Our Best Banana Cake
Our Best Banana Cake is a modern marvel in the baking world, combining ripe bananas and buttermilk for a moist consistency, with the crunch of walnuts and a secret creaming process that ensures a tender crumb. Topped with a lemon cream cheese frosting, this cake is a testament to the art of baking, inviting bakers to add their unique twist to elevate it further.
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cooking Time
45 minutes at 350°F (175°C)
Servings
This recipe serves 12.
Ingredients
- Ripe bananas, 1 and 1/2 cups mashed (about 3-4 medium bananas)
- Buttermilk, 1 cup (240 ml)
- Butter, 1/2 cup (113g)
- Vegetable oil, 1/4 cup (60 ml)
- Granulated sugar, 1 cup (200g)
- Brown sugar, 1/2 cup (packed) (100g)
- Eggs, 2 large
- Vanilla extract, 1 tsp (5 ml)
- All-purpose flour, 2 and 1/2 cups (312g)
- Baking powder, 1 and 1/2 tsp (7.5 ml)
- Baking soda, 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml)
- Salt, 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml)
- Walnuts, chopped, 1/2 cup (optional) (50g)
- Cream cheese, 8 oz (227g) for frosting
- Lemon zest, 1 tbsp (for frosting)
- Powdered sugar, 4 cups (for frosting) (480g)
- Milk or lemon juice, if needed to adjust frosting consistency
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9x13-inch baking pan.
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter, vegetable oil, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract.
- Mash the bananas and measure out 1 and 1/2 cups. Mix the mashed bananas with buttermilk.
- In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture, alternating with the banana-buttermilk mixture, starting and ending with the flour mixture. Fold in the walnuts if using.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- For the frosting, beat cream cheese, lemon zest, and powdered sugar until smooth. Adjust consistency with milk or lemon juice if necessary.
- Once the cake is cooled, spread the frosting over the cake.
- Optional: Freeze the cake for 45 minutes before serving to enhance moisture.
Our Banana Cake with its moist crumb, rich flavor, and luxurious lemon cream cheese frosting is sure to be a hit at any gathering. Its perfect balance of sweetness and tang, alongside the optional crunch of walnuts, makes it a versatile dessert that can be customized to suit any preference. Freezing the cake before serving is a pro tip that truly elevates its texture to a melt-in-your-mouth experience.
Nutritional Information (Approx)
- Calories: 540
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 12g
- Cholesterol: 85mg
- Sodium: 320mg
- Carbohydrates: 78g
- Fiber: 2g
- Sugar: 58g
- Protein: 6g