Today we are sharing a moist and flavorful homemade Banana Cake recipe that is truly the BEST!
Even better, we’ve paired it with a heavenly butter pecan cream cheese filling. If you’ve been searching high and low for the PERFECT scratch banana cake recipe, congratulations! You’ve just found it!
I’ve always loved banana bread, and this amazing banana cake recipe captures all of those wonderful flavors, but in the form of soft, ultra moist cake layers.
While this particular banana cake recipe is flavorful enough to enjoy all on it’s own, our Butter Pecan Cream Cheese Filling takes it to an entirely new level of AMAZING!
The combination of banana cake paired with cream cheese and butter pecan is a match made in heaven.
We opted to frost our Banana Cake with luscious cream cheese frosting…yummmmm. I find that everything tastes better with a slathering of cream cheese frosting.
This Banana Cake is the perfect recipe for fall gatherings or Thanksgiving celebrations, but your family and friends are sure to beg for it all year round! There’s something so comforting about a good old fashioned banana cake, isn’t there?
What Frosting Pairs well with Banana Cake?
In addition to our butter pecan cream cheese frosting, try these other favorite frostings with this banana layer cake recipe!:
Chocolate Buttercream
Peanut Butter Buttercream Filling.
Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
Love Banana Desserts? Don’t miss these other wonderful cakes!
Banana Split Cake is a fantastic combination of banana cake layers, sliced strawberries, crushed pineapple, whipped cream cheese frosting, and a chocolate drip! If you love banana splits, you’re going to love this recipe!!
- Hummingbird Cake is a southern classic with fantastic flavor not only from bananas, but also crushed pineapple, pecans, and a hint of cinnamon. Everyone loves this recipe!
- Banana Pudding Cake– Just as the name suggests, this recipe tastes exactly like banana pudding! Moist banana cake layers are layered with a whipped vanilla cream filling, crushed vanilla wafers, sliced bananas, and a luscious cream cheese frosting!
Banana Cake with Butter Pecan Cream Cheese Filling
This super moist and flavorful homemade banana cake is sure to be a crowd pleaser!
Ingredients
Buttered Pecans for Filling
- 2 cups (190g) chopped pecans
- 3 tablespoons (14g) butter, melted
For the Banana Cake
- 2 cups (400g) granulated sugar
- 3 cups (342g) cake flour
- 1 teaspoon (3g) cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon baking powder (12g)
- 1/2 tsp baking soda (3g)
- 1/2 teaspoon (3g) salt
- 12 tablespoons (170g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1 /2 cup mashed bananas (about 3 bananas)
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons (8g) vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 cups (363g) buttermilk
For the Cream Cheese Frosting (also used for butter pecan filling)
- 2 sticks ,1 cup, (226g) unsalted butter, slightly softened
- 2 (8oz) packages cream cheese (total weight 452g) I use full fat cream cheese. Using reduced fat or the spreadable cream cheese will cause the frosting to be too soft. Soften very slightly.
- 2 teaspoons (8 g) vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt (2g) optional - it will cut the sweetness, popcorn salt is best to use because it is fine and dissolves faster
- 6 to 6 1/2 cups (690g to 747g) powdered sugar
Instructions
For the Buttered Pecans
- Melt 3 tablespoons butter. When melted, add 2 cups chopped pecans and toss into butter to coat. Spread on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 6-8 minutes, stirring several times. Set aside for later.
For the Banana Cake (Makes 8 cups of batter)
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, Grease/spray & flour three 8 inch pans and line with parchment circles (or your prep method of choice).
- In the mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients, sugar, flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, & salt. Turn on the mixer and blend for 30 seconds to incorporate ingredients
- Add the softened butter to the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until the dry ingredients are moistened. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl
- In a separate bowl, slice and mash the bananas, add lemon juice, eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla and buttermilk. Lightly mix these ingredients with a fork to blend
- Slowly add the banana/buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients beating on medium speed for 1 minute, scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl and beat another minute.
- Pour batter into the prepared pans and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until the cake springs back to the touch and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool the cakes 10 minutes on the rack and then turn out.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- In the bowl of your mixer, blend the butter and cream cheese until just combined. Add vanilla, with mixer on low speed gradually add the powdered sugar. Mix until smooth and combined.
- For the filling, take out 1 1/2 cups of frosting and add 1 cup of the buttered pecans, stir to blend. Spread between the cake layers, extra pecans can be pressed into the filling, if you like. The extra pecans can also be used to decorate the top of the cake. The remaining cream cheese frosting will frost the cake.
- Recipe makes 4 to 4 1/2 cups
- This recipe was inspired by the "Banana Cake IV" recipe on Allrecipes.com
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hi i live in nz we dont have cakefour what isbit or hiw do i make cake flour thanks
Hi Scarlett, I think in New Zealand your plain flour can be used to make cake flour. Measure out 3 cups of plain flour, remove 6 Tablespoons (42g) flour and replace with 6 Tablespoons cornstarch (cornflour). Whisk to blend and proceed with the recipe.
The formula is: for each cup of all purpose flour (plain) remove 2 Tablespoons and replace with 2 Tablespoons cornstarch/cornflour.
Hope you will enjoy the recipe.
Would bake time shorten for cupcakes?
Hi Sierra, Yes, the baking time for cupcakes will be shorter. For standard size cupcakes, bake at 350 degrees for 18 to 20 minutes.
Hey there, can I swap the butter (in the cake) for vegetable shortening? Thanks.
Hi Yuna, I think it could be done but I have never tried it so I am not sure how it will affect the flavor. Click on the link below for more information.
https://www.kingarthurflour.com/blog/2016/11/16/shortening-vs-butter-in-baking