Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

This super easy Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is moist and delicious with a hint of cinnamon throughout.

If you have loads of ripe bananas don’t forget to check out my One Bowl Chocolate Chip Banana Bread too! It’s a keeper!

I brought this delicious banana cake to a family party and it was a huge hit. Everyone went back for seconds!

Difference Between Banana Bread and Banana Cake?

So what exactly is the difference between banana bread and banana cake? 

Banana bread is typically more dense and baked in a bread loaf pan with a more coarse crumb texture.

A Banana cake has more of a light and airy cake consistency, while still being really moist from the bananas. The texture of the crumb on a banana cake is also lighter and less dense.

Easy Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

The reason I decided to bake this cake in a large sheet pan is because of the cake to frosting ratio. I wanted the cake to be moist and tender, but not too thick.

Spreading the batter out into a sheet pan made the cake thinner, while still moist and the frosting on top was the perfect amount to give that added touch of sweetness.

Ingredients For Banana Cake:

Here’s the basic list of ingredients you’ll need in order to make this simple Banana Cake recipe. As always, you can find the full list of ingredients located in the recipe card below.

• Ripe Bananas
• All Purpose Flour
• Baking Powder
•  Baking Soda
• Cinnamon
• Butter – unsalted
• Sugar
• Brown Sugar
• Eggs
• Buttermilk – don’t have it? Try making it with this simple hack! 

How To Make Banana Cake

CREAM THE BUTTER    To make this easy banana cake from scratch, start by creaming the butter in a bowl until it’s nice and fluffy, about 1 minute. Then add in the sugar and brown sugar and continue beating for an additional 2 minutes until it’s nice and combined.

Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

ADD WET INGREDIENTS   Add the eggs one at a time, while continuing to beat in between. Then add in the mashed banana and vanilla extract.

ALTERNATE DRY INGREDIENTS    Finally, alternate adding the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients with the buttermilk. Keep beating just until combined. Spread batter into a prepared sheet pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Just a touch of cinnamon in the cream cheese frosting gives the whole cake a deliciously warm taste.

Here’s what you’ll need in order to make this creamy and luscious frosting…

• Cream Cheese – softened
• Butter – softened
• Vanilla Extract
• Salt
• Cinnamon
• Powdered Sugar

Place the butter and cream cheese in the bowl of your mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and beat until creamy. Add in the vanilla, salt, cinnamon and powdered sugar and mix on low speed until combined, then increase speed and beat until fluffy.

Spread the icing completely over the cooled cake.

PRO TIP:  Since this cake has cream cheese in the frosting it will need to be stored (covered) in the fridge.

What Size Cake Pan?

Like I mentioned earlier, we’re baking this banana cake in a sheet pan that is approximately 13″ x 18″. This is called a “Half Sheet” in the baking world.

I have this set from Amazon, which includes a sturdy lid, making it easy to bake the cake and then store it in the fridge.

Can I Use a 9×13 Pan?

With this recipe you’ll be better off using a sheet pan. If you don’t have a sheet pan and would prefer to use a standard cake pan, give this Banana Crumb Cake recipe a try!

More Ways To Use Ripe Bananas

If you have a plethora of ripe bananas to use up, I’ve got several more recipes for you to try out!

• Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
• Cranberry Banana Bread
• Banana Split Cake
• Chocolate Chip Banana Zucchini Bread

I can’t wait for you to give this Easy Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting a try! I know you’ll love it just as much as we do.