Buttermilk Banana Cake

Buttermilk Banana Cake is one of the few cakes I could eat all day long and never get sick of! It’s moist, flavorful, not too sweet, and packed with bananas. And that glaze? Mmmm, pass me a fork, please!

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I love this cake and I’m not a big sweets person. In fact, I love it so much that when I bake it, I freeze slices of it and hide them in the back of the freezer so that my kids can’t find it! I first started making this cake a gazillion years ago when I had my deli, and we’d make individual-sized bundt cakes and they’d sell out!

This Buttermilk Banana Cake is easy, moist, flavorful, and not too sweet – just how I like a cake! And that glaze! Mmm, omigosh, it’s so good! It’s a cream cheese glaze that’s lightly sweetened, and the combination of flavors is out of this world!

What You’ll Love About Buttermilk Banana Cake

• It’s moist, flavorful, easy to make, and oh-so-crazy-good!
• The cream cheese glaze puts this cake over the top!
• It freezes like a dream.

Buttermilk And Bananas…?

What is it about buttermilk and bananas? These two ingredients go so well together. It is the rich and tangy flavor of the buttermilk and the creamy, subtle banana flavor that really shine in this easy cake recipe. Don’t substitute anything else for the buttermilk, but if you’re really stuck and can’t find any, I’ve got a quick and easy hack that’ll work: combine 3/4 cups whole milk with 1/2 cup of full-fat sour cream until smooth. This will replicate the flavor and texture of buttermilk.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour – Measure correctly by spooning into the cup and leveling off. Packing flour makes the cake dense and tough.
• Baking powder – Make sure yours isn’t expired, or the cake won’t rise properly.
• Nutmeg – Fresh spices make all the difference!
• Cinnamon – Fresh is best!
• Salt – I use Kosher salt.
• Butter – At room temperature.
• White sugar
• Brown sugar
• Eggs – Light or dark brown sugar both work. Dark adds deeper molasses flavor.
• Vanilla extract – Pure or artificial vanilla is fine.
• Buttermilk – Use real buttermilk.
• Bananas – Use very ripe bananas. Underripe bananas won’t be sweet or soft enough to mash smoothly.

For the Glaze

• Cream cheese – At room temperature.
• Butter – At room temperature.
• Powdered sugar – Also called icing or confectioners sugar.
• Milk – As needed to make the glaze.

How To Make The Best Buttermilk Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Glaze

Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.

Start by preheating the oven to 350°F and generously spraying a 10-cup Bundt pan with baking spray. Be sure to coat all the crevices so the cake releases easily after baking.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt until evenly combined.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until light and fluffy.

Add the sugar and continue beating until the mixture becomes pale and airy.

Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition so they are fully incorporated into the batter.

Mix in the vanilla extract until combined. Add half of the flour mixture and half of the buttermilk to the mixer and mix just until incorporated.

Add the remaining flour mixture and buttermilk and continue mixing until a smooth batter forms. Add the mashed bananas and mix just until combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter once the bananas are added.

Transfer the batter to the prepared Bundt pan and spread it evenly. Bake until the cake is fully cooked and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Place the pan on a wire rack and allow the cake to cool until it is comfortable to handle. Carefully invert the cake onto a serving plate and let it cool completely before adding the glaze.

How To Make The Cream Cheese Glaze

Add the butter and cream cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer or use a hand mixer. Beat until smooth and fully combined.

Turn off the mixer and add the powdered sugar along with 1 tablespoon of milk. Mix until smooth, adding a little more milk as needed until the glaze is thick but pourable.

Drizzle the glaze evenly over the cooled cake. Slice and serve.

How Do You Know When A Bundt Cake Is Done?

Insert a toothpick into the middle of the cake. If it comes out clean or nearly clean – a few clingy crumbs are OK, then it is done. If the toothpick has gooey batter on it, it’ll need to cook longer.

Chef Jenn’s Tips

• Never overmix cake batter; only ever mix until just combined unless instructed otherwise.
• Soft brown bananas make the best banana cake! You can freeze bananas – remove the peel and freeze them, then just thaw and add to the cake as per the instructions.
• 4 medium bananas will yield about 2 cups of smashed bananas.
• If your bundt pan is very full, scoop some batter out (make muffins with it) or put the bundt pan on a cookie sheet and hope the cake doesn’t spill over the top.

Make It A Meal

This is the cake I bring to a coffee-and-cake afternoon, a low-key birthday, or a Sunday-with-the-family kind of dessert. I serve it with strong black coffee and not much else when it’s just us, but for a bigger spread I set it next to my Carrot Cake Bars. Two homestyle cream-cheese-frosted desserts on one table covers a lot of ground without anyone fighting over the last slice.

If you want a second cake on the table for a birthday or potluck, my Pumpkin Chocolate Cake gives you a richer, deeper flavor that contrasts the bright banana. For a single-serving version when you’ve got one ripe banana on the counter and don’t want to bake a full sheet, my Banana Chocolate Chip Mug Cake uses the same flavor base in 2 minutes. And my Butternut Squash Loaf with Spiced Icing sits right next to this cake on a coffee table for an afternoon visit, since both lean homestyle and not too sweet.

Storage

Leftover Buttermilk Banana Cake should be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. It’ll keep fresh and moist for 2-3 days. You can also freeze leftover cake – either freeze the whole cake or wrap individual slices and hide them in the back of the freezer so the kids don’t find them.