Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting (Super Moist & Easy)

If you love banana bread, just wait until you try this moist and fluffy banana cake with cream cheese frosting recipe. It has all the banana flavor you crave, but with the soft, tender crumb of a bakery‑style cake. And the frosting? A tangy, creamy swirl of cream cheese goodness that makes this cake absolutely irresistible.

This is the cake I bake when I want something a little nostalgic (hello, childhood banana bread memories) but dressed up enough for birthdays, holidays, or Sunday dinners. The best part? You can bake it as a 9×13 sheet cake for easy serving or as a 3‑layer 8‑inch cake for a showstopper dessert.

Watch How to Make Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

What Is Banana Cake?

Banana cake is a light, fluffy cake made with ripe mashed bananas. While it’s often compared to banana bread, the two are very different:

• Banana bread is denser, more rustic, and usually baked in a loaf pan. It’s delicious sliced and served with coffee, but it leans more toward quick bread than cake.
• Banana cake, on the other hand, has the tender, soft crumb of a traditional layer cake. It’s sweeter, fluffier, and designed to be frosted—most commonly with cream cheese frosting.

This recipe combines the best of both worlds: the strong banana flavor you’d expect from banana bread, but with the airy, bakery‑style texture of cake. That’s what makes banana cake the perfect dessert for birthdays, potlucks, or anytime you want something a little more special than banana bread.

If you love banana desserts, you have to try our Homemade Banana Pudding Recipe or our No-Churn Banana Pudding Ice Cream!

What Is Cream Cheese Frosting?

Cream cheese frosting is a rich, tangy frosting made from cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Unlike classic buttercream, which is purely sweet, cream cheese frosting has a slight tanginess that balances rich cakes like banana cake, carrot cake, and red velvet cake.

Its smooth, creamy texture makes it perfect for swooping over sheet cakes, but it can also be whipped until light and fluffy for layer cakes.

Not a fan of cream cheese frosting? Banana cake also pairs beautifully with whipped vanilla frosting, chocolate ganache, or chocolate buttercream.

Why You’ll Love This Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

• Moist and fluffy – The combination of butter, a touch of oil, and buttermilk keeps this banana cake soft and tender without turning dense. Want to take your cakes to the next level? Check out my full guide on how to keep cakes moist and fluffy for all my pro baker tips.
• Full banana flavor – Two full cups of ripe bananas make sure the banana flavor shines through.
• Versatile – Make it as a simple sheet cake or stack it into a layer cake for special occasions.
• Perfect pairing – The tangy cream cheese frosting balances the sweetness of the cake beautifully.

If you’ve already tried my vanilla cake recipe or my famous banana bread, this banana cake is like the happy middle ground you didn’t know you needed.

Ingredients You’ll Need for Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Here’s what makes this banana cake recipe so good:

• Cake flour – This is the secret to that soft, bakery‑style crumb that makes banana cake feel like a true dessert rather than banana bread. If you don’t have cake flour, I highly recommend it for the best texture, but you can substitute with all‑purpose flour and cornstarch. Learn exactly how (and when to use each flour) in my guide on cake flour vs. all‑purpose flour and how to make a substitute.
• Brown sugar – Light brown sugar adds moisture and depth of flavor to banana cake. The molasses in brown sugar brings a subtle caramel note that pairs beautifully with ripe bananas and cream cheese frosting.
• Granulated sugar – Balances out the brown sugar and keeps the cake fluffy. Using only brown sugar would make the crumb a little heavier, so the mix of the two is what gives you that perfect balance of light texture and rich flavor.
• Butter – Unsalted butter gives the cake richness and that classic buttery flavor. Creaming it with the sugar also helps create structure and fluffiness in the batter. If you only used oil, the cake would be moist but lacking in flavor depth.
• Oil – A little oil goes a long way! Oil helps keep the cake extra soft and moist, even after a day or two. The combination of butter + oil is my secret weapon for cakes that are both flavorful and long‑lasting.
• Eggs – Eggs bind the batter together, provide structure, and help with leavening. They also add richness. Please make sure they’re at room temperature so they incorporate smoothly into the batter. Learn all about the importance of room temperature ingredients in my guide.
• Vanilla extract or paste – Brings warmth and enhances the natural banana flavor. For a bakery‑style finish, I like using vanilla bean paste, but extract works perfectly.
• Bananas – The star of the show! You’ll need very ripe bananas with lots of black spots on the peel. The riper the banana, the sweeter and more flavorful your cake will be.
• Buttermilk – Adds moisture, a slight tang, and helps create a tender crumb. The acidity reacts with the baking soda to give the cake a little extra lift. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, make a quick substitute with milk and vinegar or lemon juice.
• Baking powder & baking soda – These leaveners work together to help the cake rise. The baking soda reacts with the acidity in the buttermilk and bananas, while baking powder gives the cake additional lift.
• Salt – Just a little, but it’s important! Salt enhances all the other flavors in the cake and keeps it from tasting flat.
• Cinnamon – While optional, I highly recommend adding a little ground cinnamon to your banana cake. It enhances the natural sweetness of the bananas and adds a warm, cozy flavor that makes the cake taste even more homemade. If you prefer a pure banana flavor, you can leave it out, but even ½ to 1 teaspoon makes a noticeable difference.

Pro Tip: Don’t be afraid of using bananas that look “too ripe.” The darker and softer, the sweeter your cake will be.

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients

Cream cheese – The star of the frosting! Cream cheese gives this frosting its signature tangy flavor and silky smooth texture. Use full‑fat block cream cheese (not whipped or spreadable) for the best results. Lower‑fat cream cheese contains more water, which can make your frosting thin and runny.

Butter – Unsalted butter balances out the tang of cream cheese and adds richness. It also helps create a smooth, fluffy frosting when beaten with the cream cheese. Make sure it’s softened to room temperature so it blends seamlessly.

Powdered sugar – Sweetens and stabilizes the frosting. Sift your powdered sugar before adding to avoid lumps. The amount can be adjusted depending on whether you prefer a softer, more tangy frosting (less sugar) or a thicker, pipeable one (more sugar).

Vanilla extract or paste – Adds warmth and rounds out the flavors. A little vanilla makes the frosting taste more bakery‑style. You can swap with vanilla bean paste for those pretty specks.

Salt – Just a pinch of salt enhances the tanginess and balances the sweetness of the frosting. Without it, the frosting can taste overly sweet.

How to Make Banana Cake (Step-by-Step Instructions)

Step 1: Prep Your Cake Pans

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). For a sheet cake, grease and line a 9×13 pan. For a layer cake, grease and line three 8‑inch pans with parchment.

Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.

Step 3: Cream Butter, Oil, and Sugars

In a stand mixer, beat the softened butter, oil, brown sugar, and white sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3–4 minutes. This step adds air for a fluffy crumb.

Step 4: Add Eggs and Vanilla

Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla extract.

Step 5: Mash and Add Bananas

Mash your bananas until smooth (some small lumps are okay). Mix them into the batter until just combined.

Step 6: Alternate Flour and Buttermilk

Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the buttermilk in 2 additions (Flour → Buttermilk → Flour → Buttermilk → Flour). Mix on low speed until just combined.

Step 7: Bake the Banana Cake

• 9×13 cake: 35–40 minutes
• Three 8‑inch layers: 25–30 minutes

The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs.

Step 8: Cool and Frost Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Let cakes cool completely before spreading on the frosting.

How to Make the Cream Cheese Frosting

Step 1: Beat cream cheese and butter

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or with a hand mixer), beat the cream cheese and softened butter together on medium‑high speed until completely smooth and creamy, about 2–3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Step 2: Add vanilla and salt

Mix in the vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. This enhances the flavor and balances the sweetness of the sugar.

Step 3: Add powdered sugar gradually

Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time. Once incorporated, increase the speed to medium‑high and beat until the frosting is fluffy and smooth. For a softer, tangier frosting, use 3 ½ cups powdered sugar; for a thicker, pipeable frosting use 4 cups.

Step 4: Adjust consistency

If the frosting is too thick, add 1 tablespoon of milk or cream and beat again. If it’s too soft, add more powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, until it reaches your desired consistency.

Tips for the Best Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

• Use very ripe bananas. Black‑spotted bananas give you the sweetest, strongest flavor.
• Don’t overmix. Once you add the flour, mix only until just combined for a tender crumb.
• Measure flour correctly. Spoon into the cup and level off, or better yet—use a kitchen scale.
• Cool completely before frosting. A warm cake will melt your frosting.
• Make-ahead friendly. Bake the cake layers a day in advance, wrap tightly, and frost the next day.

Fun Variations and Add‑Ins

• Banana Cake with Chocolate Frosting – Swap the cream cheese frosting for chocolate frosting! Yum!
• Banana Nut Cake – Fold 1 cup of chopped toasted walnuts or pecans into the batter.
• Banana Cupcakes – Divide the batter into 24 cupcakes and bake for 18–22 minutes.
• Banana Sheet Cake with Cinnamon Frosting – Add ½ tsp cinnamon to the frosting for a warm twist.

How to Store Banana Cake

• Room Temp: Unfrosted cake layers can be stored airtight for up to 2 days.
• Fridge: Frosted cake keeps 4–5 days in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature before serving.
• Freezer: Wrap unfrosted layers in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight.

Frequently Asked Questions on Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Why is my banana cake dry?
Usually from overbaking or too much flour. Make sure to measure flour correctly and check for doneness early.

This recipe, though, is specifically designed to prevent a dry banana cake! Truthfully, it’s nearly impossible with the oil and buttermilk. If you want to learn more about how to create moist cakes, check out our guide, How to Make a Cake Moist and Fluffy: Pro Tips You Need to Know.

Can I use frozen bananas in banana cake with cream cheese frosting?
Yes! Thaw them fully, drain any excess liquid, and mash before adding to the batter.

Can I make banana cake without buttermilk?
Yes—use sour cream, or make a quick substitute with milk and lemon juice.

Can I bake this in two pans instead of three?
Yes, but increase the baking time slightly and expect thicker layers.

What’s the difference between banana bread and banana cake?
Banana bread is denser, less sweet, and baked in a loaf pan—more like a quick bread. This banana cake recipe is lighter, sweeter, and baked like a traditional cake, usually frosted with cream cheese frosting.

More Cakes to Try

If you love this banana cake, don’t miss:

• My most famous vanilla cake recipe – soft, fluffy, and perfect for birthdays.
• Moist chocolate cake – rich, decadent, and a reader favorite.
• Classic carrot cake with cream cheese frosting – another cozy favorite.

Get to Baking!

This banana cake with cream cheese frosting recipe is everything you want in a homemade dessert—moist, flavorful, fluffy, and topped with the dreamiest frosting. Whether you bake it as a sheet cake for a casual get‑together or layer it tall for a special occasion, it’s guaranteed to impress.

Don’t forget to leave a review and tag me on social media @everythingjustbaked! I love seeing what you create!