Kozy Kitchen and Home

If you’re like me and always have bananas around for the grandkids, you know the struggle: sometimes they get eaten up right away, and other times they sit a little too long. When muffins have already made their weekly appearance, banana cake turns into the perfect alternative. This cake was inspired by a vintage recipe from the 1960s, that I’ve tweaked a bit for the more modern kitchen.

This recipe calls for cake flour, which gives the cake a soft, tender crumb. If you don’t keep cake flour in your pantry, there’s an easy substitute—just mix all-purpose flour with a little corn starch and you’re good to go! For two cups of cake flour, you use 1 ¾ cups of all-purpose flour and ¼ cup of corn starch. It’s a simple swap that makes this cake accessible for everyone.

And let’s not forget the frosting. This banana cake is finished with a luscious cream cheese frosting that’s irresistible! I’m honestly not a huge fan of sweets, but I will sit and eat this frosting by the spoonful right out of the bowl. Together with the cake, this dessert is a showstopper!

Ingredients

Cake:

• ½ cup of butter
• 1 ½ cups of sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3 small ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 2 cups of cake flour (or 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour mixed with ¼ cup corn starch)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp of salt
• ½ cup of milk

Frosting:

• 4 tbsp of butter, room temp
• 4 tbsp of cream cheese, room temp
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 cups of powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp milk

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a bundt pan.
2. Whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl until well combined. This helps evenly distribute the leavening and salt.
3. Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl. Beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes with an electric mixer on medium speed.
4. Add the eggs and mix well until fully incorporated.

5. Mix in the mashed bananas and vanilla extract. Blend until the batter is smooth and thick, with all ingredients evenly combined.
6. Add the dry ingredients and milk alternately: Start and end with the dry mixture, adding it in three parts and the milk in two. Mix on low speed, scraping the bowl as you go, and stop as soon as the batter comes together. Overmixing can make the cake dense, so use a gentle hand here.

7. Pour the batter evenly into the prepared bundt pan and smooth the top. Bake on the middle rack for about 50 minutes. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. Try not to overbake, as this can dry out the cake.
8. Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes. Invert onto a wire rack, and gently remove the pan. Allow the cake to cool completely before frosting—patience pays off here, or the frosting will melt!

9. Prepare the frosting: While the cake cools, blend the butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Mix in the salt and vanilla. Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing on low speed to avoid a sugar cloud, until the frosting is velvety. Add 2 tablespoons of milk and mix until pourable but still thick enough to coat the cake. If the frosting seems too thick, add a little more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until you get the right consistency.
10. Frost the cake: Pour or drizzle the frosting over the cooled cake, letting it cascade down the sides for that classic bundt look.

Tips and Serving Suggestions

• The frosting will firm up as it sits. Once set, you can loosely cover the cake and keep it refrigerated for up to a week.
• Let it warm to room temperature before serving for the best texture, although it’s excellent cold too.