🍌 Banana Bread Cake 🍌
Ingredients
For the Cake:
1½ cups (345g) mashed ripe bananas (about 3–4 bananas with brown spots)
3 cups (375g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp fine sea salt
¾ cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
½ cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
3 large eggs, room temperature
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1½ cups (360ml) buttermilk, room temperature
(or DIY: 1 tbsp lemon juice or vinegar + enough whole milk to reach 1½ cups, let sit 5 minutes)
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
8 oz (226g) full-fat brick cream cheese, softened
½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
3 cups (360g) powdered sugar, sifted
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
⅛ tsp fine sea salt
(optional: up to ¼ cup extra powdered sugar for thicker frosting)
Instructions
Prep & Preheat
Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Grease and lightly flour a 9×13-inch baking pan or line with parchment for easy removal.
Mash Bananas
Mash bananas until mostly smooth (small lumps are fine). Set aside.
Mix Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
Cream Butter & Sugars
Using a stand or hand mixer, beat softened butter on medium-high for 1 minute until creamy. Add granulated and brown sugars; beat 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape bowl as needed.
Add Wet Ingredients
Beat in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla. Mix in mashed bananas until fully incorporated.
Combine Wet & Dry
With mixer on low, add dry ingredients in three parts, alternating with buttermilk (begin and end with dry ingredients). Mix just until combined—do not overmix. Batter will be thick with a few lumps.
Bake
Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake 45–50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil.
Cool Completely
Let cake cool in pan on a wire rack for 45 minutes, then transfer to fridge to speed cooling (essential before frosting).
Make Frosting
Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Mix on low to combine, then beat on high for 1–2 minutes until silky. Add extra powdered sugar if a stiffer consistency is desired.
Frost & Serve
Spread frosting evenly over completely cooled cake. Chill 30 minutes before slicing for clean cuts. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.