The Best Banana Cake Recipe Ever (Ultra Moist and Easy)

You’re about to meet the best banana cake you’ve ever baked. I don’t say that lightly. This cake hits every mark: it’s insanely moist, packed with real banana flavor, and it’s so easy, you’ll feel like a pro.

What sets this banana cake apart? A quick trip to the freezer right after baking. Sounds weird, right? But trust me—that’s the trick to locking in the moisture so each bite is soft, rich, and practically melts in your mouth. It’s the kind of move that makes people say, “What is your secret?

Ingredients

For the Cake:

• Mashed ripe bananas – 1 ½ cups
  The riper, the better. Brown, spotty bananas are sweeter and pack way more banana flavor. Mash until smooth for even texture.
• Lemon juice – 2 tsp
  Prevents the bananas from turning an unappetizing gray. It also adds a subtle brightness that balances the sweetness.
• All-purpose flour – 3 cups
  Your structural base. Spoon and level it into your measuring cup—don’t scoop, or you’ll end up with too much flour and a dense cake.
• Baking soda – 1 ½ tsp
  Reacts with both the acidic lemon juice and buttermilk to create rise. No baking powder needed here.
• Salt – ¼ tsp
  Just enough to enhance flavor. Even sweet recipes need a pinch of salt to keep them from tasting flat.
• Unsalted butter – ¾ cup, softened
  Brings richness and tender crumb. Room temperature butter creams better with sugar, creating that light, airy texture you want.
• Sugar – 2 ⅛ cups
  White granulated sugar keeps things sweet and balanced. It also contributes to the cake’s moisture and color during baking.
• Large eggs – 3
  Eggs provide structure, richness, and help bind everything together. Add them one at a time to maintain emulsion.
• Vanilla extract – 2 tsp
  Rounds out the flavor with a warm, aromatic base note. Don’t skip this—it ties all the sweet components together.
• Buttermilk – 1 ½ cups
  Adds a tangy flavor and reacts with baking soda for lift. No buttermilk? Combine 1 ½ tablespoons lemon juice or vinegar with milk to make your own.

For the Frosting:

• Butter – ½ cup, softened
  Softened butter blends smoothly and helps create a fluffy, stable frosting.
• Cream cheese – 8 oz
  Use full-fat for the best texture and taste. This is the tangy counterpoint to all that sweet banana goodness.
• Vanilla extract – 1 tsp
  Enhances the flavor of the frosting without overpowering the banana cake.
• Icing sugar – 3 ½ cups
  Sift it for a smoother finish. The fine texture is what gives cream cheese frosting that classic, cloud-like consistency.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1. Get Your Oven and Pan Ready

• Preheat your oven to 275°F (135°C).
  That low temp isn’t a typo—it’s intentional. Baking low and slow ensures an even rise and an ultra-moist crumb. Trust the process.
• Prepare a 9×13-inch baking pan.
  Grease thoroughly with butter or baking spray, then lightly flour it, tapping out the excess. You can also line it with parchment for easy release—just don’t skip this step. Cake sticking to the pan is a heartbreak you don’t need.

2. Banana Prep

• Combine 1½ cups of mashed bananas with 2 teaspoons of lemon juice.
  Stir until smooth. The lemon juice keeps the banana mixture from oxidizing and adds a light acidity that brightens the flavor. Set this aside while you prep everything else—it’ll darken less as it waits.

3. Dry and Cream Mix

• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
  This evenly distributes the leavening and prevents salty or soapy pockets in your cake.
• In a separate large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
  Use a hand or stand mixer, and give it at least 3–5 minutes on medium speed. Proper creaming adds air to the batter and sets the foundation for a soft, tender crumb. Most people rush this—don’t.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
  This helps the batter stay emulsified. Curdled batter at this stage means a dense, uneven cake.
• Mix in the vanilla extract.
  This rounds out the flavor profile—don’t underestimate how much it matters.

4. Bring It All Together

• Alternate adding the dry ingredients and buttermilk to the creamed mixture.
  Start and end with the dry. Mix gently on low speed or by hand to prevent overworking the batter.
• Fold in the banana-lemon mixture.
  Don’t beat—just fold with a spatula until combined. Overmixing at this point = a chewy, tough crumb. You want it barely mixed, still soft and light.
  

5. Bake and Freeze

• Pour the batter into your prepared pan and smooth the top.
• Bake for about 60 minutes.
  The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. The top should be golden and spring back lightly when touched.
• Immediately place the hot cake (pan and all) into the freezer for 45 minutes.
  Yes, hot. This unconventional move traps moisture inside the cake as it cools rapidly, creating an incredibly tender texture. Just clear a spot in the freezer before you bake—it’s worth it.

Frosting Time

• Beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth.
• Add vanilla, then gradually mix in the icing sugar until fluffy.
• Spread generously over the cooled cake.

Optional topping: sprinkle chopped walnuts or go full birthday party with sprinkles.

Serving and Storage Tips

• Serve at room temp—flavors bloom best that way.
• Store covered in the fridge for 5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
• Reheat slices in the microwave for that warm, just-baked feel.

Best Banana Cake in the World

Print Recipe

This insanely moist banana cake is the real deal. Made with super-ripe bananas, a surprising freezer trick, and topped with fluffy cream cheese frosting—it’s the cake people beg you to make again.

• Author: Emilio
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 60 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
• Yield: 12 servings 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 ½ cups mashed ripe bananas
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 ⅛ cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups buttermilk
• ½ cup butter, softened (for frosting)
• 8 oz cream cheese, full-fat
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (for frosting)
• 3 ½ cups icing sugar, sifted

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 275°F (135°C). Prepare a 9×13-inch baking pan by greasing, flouring, or lining with parchment paper.
2. Mix 1½ cups mashed bananas with 2 tsp lemon juice and set aside.
3. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
4. In another bowl, cream softened butter and sugar for 3–5 minutes until pale and fluffy.
5. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Stir in vanilla extract.
6. Alternately mix in dry ingredients and buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry.
7. Fold in the banana-lemon mixture until just combined.
8. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for about 60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean.
9. Immediately place the hot cake (in the pan) into the freezer for 45 minutes.
10. For frosting: beat butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add vanilla and icing sugar gradually, beating until fluffy.
11. Spread frosting over cooled cake. Optional: top with chopped walnuts or sprinkles.

Notes

Use the ripest bananas you have. That freezer trick? Don’t skip it. It’s the secret to next-level moisture.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 slice
• Calories: 450
• Sugar: 38g
• Sodium: 300mg
• Fat: 20g
• Saturated Fat: 12g
• Unsaturated Fat: 6g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 60g
• Fiber: 1g
• Protein: 5g
• Cholesterol: 80mg

Keywords: banana cake, best banana cake, moist banana cake, banana dessert, cream cheese frosting

Helpful Notes

• No buttermilk? Mix 1 ½ tbsp lemon juice or vinegar with milk to make 1 ½ cups.
• Want to jazz it up? Add:
  • Toasted pecans or walnuts
  • A handful of shredded coconut
  • Swap frosting for a simple whipped cream topping

Don’t like cream cheese? A browned butter glaze is a next-level move.

Why This Banana Cake Is the Best: Key Benefits

FAQ – Best Banana Cake

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

Conclusion

There you have it—the best banana cake in the world, no contest. Moist, fluffy, loaded with banana flavor, and topped with a cloud of tangy cream cheese frosting. That freezer trick? Don’t skip it. It’s the reason this cake has legend status.

Go bake it. Share it (or don’t—I won’t judge). And if it becomes your go-to, drop a comment and let’s swap banana tips.

Looking for your next dessert obsession? You’ve got to try my strawberry banana pudding—it’s another crowd favorite that hits all the right notes.

And hey, if you’re into real-deal comfort baking, follow me on Pinterest for more recipes that deliver every time.

This is the banana cake I want to eat.