Buttermilk Banana Cake recipe topped with cream cheese frosting for anyone who loves bananas! Fantastic flavor in this moist banana cake made with butter, ripe bananas, & buttermilk.
I had some very ripe bananas to use up but instead of traditional banana bread, I opted to make this delicious banana cake recipe I got from my Nana. It smelled amazing while baking but tasted even better after topping it with cream cheese frosting! I’m sure you’ve all been there too when you need a recipe for ripe bananas and don’t want the obvious bread or muffins.
What is buttermilk banana cake?
It’s a simple and easy cake recipe using ripe bananas and buttermilk to create a moist and flavorful crumb that tastes soooo good! Adding the cream cheese frosting on top is just the “icing on the cake” so to speak and makes this cake downright irresistible. Make it in a 9×13 baking dish or in a bundt pan and you can’t go wrong.
Buttermilk banana cake ingredients
For the cake, you will need:
-Butter: We need 3/4 cups (one and a half sticks) of softened butter for the cake to be nice and rich.
-Sugar: 2 cups of sugar will help the cake to be perfectly sweet.
-Eggs: We need 3 eggs to help bind and leaven the cake so that it turns out perfectly.
-Vanilla: 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract will help to enhance the flavors in the cake. I like to use high quality vanilla, but use what you have on hand.
-Buttermilk: We need 1 1/2 cups of buttermilk, but you can DIY your own with 1 1/2 cups of milk and 1 TBSP of lemon juice, just mix them together separately and let rest for a few minutes before adding into the batter.
-Ripe bananas: We need 1 1/2 cups of mashed ripe bananas (this is about 3 bananas).
-Lemon juice: 2 teaspoons of lemon juice will help to highlight the flavors in the cake and add a taste of freshness.
-Flour: 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour is the gluten-filled base for the cake.
-Baking powder: We need 2 rounded teaspoons of baking powder to leaven this cake perfectly.
-Salt: 1/4 teaspoon of salt will help to enhance all of the flavors in this cake and make it taste wonderful.
For the cream cheese frosting, you will need:
-Butter: We need 1/4 cup of butter (half a stick) to make the frosting rich and creamy.
-Cream cheese: 4 ounces of cream cheese (half a brick) will make the frosting tangy, creamy, and rich.
-Powdered sugar: 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar will sweeten the frosting and keep it nice and smooth.
-Vanilla: Just a teaspoon of vanilla can help to enhance the flavors in the frosting nicely.
-Milk: We need 2 tablespoons of milk to make the frosting the perfect consistency.
-Chopped pecans: Adding 1/2 cup of chopped pecans over the top of this banana cake just makes it that much better. Yum!
How to make buttermilk banana cake
Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F and prepare your baking dish. You can use a 9×13 baking pan or bundt pan, just grease and flour them so that the cake doesn’t stick. Set aside.
In a small bowl, mix the mashed banana with lemon juice and then set aside.
Cream together the butter, and sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
Bet in the eggs, one at a time, and then stir in 2 teaspoons of vanilla and buttermilk.
Beat in the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Stir in the banana mixture and then pour the batter into the prepared baking pan of choice.
Bake in the oven for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick can be inserted and come out clean.
Let the cake cool in the bundt pan for 20-30 minutes, then overturn on a plate to finish cooling.
To make the frosting, cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth in a bowl. Beat in 1 teaspoon of vanilla and then add in the powdered sugar and beat on low speed until combined. Turn the speed to high and continue until the frosting is smooth. Spread over your cooled cake and top with the chopped pecans. Enjoy!
BUTTERMILK BANANA CAKE
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup softened butter
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk or 1 1/2 cups milk + 1 TBSP lemon juice
- 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas about 3
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 2 rounded tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
Cream Cheese frosting
- 1/4 cup butter
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 TBSP milk
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Grease and flour a bundt inch pan. In a small bowl, mix mashed bananas with lemon juice, set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream 3/4 cup butter and 2 cups sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in 2 teaspoons vanilla and buttermilk. Beat in the flour, baking powder and salt. Stir in banana mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan.
- Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool for 20-30 minutes. Overturn cake onto a plate and cool completely before frosting.
For the frosting:
- Cream butter and cream cheese until smooth. Beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla.
- Add powdered sugar and beat on low speed until combined, then on high until frosting is smooth.
- Spread on cooled cake. Top with chopped pecans. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
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How long is buttermilk banana cake good for?
This cake can last about 3-5 days if stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
What is the difference between banana bread and banana cake?
Banana cake is more like a rich butter cake with banana added in so that it’s flavorful & moist. Banana bread is a little less sweet & can be sliced, toasted, or have butter spread on top.
More delicious ripe banana recipes:
- Peanut Butter Banana Bread
- Creamy Banana Pecan Pie
- Gingersnap Banana Bread
- Chocolate Chip Banana Cake
- Banana Cream Fluff Salad
- Mango Banana Bread
- Strawberry Banana Bread with Lemon Glaze
- Banana Cream Pie
- Banana Pound Cake
- Zucchini Banana Bread
- Banana Cream Cheesecake Bars
- Glazed Blueberry Banana Bars
- White Chocolate Banana Bread
- Banana Snacks for Kids
- Nutella Banana Muffins
Buttermilk Banana Cake recipe topped with cream cheese frosting for anyone who loves bananas! Fantastic flavor in this moist banana cake– don’t skimp on the frosting! Best banana pound cake made with butter, ripe bananas, & buttermilk.
Debi says
Thanks for sharing your amazing recipe with us on Weekend Bites! We featured it in this post: http://practicalparentingideas.blogspot.com/2016/01/weekend-bites-69-steak-dinner.html
Rebecca says
I love banana cake! I don’t think I’ve ever made it with buttermilk though, I guess I’ll just have to try it that way next time!
Jessica says
Oooh- you’ll love it! I love baking with buttermilk- it adds a nice rich flavor. 🙂
Elijah says
Do I have to use a bundt pan for this cake or can I use a different pan
Nicole says
You may be able to bake it in (2) 8 or 9 inch round cake pans but the baking time would be closer to 30 minutes and you’d have to keep an eye on them and adjust the time as needed.
Eleni Kvk says
Thank you for thiw amazing recipe! Tried it and loved it!!!
Jessica says
I’m so glad to hear that!! 🙂
PieTurtle says
Absolutely love banana cake! Never tried to make with buttermilk before. Have used sour cream in my banana breads, but never thought to substitute with the cakes too. Yum!
Sabrina says
Great cake!!! Didn’t have lemon juice so I substituted apple cider vinegar The whole family loved it!!!!
Jessica says
So glad you and your family enjoyed it!
Irene says
Hello, had all ingredients on my hand so hard the cake, buy it didn’t turn fluffy and light but dense and heavy instead. I don’t know what I did wrong, was far away from the one in your pic.
Jessica says
Hi Irene- not sure what happened! Did you add the 2 rounded teaspoons of baking powder? Is your baking powder getting old? Those are just a couple things I thought of. I’m sorry it didn’t turn out right- that’s so frustrating. 🙁
Lily says
I love the dense cake and the cream cheese. I added half a banana into the cream cheese topping. Best banana cake ever.
Jessica says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it Lily! 🙂
Al says
Funny story. I made this delicious cake but in my head I saw 3/4 lb of butter. Yes…I put 3 sticks of butter in it! Let me tell you, it was pure moist buttery heaven!
Nellie says
Haha! More butter is always a good idea, right?!!!
Kathie Spears says
Loved it! It really made a bit with my 8 year old grand daughter. This is the best cake ever grandma!\ It was very moist and seemed more like a sponge cake. I added part of a banana in the frosting. I definitely will make this again! It took 70 minutes to bake.
Jessica says
I’m so glad you both enjoyed it Kathie!
Cindy Owens says
This recipe is SO GOOD!. Made it twice, came out wonderful every time. Followed the recipe exactly, including putting it in the freezer. Won’t use any other recipe. Also, individual pieces can be frozen and when defrosted tastes like it was just made.
Alison says
Cindy, Thanks for sharing! It’s great to hear they were a success for you!
Marie says
I passed this cake out to my neighbors because I knew I would eat the whole thing!
I got thank you notes requests for another and even offered to pay for the ingredients.
Amazing how a great piece of cake can bring people together and make them smile. I deliberately put their cake on a pretty plate so they would have to return it. It was fun to get their feedback and visit for a few minutes.
What a fabulous recipe!
Jessica says
Such a wonderful idea Marie! I’m so glad this simple cake gave you and your friends/ neighbors a chance to visit. I appreciated your message – thank you so much for sharing those kind words with me!
Rosalind Bates says
Cake fell , never got done., too sweet . A waste of time and money!
Jessica says
Well, sounds like something didn’t go quite right!
jayne says
This cake turned out like a brick. Baking at 300 took way longer than an hour. And I put it in the freezer as directed. It is much denser than a banana bread. I was hoping for a light and fluffy cake. It was flavorful but the heaviness ruined the cake. Sorry I was really hoping for a new go to recipe for my over ripe bananas. I may try it again baking at 350 degrees and not putting in the freezer
Jessica says
Sounds like something didn’t go quite right- it’s certainly not supposed to be a brick. : (
Audrey says
Do you have a recipe for a banana cake that is really moist and banana flavor tasting?
Jessica says
This is my all-time favorite banana cake! https://butterwithasideofbread.com/chocolate-chip-banana-cake/
Anthony says
Made the cake and followed the exact directions it came out delicious and moist! I did not make the frosting as I felt together it may have been too sweet. I had to stop myself after the third slice and my family loved it.
Alison says
I’m so glad you and your family loved this one Anthony!
Shadi says
When I added milk with lemon juice ,eggs reacted with acid and deformed. Does it make a problem?
Jessica says
Nope, just keep going!
Maureen Seskis says
Worst cake recipe I have ever tried. You should have mentioned the bundt pan size, for starters. Read your instruction and you’ll see the omission. In preparing the frosting, you omitted when to add the 2TBLS of milk. I’ll never try another recipe on the Internet.
Jessica says
Yeah, you should probably just buy cakes in the future. 😉 When you make frosting, you just add everything to a bowl and whisk. Bundt cakes come in standard sizes, so unless you were using a mini bundt cake pan, you shouldn’t have had issues. Nevertheless, good luck in future baking!