluffy and spreadable.
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Ready when: The frosting is smooth, creamy and holds a soft peak when you lift the beater.
Tip: Do not overbeat after the sugar is added; cream cheese frosting loosens and can become runny. If it does, chill it for 15 minutes and stir.
10
Fill and frost
- Trim any domed top from the layers with a serrated knife if needed.
- Place one layer, flat side up, on a plate or cake board.
- Spread about 1 cup (roughly 1⅓ cups for a thicker filling) of frosting evenly to the edge.
- Top with the second layer, flat side down.
- Spread a thin crumb coat of frosting over the top and sides, then cover with the remaining frosting using swoops of an offset spatula.
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Ready when: The cake is completely covered with no crumbs showing through and the layers are level.
Tip: Slide strips of parchment under the bottom edges to keep the plate clean, then pull them out when finished.
11
Chill and serve
- Refrigerate the frosted cake, uncovered, for 20 minutes to set the frosting.
- Slice with a sharp knife dipped in hot water and wiped dry between cuts, then serve.
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Ready when: The frosting feels set and is no longer sticky to a light touch.
Tip: Let slices sit for 15 minutes at room temperature for the best flavor and softest crumb.

Good to know

Tips

Freeze overripe bananas in their peels. Thaw completely at room temperature and use all the liquid that collects, since it holds great flavor.
Use block cream cheese, not whipped or spreadable tub cream cheese, which contains extra water and makes soft, runny frosting.
Weigh the ingredients, especially flour and bananas, for consistent results.
For crunch, press 1 cup (115 g) of toasted chopped walnuts or pecans around the base of the frosted cake.

Make ahead

"Bake the layers up to 2 days ahead: cool completely, wrap each tightly in plastic wrap and keep at room temperature, or freeze for up to 2 months (thaw wrapped at room temperature for 2 hours). The frosting can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container; let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes, then beat briefly before using."

Storage & reheating

"Because of the cream cheese frosting, keep the cake refrigerated in a covered container for up to 4 days. Serve slices after 15 to 30 minutes at room temperature for the best texture. Freeze unfrosted layers for up to 2 months. To freeze slices, chill until firm, wrap individually and freeze up to 1 month; thaw in the refrigerator overnight. The cake may be left out for up to 2 hours at room temperature during serving."

Substitutions

buttermilk → whole milk plus lemon juice or white vinegar. Stir 2 tsp (10 ml) lemon juice or white vinegar into 180 ml whole milk and let stand 5 minutes before using.
light brown sugar → granulated sugar. Use 100 g extra granulated sugar. The cake will be slightly lighter in color and less caramel-like.
unsalted butter → neutral oil (such as canola). Use 120 ml oil, whisk with the sugars and eggs instead of creaming. The crumb will be moister but less fine.
full-fat block cream cheese → mascarpone. Use 340 g mascarpone for a milder, less tangy frosting; add a pinch more salt.