Sometimes childhood memories are so strong, and this recipe for the BEST Banana Cake Ever is one food memory that keeps us returning for more.
Moist cake with lots of banana flavour, topped with a banana glaze, then drizzled with chocolate. Dig in! This recipe for the best coffee cake is right up there too.
So simple and so delicious. You have to admit, grandma has the best old-fashioned banana cake recipe. A true delight in every bite.
I had a friend and her mom made this incredible homemade banana cake. I asked her for the recipe, and she gladly gave it to me.
I have put my own spin on it, and now my grandkids say grandma makes the best banana cake hands down!
Ripe bananas are always on hand. Turn them into something delicious instead of throwing them out. There are endless banana recipes to choose from.
Banana muffins are always a hit at breakfast. How about banana bread? Simple Banana Bread and Rocky Road Banana Bread are delicious options.
Old-Fashioned Banana Cake Ingredients
This easy recipe for banana cake uses simple everyday ingredients:
- ripe bananas
- flour
- white sugar
- brown sugar
- butter
- milk
- egg
- vanilla
- salt
- baking powder
- baking soda
Banana Cake From Scratch
This is a simple, one layer cake recipe.
- Preheat the oven to 325ºF
- Prepare your baking pan (round, square, whatever you like).
- Mash the bananas and add the baking soda and mix (*do not skip this step)
- Cream butter, sugar, add egg, vanilla milk.
- Add the flour and baking powder, then then mashed bananas.
- Scrape into pan and bake.
My childhood memory is of this caked baked in a 9 x 13 glass baking dish. Do you remember those? I decided to make this a little more “fancy” and use a *(affiliate) springform pan instead.
Best Cake Topping
I used a simple banana glaze made with bananas and icing sugar. It has such an intense banana flavour.
If you prefer more of a classic icing, some of these would be delicious for sure:
- vanilla icing
- pecan frosting
- chocolate icing
- cinnamon frosting
- cream cheese frosting
I like to place my cake on a wire rack over a baking sheet when I put on the glaze. Makes for easier clean-up. You want the glaze to drip off the edge of the cake.
Of course, I need to incorporate chocolate into this delicious banana dessert. There is nothing easier than melting some chocolate chips to make a drizzle. Any kind of chocolate will work. Milk, dark or a combination of both.
For this, I used the microwave. Then put the melted chocolate in a *(affiliate) small piping bag with a *(affiliate)round decorating tip attached. *HINT* you can also use a small plastic freezer/sandwich bag and cut a very small hole in the corner.
Drizzle away. Make it look however you like. I like to make lots of wavy lines. This is my playtime.
I happened to have some dried banana chips in the house, so they made their way onto this cake.
This cake is always a hit. Whether I make it just for the family, or as a dessert to a dinner or potluck, it is devoured down to the last crumb.
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Looking for more delicious recipes using bananas? Here are a few:
- Do you enjoy dessert for breakfast? With this Healthy Banana Split, you certainly can. No guilt!
- For a pudding that is chocolaty and delicious, give Banana Chocolate Roundup a try. Avocados make it so creamy.
- Skip the store-bought frozen treats, and make these Healthy Banana Popsicles instead. A sure hit on a hot summer day.
Best Ever Banana Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ½ cup white sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup butter
- ½ cup milk
- 1 egg
- 1 ½ cups ripe bananas (mashed)
- Pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
For the Glaze:
- 1 banana (pureed)
- 2 cups icing sugar
For the Chocolate Drizzle:
- ¼ cup chocolate chips (melted)
Instructions
For the Cake:
- Preheat Oven to 325°F
- Prepare a springform pan (or your baking pan of choice) and set aside. This recipe works well in a 9 x 13 pan as well.
- (Imporant Step) Mash bananas and add baking soda to banana mixture
- Cream butter and sugars.
- Add egg, vanilla and milk.
- Add flour, baking powder and salt.
- Add banana mixture to batter.
- Scrape batter into greased baking dish.
- Bake for approximately 25 – 30 minutes (until done). Check with a cake tester.
- Cool and glaze.
For the Glaze:
- Puree banana (I used a mini food processor).
- Add icing sugar a bit at a time, to reach your desired consistency of glaze.
- Place cake on a wire rack (that is on top of a baking sheet to collect the drips).
- Pour glaze over the cake, be sure to use an offset spatula and push the glaze over the edge.
- Let the glaze set.
For the Chocolate Drizzle:
- Melt the chocolate chips (I used the microwave).
- Place melted chocolate into a small piping bag with a narrow decorating tip inserted. You can also just place in a plastic bag and cut a SMALL hole in the corner.
- Drizzle chocolate over cake.
- Allow chocolate to set slightly before moving the cake to a serving platter.
Kylie | Midwest Foodie
I have a few brown bananas hanging around on the counter and I’ve been trying to find something fun to make with them. Banana cake here I come!! Thanks for a great recipe!
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
I know you will love it …it is delicious.
Debra
I make banana bread all the time…it’s a favorite around here. I have never made it in cake form though., With your super fun and artistic topping, I’m sure it will be a big hit. Thanks.
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
If you love banana bread you will love this cake for sure.
Danielle Wolter
i usually keep a bag of frozen rip bananas in my freezer so I can make recipes like this on the fly! it sounds just delicious – so simple but so wonderful.
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
Sometimes simple is best. Hope you give this recipe a try.
Dana
I’m a total sucker for banana bread and banana cream pie that I’ve never even thought of making banana cake! And now I’m a total sucker for that too. And I’m with you on the fun drizzles. After spending time carefully measuring ingredients to make a perfectly moist and fluffy cake, being able to drizzle squiggles is so so liberating 😉
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
Well I hope you give this delicious recipe a try, and have lots of fun drizzling.
Jenni LeBaron
I love the look and sound of this banana cake. This is like banana bread dressed up into a fancier dessert. I love that it’s stuffed with plenty of banana flavor, even the icing!
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
This cake has LOTS of banana flavour…and the glaze its the best part. ENJOY!
Julie Menghini
I love tried and true family recipes. What a delicious and moist looking cake! I don’t believe I’ve ever baked one but I can’t think of a better recipe to use up ripe bananas. I love the way you drizzled the top with that yummy chocolate too!
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
YES this has been in the family for a very long time. Hope you give it a try.
Marisa F. Stewart
Ooooh! I love how you finished the cake. It looks like a cake you’d serve after a delicious meal with family and friends. There must be something about a good banana cake recipe that makes us nostalgic. I remember making it as my first baking endeavor. From that moment on I loved baking. I’d always enjoyed helping in the kitchen. This recipe certainly elevates the banana to something magnificent.
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
Yes it is nostalgic for sure. I love when the simple classics make as much of an impact as gourmet dessert do.
Daniela
I love banana bread, but I don’t think that I’ve ever made banana cake. Your recipe has definitely inspired me to give it a try though. It looks like a really simple cake to make but packed with tons of flavor, which is just how I like them 🙂
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
Well if you love banana bread, you will love this cake too. Hope you give this recipe a try and see.
Denise
That looks so pretty with the chocolate drizzle. I bet this would be good even without the icing….like a breakfast cake. However the icing just looks scrumptious too. Great post!
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
Yes you are correct. Without the icing is delicious. However, the icing is the best part. Either way, I hope you give this recipe a try.
Courtney
Bananas are my favorite!! They make such a great dessert – I topped with some freshly chopped strawberries as well since I had those on hand. They go together well too 😀
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
Bananas are delicous in many ways. Hope you give this recipe a try.
Lois Christensen
The icing looks amazing! I love banana cake and think adding this icing takes it to a new level!
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
The icing is the best part. Hope you give it a try and see for yourself.
Arlene Mobley
This reminds me of Entenmann’s Banana Cake. Do you have Entenmanns in Canada? It looks amazing and I can’t wait to try it.
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
No we don’t….but thanks for the compliment. I will go and check them out on the web.
Jolina
There’s banana cake then there’s THIS banana cake. It looks amazing and so delicious! I love the banana glaze and the chocolate drizzle. Everything I love in a banana cake.
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
I know…and it is so easy to make too. ENOJY!
Veena Azmanov
Perfect, moist and delicious. Bananas are my all time favorite and this is an amazing combination. Love the flavors to this yummy cake.
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
This is always a hit in our house. It is gone in a flash too. No chance of this getting stale before it is finished.
Sarah
Wowza- I love this!! I’m always trying to figure out how to use over-ripe bananas, and this is such an amazing idea. I love the banana chips and chocolate drizzle too– so pretty! This is a showstopper for sure!
Gloria | Homemade & Yummy
Yes the flavours are delicious. Such an easy cake to make too. Hope you give it a try.