This banana cake is better than ever. We retested the recipe and tweaked it, and the result is so worth it. It has buttermilk for a tender crumb, a moist texture, and a definite banana flavor. It's easy to make and very versatile. Beautiful for a brunch table. It's good plain, but a light cream cheese frosting elevates it.
Yet again, my basket was overflowing with overripe, brown bananas.
In an attempt to change the incredibly good but kind of repetitive banana recipes I usually make (banana walnut muffins or the decadent easy banoffee cake) I started looking for alternatives and ended with this bundt cake.
It is less dense than banana bread but not extremely cakey as the banana flavor got kind of lost.
It's simple but the best banana bundt cake I've made so far.
It has good banana flavor, a soft texture and is drizzled with a luscious, sweet cream cheese glaze. A beautiful cake.
Ideal for tea, brunch, a picnic, an after-school snack, nibbling while working online, or any other time of day.
Ingredient list
- Bananas: always use overripe bananas when baking bread or cakes. Why? They have much more flavor, and the result is way better. They should be soft, with spotted skin.
- Buttermilk: what if you don't have buttermilk? You can buy buttermilk powder and prepare it as you need to. Or make homemade buttermilk that is super easy (how to in the recipe card towards the end of this post).
- Unsalted butter.
- Vegetable oil: I always use sunflower oil.
- Eggs: fresh, large.
- White granulated sugar.
- Brown sugar: light or dark.
- Vanilla: I use pure vanilla extract or pure vanilla paste when available, but a good vanilla essence (artificially flavored) also works and is infinitely cheaper.
- All-purpose or cake flour.
- Baking powder: make sure it's not expired.
- Salt: I like to use kosher salt when baking. But regular table salt works just fine.
See the recipe card towards the end of this post for quantities.
Preparing the bundt pan
If you love making bundt cakes, you probably know the pain of not being able to remove it from the pan in one piece. It has happened to me many times!
There are several ways of dealing with this:
- Shortening and flour: use soft shortening to grease the pan, every angle, every nook and cranny until it's completely covered. Using your fingers is messy but effective. You can also use a brush. Sprinkle flour and rotate the pan to cover it completely. You'll have to do it to one side and then the other. Make sure you flour the center tube. Turn the pan upside down over the kitchen sink and smack lightly it against the edge. The excess flour will fall, leaving a thin layer behind. Your pan is ready to be filled.
- Cake goop or cake pan-release paste: it's one of my favorites, together with the shortening method above, because it's very effective. Mix equal parts (volume: cups or tablespoons) of shortening, flour and vegetable oil (sunflower or canola) to make a paste. Use it to coat the pan with a brush. Store it in an airtight container (I use a jar) for a month at room temperature or up to 3 months in the refrigerator.
- Butter and flour: I used this method for years, but now use one of the above-mentioned ones. Good if you don't like shortening. Use soft butter (not melted) to patiently cover the whole pan, every nook and cranny, every sharp angle and space available. I use a brush or my fingers. I then flour the pan and refrigerate it while putting together the batter. I take it out at the last moment when I need to fill it, and it goes cold into the oven. Not everyone has success with this method.
- Baking spray: use a spray labeled as having flour or specifically made for baking (as opposed to cooking). It has to have flour; otherwise, you have a high chance of the cake sticking when removing it. At least, that's my experience.
- Recipe: whenever I find a great bundt cake recipe that can be easily removed from an intricate bundt pan, even though I didn’t follow step 1 above, I cling to it like life itself!
How to roast bananas:
If you only have under-ripe ones, you can roast them to achieve a similar result, something I discovered years ago that resulted in this roasted banana bread post.
- Preheat oven to 350ºF/180ºC.
- Place unpeeled bananas on a baking tray and roast until the skin turns completely dark and the inside is slightly soft to the touch, about 20 minutes.
- Let cool and coarsely mash. Use in any banana recipe.
How to make a banana cake
This is a straightforward butter cake that has banana puree. Some pointers:
- Equipment: I use a large bowl and handheld electric beater, but you can also make this recipe in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment at medium speed.
- Dry ingredients: they are sifted before using to add some air to the batter. After adding the dry ingredients, it's very important to beat *just* until everything is well incorporated. The more you beat, the more the gluten in the flour starts to work, and it will weigh the cake down. We don't want that.
- Wet ingredients: they include the eggs and the buttermilk, and, as with most cakes, they are added in parts, alternating with the dry ones.
- Bananas: I recommend mashing bananas but leaving the banana mixture a bit chunky. Don't over mash them because they start to liquefy.
Cream cheese glaze
I took the idea of a simple powdered sugar glaze, which I use all the time for bundt cakes, and made a cream cheese glaze, which is nothing more than my favorite cream cheese frosting recipe with less powdered sugar.
The result is thinner so it runs down the sides of the cake, and doesn't divert from the banana flavor.
Use the thicker version if that's your jam. There's no right or wrong with how you like your cream cheese frosting!
My formula is simple and foolproof: 1 measure of butter, 2 measures of cream cheese and enough powdered sugar to make it as thick or thin as you want.
Glaze variation
For years, I used a chocolate bourbon glaze for this cake. It's great for when you want a more powerful mix of flavors. Or a banana and chocolate something. Find the ingredients and instructions in the recipe card. I will add it as a second glaze option!
Storing
- Room temperature and refrigerator: this banana cake can be left at room temperature for a day. After that, use plastic wrap to cover it well, and refrigerate for several more days. Take into account that the fridge dries up, so it will lose its softness after a few days. It will be denser but with a good flavor.
- Freezing: this bundt cake freezes well. Wrap it in plastic first and then foil. It keeps for a month.
Kitchen notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Baking time: keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer(like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
- Pan: make sure the bundt cake pan is correctly prepared. Find more details in the Notes section of the recipe card.
- Cooling down: always use a cooling rack (wire rack) to cool down cakes, especially bundt cakes that are dense like this one. If you don't have one, put the pan on top of something that allows the air to flow below the pan. I sometimes place them on the gas stovetop (turned off!) because the burners allow that. And buy one if you want to bake often. They're an essential item.
- Cooling down: let cool completely before glazing, otherwise it will not be thick as the heat will dissolve most of it.
- Bananas: use very ripe bananas. They should be soft, with brown spots, and mushy. You know, those you don't want to eat. I like using chunkier mashed bananas for this recipe because they add texture.
- Serving it: I highly recommend room temperature for the best experience. The flavors are somewhat numbed when they are cold.
- Chocolate chips: I find this banana cake is great as it is. Make the Chocolate Chip Banana Bread, which is one bowl, if you want that flavor combo. Use all white flour (no whole wheat) for a fluffier banana bread.
- I posted a Guide to Freezing Baked Goods & Desserts, which might be useful. We all prep and freeze savory food, but what about our sweet tooth?
Pan sizes
Though this is a bundt cake, it is the type of recipe that can be made in different pans:
- Bundt cake - I use a 10-cup bundt cake pan, also known as a large bundt pan. A recipe also makes about 6 individual bundts, like the Coffee Chocolate Bundt Cakes.
- Sheet cake - bake it in an 8x11-inch cake pan and top it with cream cheese frosting.
- Loaf cake - one recipe yields 2 medium loaf pans.
- Layer cake - I recommend no more than two 8-inch layers. Fill with cream cheese icing, similar to the sheet cake above. Or with dulce de leche. If you follow my lead and use the latter (you can buy dulce de leche online), you'll unlock a magic flavor combination you didn't know existed!
Related recipes you might like:
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Banana Bundt Cake (with buttermilk)
A fantastic flavorful cake with buttermilk for a tender crumb. It's an easy-to-make, moist bundt cake topped with a cream cheese glaze, chopped pecans and fresh banana slices.
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 10 servings
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose or cake flour
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup white sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 3 eggs, room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups buttermilk (see below for substitutions)
- 1 cup mashed bananas (about 2 very ripe medium-sized bananas)
For the glaze:
- 1 tablespoon butter, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2-3 tablespoons cream or milk
- 1 cup powdered sugar (this is an estimate, as you should add until it's as thick or thin as you want)
For the chocolate bourbon glaze (bonus):
- â…“ cup cream (heavy or double)
- 4 oz bittersweet chocolate
- 1 tablespoon butter, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons corn syrup or golden syrup
- 2 tablespoons bourbon
Instructions
For the cake:
- Preheat oven to 350º F/ 180º C.
- Spray (use baking spray with flour) or butter well and flour a 10-cup capacity or large Bundt pan. Put it in the refrigerator while you make the cake batter. The cold pan will help remove the cake after it's baked. See Notes for further details.
- Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Beat butter until creamy, about 1 minute.
- Add sugar gradually, beating for 2 more minutes until light.
- Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, and beating an additional 1 minute after the last one is incorporated.
- Add vanilla extract and mix.
- Add dry ingredients in 3 parts, alternating with the buttermilk in 2 parts. That means you start and end with dry ingredients.
- Add the mashed bananas and mix just until no streaks of flour remain.
- Pour into pan and bake in the middle rack for 45-50 minutes or until a tester comes out clean. Time might differ depending on the oven and pan used.
- Cool in a wire rack for about 15-20 minutes, carefully invert onto a plate, invert it again onto the wire rack and let cool completely. If the cake at first resists, shake the pan up and down carefully or let it cool down a little more, and try again.
- It keeps for one or two days at room temperature, covered.
For the glaze:
- Beat together butter and cream cheese in a medium bowl until creamy and no lumps remain.
- Add powdered sugar and milk or cream and integrate well until very smooth. The amount of sugar depends on how thin or thick you want the glaze to be.
- Drizzle over the cooled cake that has been put on a wire rack with a parchment paper underneath to catch any drips.
For the chocolate bourbon glaze:
- Chop chocolate and put, together with cream, in a glass or stainless steel bowl over boiling water (bottom of bowl doesn't have to touch the water). When the chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth remove from the heat.
- Immediately add butter and corn or golden syrup and mix well.
- Add the bourbon, mix until completely incorporated, and let reach a thick consistency before drizzling on top of the cooled cake.
Notes
- Homemade Buttermilk: mix 1 cup of milk with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice (my favorite) or 1 tablespoon of white vinegar. You can also use 1 tablespoon of yogurt. Or substitute only milk in this recipe if that's all you have
- Organization: always read the recipe before starting and make sure you have all the ingredients measured and at the right temperature, the right pan size, utensils, and enough counter space to work comfortably.
- Pan: make sure the bundt cake pan is correctly prepared. More details in the Notes section of the recipe card.
- Preparing the bundt pan: you can use baking spray that contains flour (very important) or you can do it my way, butter and flour the pan and then refrigerating it while you make the batter. I use soft butter (NOT melted) and usually my fingers, to patiently cover the whole pan, every angle, then flour it and pop it in the fridge. I take it out at the last moment when I need to fill it and it goes like that into the oven.
- Cooling down: always use a wire rack (a.k.a cooling rack) to cool down cakes, especially bundt cakes that are dense like this one. If you don't have one (a wire rack) put the pan on top of something that allows the air to flow below the pan. I sometime place them on the stovetop (turned off!) because the burners allow that.
- Ingredients at room temperature: this is very important for achieving the best result you can.
- Cooling down: let cool completely before glazing, otherwise it will not be thick as the heat will dissolve most of it.
- Bananas: use very ripe bananas. They should be soft, with brown spots and mushy. You know, those you don't want to eat. For this recipe, I like using chunkier mashed bananas because they add texture to the crumb.
- Serving it: I highly recommend room temperature cakes, unless they have creams. The flavors are somewhat numbed when they are cold.
- Storing it: after a day at room temperature (at the most), cover it well with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several days. Or freeze for up to a month. Though it hardly makes it to the next day in my house.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cooling time: 60 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: banana bundt cake
Betty D says
This is a delicious cake and a recipe I'll hang on to. However, I did find a couple of the proportions off. I mashed 5 bananas of what I consider a pretty average/medium size and it still only came to about 1 3/4c; but that amount worked fine and the cake was plenty moist.
Using a non-stick bundt pan the cake needed a total bake time of about 70 minutes; I covered the top with foil for the last 15 minutes, as it was getting pretty brown.
I don't know how the 'glaze' would possibly run down the cake when made as directed. I quit adding powdered sugar after 1/2c and still had to add about 3T of cream before I got a glaze consistency. But it tasted good (and had to be kept in the fridge, of course). The chocolate bourbon glaze sounds amazing; I'll try that one next time!
★★★★★
doris says
the recipe called for 3/4 cup not 1 3/4 cups
Deb says
Turned out beautifully ! I interchanged Eggnog with Buttermilk and used lemon juice to sour the nog. Yummy !
★★★★★
Paula Montenegro says
So happy to hear that Deb! I love that substitution, very festive!
Deb says
Made another substituting clabbered eggnog and 15oz can pumpkin puree. Texture is delicate. Will glaze with a rum sauce. So good for gifting !
★★★★★
Paula Montenegro says
Love all your iterations on the recipe Deb!
Lisa Burrelli says
I was looking for a bundle cake recipe and I came along yours. Its exactly what I was looking for!! Can't wait to make this with my 4vyear old granddaughter!! Hoping the nuts I add make it still come out okay.
★★★★★
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Lisa, glad you like it! It will come out fine with some nuts. And you can also make 2 loaf cakes. Let me know if you have questions.
Sam says
Yum, this cake looks amazing! I love anything banana but have never tried a banana bundt cake. Can't wait to make this.