Banana Cake With Banana Frosting

Written by
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes and articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Diana Rattray
Updated 04/20/21
Banana Cake With Banana Frosting

The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck
Prep: 20 mins
Cook: 25 mins
Total: 45 mins
Servings: 18 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
252 Calories
9g Fat
43g Carbs
2g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 18
Amount per serving
Calories 252
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 9g 12%
Saturated Fat 5g 26%
Cholesterol 43mg 14%
Sodium 192mg 8%
Total Carbohydrate 43g 16%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Protein 2g
Calcium 57mg 4%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

This banana cake recipe is flavored with cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. While most banana cakes are topped with cream cheese frosting, this two-layer cake is frosted with a banana buttercream frosting, giving it a delightfully strong banana flavor.

For best results, use very ripe bananas. They add more flavor and sweetness than unripe bananas. They're also easier to mash. If you end up with too many bananas and no time for baking, simply freeze ripe bananas for later. Defrosted, they will work perfectly in this cake.

This fruity, moist cake is a nice alternative to chocolate or vanilla. Make it for your next potluck, gathering, or family dinner.

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Ingredients

  • For the Cake:
  • 2 1/2 cups cake flour (sift before measuring)
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
  • 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3 bananas (ripe, peeled, and mashed; about 1 1/2 cups)
  • For the Frosting:
  • 1/4 cup butter (room temperature)
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup mashed banana
  • 1/4 teaspoon white vinegar
  • 3 1/2 cups confectioner's sugar (sifted)
  • Optional: toasted pecans (chopped)

Steps to Make It

Note: while there are multiple steps to this recipe, this banana cake is broken down into workable categories to help you better plan for preparation and cooking.

Make the Cake

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Banana Cake ingredients

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Grease two 9-inch layer cake pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper rounds.

    greased cake pans with parchment paper rounds

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices in a medium bowl.

    flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices in a bowl

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  4. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy using a hand mixer (or in the bowl of a stand mixer).

    butter creamed together with sugar

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.

    add eggs and vanilla to the butter and sugar mixture

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with the mashed bananas, beginning and ending with dry ingredients. Beat well after each addition.

    add dry ingredients and banana mixture to the butter mixture

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  7. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cake springs back when touched lightly with a finger.

    baked banana cake in cake pans

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  8. Cool in the pans for about 10 minutes. Remove to racks and remove the parchment paper. Cool the cakes thoroughly before frosting.

    banana cakes on a cooling rack

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Make the Frosting

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    banana frosting ingredients

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Cream together the butter and salt in a large mixing bowl.

    butter and salt creamed together

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Combine the mashed banana and vinegar in a separate small bowl.

    Combine the mashed banana and vinegar

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Add banana mixture to butter mixture alternately with the sifted confectioners' sugar. Beat until the frosting is fluffy.

    banana mixture and sugar added to the butter mixture and beat together

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Use to frost the cooled cake, stacking the two layers with frosting in between.

    banana frosting on a layer of banana cake

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Garnish the top and/or sides of cake with chopped, toasted pecans, if desired.

    Banana Cake With Banana Frosting

    The Spruce / Julia Hartbeck

Tips

  • To toast nuts, spread out in a single layer on a baking sheet. Toast in a 350 F oven, stirring occasionally, for 10 to 15 minutes. Alternatively, toast in an ungreased skillet over medium heat, stirring, until golden brown and aromatic.
  • Make your own confectioners sugar easily and quickly with just granulated sugar. This way, you only make as much as you need, saving money.

Recipe Variations

  • Change up the frosting if you'd like, and use buttercream or chocolate frosting. We're partial to the banana frosting ourselves though.
  • Instead of toasted pecans, feel free to use walnuts in their place.