Prep Time: 20 minutes | Bake Time: 30 minutes | Total Time: 50 minutes + cooling | Serves: 18 pieces
So here’s the thing – I love banana bread, but sometimes I want something a little more special, you know? This cake is basically banana bread that got all dressed up for a party. It’s super moist from the sour cream and bananas, and that cream cheese frosting on top? Game changer. My family goes crazy for this – like, they’ll eat it for breakfast and call it “cake” so it’s totally acceptable.
What You Need (Ingredients)
For the Banana Cake:
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup sour cream (full-fat is best)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup mashed bananas (about 3 bananas)
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
- 1 bar (8 oz) cream cheese (full-fat is best)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
How to Make This Amazing Cake (Step by Step)
Step 1: Get Everything Ready
Heat your oven to 350°F and grease up a 9×13-inch baking dish. I always use butter to grease it because, honestly, everything tastes better with butter.
Step 2: Cream the Butter and Sugar
In a big bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar together until it’s light and fluffy – this takes about 3-4 minutes with an electric mixer. Don’t rush this part, it’s what makes your cake tender.
Step 3: Add the Wet Ingredients
Add your eggs one at a time, then mix in the sour cream and vanilla. The mixture might look a little weird and lumpy at this point, but that’s totally normal.
Step 4: Mix in the Dry Stuff
Slowly add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix just until you can’t see any white streaks – don’t beat the heck out of it or your cake will be tough.
Step 5: Fold in Those Bananas
Here’s where it gets good – gently stir in your mashed bananas. Make sure they’re really mashed up, not chunky, unless you like big banana pieces (which some people do, no judgment).
Step 6: Bake It Up
Pour all that delicious batter into your prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 25-35 minutes – start checking at 25 minutes with a toothpick. It’s done when the toothpick comes out clean or with just a few crumbs.
Step 7: The Hardest Part – Wait
Let the cake cool completely before frosting it. I know, I know, it’s torture. But if you frost a warm cake, you’ll end up with melted frosting soup.
Step 8: Make the Frosting
Beat the softened butter and cream cheese together until it’s smooth – no lumps! Then add the vanilla, powdered sugar, and heavy cream. Beat it until it’s creamy and spreadable.
Step 9: Frost and Enjoy
Spread that gorgeous frosting all over your cooled cake. Don’t worry about making it perfect – rustic is totally fine. Cut it up and watch people’s faces light up.
Pro Tips from Someone Who’s Made This A Lot
- Use really ripe bananas: Like, the ones you think are too ripe to eat. Those black-spotted bananas are perfect for this cake.
- Don’t skip the full-fat stuff: I tried making this with light sour cream once. Big mistake. Full-fat makes it so much better.
- Room temperature everything: Take your butter, eggs, and cream cheese out like an hour before you start. Cold ingredients don’t mix well.
- Test with a toothpick: Every oven is different. Mine always takes closer to 30 minutes, but start checking at 25.
Ways to Make It Even Better
- Add some walnuts: Fold in about 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts with the bananas
- Chocolate version: Add 1/4 cup cocoa powder and some chocolate chips
- Spice it up: A pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg is really good
- Lemon twist: Add some lemon zest to the frosting
Why This Works So Well
The sour cream is the secret weapon here. It makes the cake super moist and gives it this amazing tender crumb. Plus the bananas add natural sweetness and keep it from getting dry. And that cream cheese frosting? It’s like the perfect partner – not too sweet, just creamy and tangy.
Perfect for Any Time
This cake is great for:
- When you have bananas that are getting too ripe
- Potluck dinners (everyone always asks for the recipe)
- Weekend baking projects
- Birthday parties for people who don’t love super sweet cake
- Tuesday afternoon because why not
Storage and Leftovers
- Keep it covered in the fridge for up to 5 days
- The cake actually gets better after sitting overnight
- You can freeze pieces wrapped in plastic wrap
- Pro tip: eat it cold straight from the fridge – it’s amazing
Make It Ahead
You can totally make this ahead of time:
- Bake the cake a day early, wrap it well, and frost the next day
- The frosted cake keeps really well for a couple days
- You can even freeze the unfrosted cake for up to 3 months
Shopping Tips
Here’s what to look for:
- Bananas: The ones on sale because they’re getting brown – perfect for this recipe
- Cream cheese: Get the brick kind, not the tub stuff, for better frosting
- Sour cream: Full-fat, not light – trust me on this one
Kid-Friendly Baking
This is a great recipe to make with kids:
- They love mashing the bananas (just give them a fork and let them go crazy)
- Simple steps they can help with
- The frosting part is fun for them to watch
- They feel proud when they help make something this good
The Real Deal
Look, this isn’t the fanciest cake in the world, but it’s one of those recipes that just works. Every time I make it, people ask me for the recipe. It’s moist, it’s flavorful, and that frosting makes it feel special without being over the top.
Give it a try next time you have some bananas hanging around – I guarantee it’ll become one of your go-to recipes!
