Simple Banana Cake Recipe

Simple banana cake recipe that is easy to make, makes use of just few ingredients and produces fluffy, moist banana cake. Let me show you how to make the best banana cake recipe with this step by step guide.

This banana cake recipe is so good! Result of loads of testing, fine tuning and making this recipe for years. It's light, packed full of banana flavour from the bananas and can be served as dessert or even used as celebration cake.

You can make this cake in loaf tin, square or round cake pans. I have included measurements for loaf tin, 6 and 8 inch round cakes so you can make use of whichever of those pans you have.

Banana Cake Recipe

This simple banana sponge cake recipe has a moist and spongy texture and delicious banana goodness with every bite. It's perfect for dessert, teas or even add frosting and decorate to make celebration cakes.

It's great for all occasions and like my madeira cake recipe, no special skill is required to make it.

This recipe is simple, makes use of few ingredients, easy to make, turns out soft, fluffy and delicious. What is not to love? It's so good you will intentionally leave bananas to over ripe just so you can make this.

In this post, you will find information on what tools you’ll need to make this easy banana cake recipe, ingredients, how to make it, tips, serving suggestion, storage information and frequently asked questions so read through this entire post before moving to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Banana Cake vs Banana Bread

Both banana cake and bread use banana as key ingredient, they are both sweet and delicious however they have differences such as :

• Banana cake is soft, fluffy and light in texture while banana bread is more dense in texture and heavier.
• Secondly, banana cake can be frosted with buttercream, cream cheese or frosting of choice while banana bread is a quick bread that is not frosted.
• Banana cake is baked in cake pan while banana bread is baked in loaf pan.
• Moist Banana cake uses butter and baking powder as part of it's ingredients while banana bread use baking soda and oil.

Cake baking equipment you'll need

The simple tools you'll need to make this cake are:

Mixing bowl

Spatula

Mixer - hand or stand mixer

Baking paper (parchment paper) - To line cake pans so cake comes out cleanly.

Cake pans

Cooling rack

Cake tester

Ingredients for Banana Cake

Detailed ingredient list and directions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Flour

Baking powder

Butter

Sugar

Eggs

Bananas - over ripe

TO FROST (OPTIONAL)

Butter

Icing sugar

Banana

How to make banana cake

Let me show you the easy steps on how to make banana cake at home :

First, measure out the ingredients and bring eggs to room temperature. 

Lightly grease the cake pans and line with baking paper/parchment paper. Set pans aside and preheat oven at temperature of 170C /gas mark 4 .

Add the banana in a bowl and mash with fork or mixer till pureed. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, add butter and sugar then use stand or hand mixer to mix till batter is light and fluffy.

Break eggs in a seperate bowl one at a time (incase you have a bad egg, it wouldn’t have ruined the cake mix).

Pour the whisked eggs in the butter and sugar mixture. Pour in the mashed bananas and mix with the mixer for few minutes till incorporated.

Add flour in the batter and mix with spatula. Fold in till incorporated.

Pour cake batter in lined cake pans and put in pre heated oven. Bake at temperature of 175C for 40 minutes or till cake tester comes out clean.

Bring cakes out of the oven

Turn onto cooling rack and leave to cool.

Ready to be enjoyed or move to the next step to frost.

Frosting for banana cake

The frosting is simple butter cream but you can frost with cream cheese or any frosting of your choice. For this simple buttercream frosting and filling for banana cake, you will need one part butter and 2 parts icing sugar.

Add butter in a mixing bowl and mix with electric mixer for about 5 minutes before adding sifted icing sugar.

Mix till light and fluffy then use to fill and frost cake.

Is banana cake healthy?

Banana on it's own is nutrient dense and healthy. Depending on the recipe and portion size banana cake can be eaten as part of healthy diet. Refer to the nutritional information in the recipe card.

What is the difference between banana cake and bread

Banana cake is lighter and softer, makes use of self raising flour and butter and can be frosted while banana bread is heavier with denser texture, use oil and baking soda and is not frosted.

Tips for making banana cake

• Sift flour before use. This will help with lighter cake.

• Bring butter and eggs to room temperature.

• It's important to use ripe bananas. Over ripe bananas are the best for this recipe especially the ones with black (brown) spots. They are sweeter and pack more flavour.

• Don’t have self raising flour? you can make it by adding a teaspoon of baking powder to every 125g of plain flour.

• If you don't have hand mixer , use wooden spoon (to turn the butter and sugar till light and fluffy).

• Do not overmix batter once the flour has gone in so you get light and airy cakes.

• Use 2 cake pans as instructed so cakes comes out lighter and softer. If batter is made in one pan rather than 2, it will take longer to bake and not be as light and spongy as dividing in two pans.

• Put cake pan in middle of the oven for best heat distribution.

• Do not open the oven in the first 30 minutes while cake is baking. Doing so might cause cake to sink in the middle.

• Cool cake on cooling rack.

How To Store

Banana cake will remain safely at room temperature for up to 3 days but if frosted, it's best to refridgerate.

To refridgerate, allow cake to cool completely and wrap tightly in clingfilm or foil. Place in freezer bags and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.

It will last in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Some Other bakes and cake recipes on the blog

Easy coconut cake recipe

Best madeira cake recipe

Moist Chocolate

Best bread rolls recipe

No yeast bread

Sausage rolls

If you try this banana cake recipe, rate it and leave comment below. Subscribe to my newsletter to get free weekly recipes delivered to your inbox, follow along on instagram and pinterest for latest updates.