Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
A delightful cake that combines the natural sweetness of ripe bananas with creamy cream cheese frosting, perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 4 large ripe bananas about 2 cups mashed
- 3.5 cups all purpose flour
- 1.25 teaspoons baking powder
- 1.25 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 0.25 teaspoon salt
- 0.75 cups unsalted butter softened
- 1.25 cups granulated sugar
- 0.5 cups brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1.5 cups lowfat buttermilk
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- 0.5 cups butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 0.25 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 0.125 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13'x18' sheet pan with non-stick spray and set it aside.
- In a bowl, mash the ripe bananas thoroughly with a fork until they are smooth, then set them aside.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set this dry mixture aside.
Making the Cake
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the softened butter for about 1 minute until creamy.
- Add in the granulated sugar and brown sugar, and beat for an additional 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating on low speed until each is just incorporated. Blend in the vanilla extract, scraping down the bowl as necessary.
- Stir in the mashed bananas to the wet mixture in the mixer bowl and mix well.
- Alternate adding in 1/3 of the flour mixture and 1/3 of the buttermilk to the wet ingredients, mixing well in between each addition. The batter should be slightly lumpy.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared sheet pan. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely on a wire rack.
Making the Frosting
- While the cake cools, in a clean bowl of your stand mixer, beat together the softened cream cheese and butter for about 2-3 minutes until light and creamy.
- Add in the vanilla extract, cinnamon, and salt, mixing until just combined.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar slowly at first to avoid a sugar cloud, then increase the speed and beat for an additional 2 minutes until fluffy.
Assembly
- Once the banana cake is cool, spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the top. Cover and store your frosted banana cake in the fridge until ready to serve.
Notes
Use very ripe bananas for the best flavor and natural sweetness. Ensure your butter and cream cheese are at room temperature for easy mixing. Do not overmix to keep the cake light and fluffy. Optionally, add chopped nuts or chocolate chips to the batter for extra flavor.
