This banana cake recipe is a dream come true for dessert lovers. It's a crowd-pleaser with its moist, banana-infused sponge and a light vanilla cream topping.
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Why you will love this cake
Moist and tender: Thanks to the puréed bananas, the cake is perfectly soft and fluffy. If you love banana-flavored baked goods, you should also try these Banana Chocolate Chunk Muffins, Banana Walnut Bread, or my absolute favorite-Peanut Butter Banana Muffins.
Pastry cream topping: The light pastry cream, folded with whipped cream, adds a delicious finish without making the cake too sweet or too heavy.
Simple Ingredients: Most items are pantry staples, so you can whip this up without a trip to the store.
Ingredients you will need
For the cream
I use my Pastry Cream recipe, mixed with heavy cream to create a very light and airy topping often used in desserts like Napoleon Cake or Mille-Feuille.
For the cake
Flour: You can use either all-purpose flour or cake flour to make this banana cake recipe.
Fats: A combination of unsalted butter and canola oil, creates a cake that stays soft and moist even after refrigeration.
Sugars: A mix of white and light brown sugar adds sweetness, moisture, and a slight caramel-like flavor.
Egg: You will need one large egg at room temperature.
Bananas: Use ripe bananas for the best flavor and natural sweetness.
Salt and vanilla extract: Enhance the overall flavor of the cake.
Baking powder and baking soda: Provide the leavening needed for a light, fluffy texture.
Cooking tips
Use ripe bananas: The riper the bananas, the sweeter and more flavorful your cake will be.
Don't overmix: Once you add the dry ingredients, mix just until combined to avoid a dense cake.
Wrap the cake in plastic wrap and refrigerate: After baking, wrapping the cake and chilling it ensures it stays moist.
Chill the pastry cream: Allow the pastry cream to fully chill before folding it with whipped cream to stabilize the mixture.
How to make banana cake
Make the cream
- Combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a saucepan. Whisk thoroughly.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract, whisking until smooth.
- Gradually pour in the milk and whisk to combine.
- Heat over medium, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens to a pudding-like consistency.
- Remove from heat, whisk in the butter until fully melted, and strain through a sieve to ensure a smooth texture.
- Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface and refrigerate until chilled.
Bake the cake
- Preheat the oven to 320F (160C). Line an 8" x 8" (20cm x 20cm) pan with parchment paper.
- In a stand mixer or using a hand mixer, cream the sugars, butter, and vanilla extract until light and fluffy.
- Mix in the vegetable oil, then the egg, beating until smooth.
- Add the puréed bananas and mix thoroughly.
- Sift together the dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda) and add to the wet mixture. Mix on low until just combined.
- Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes.
- Let the cake cool, remove it from the pan, and wrap it in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until completely cooled.
Assemble the cake
- Whip the heavy cream and powdered sugar until stiff peaks form.
- Whip the chilled pastry cream until smooth, then gently fold in one-third of the whipped cream.
- Fold in the remaining whipped cream until fully incorporated.
- Spread the cream evenly over the cooled cake or pipe it decoratively.
- Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving.
Storing tips
This cake is best enjoyed fresh, but it keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Store it in an airtight container to preserve its moisture and flavor.
If you're looking for more easy and delicious dessert recipes, you may like these Peanut butter cake, this Chocolate pound cake, or this Easy carrot cake recipe.
Recipe card
Banana cake
Equipment
- Digital kitchen scale
- Saucepan
- Stand mixer or a hand mixer
- 3 Mixing bowl
- 8" by 8" (20cm by 20cm) brownie pan
- Rubber spatula
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
For the cream
- 75 g white granulated sugar
- 25 g cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 300 ml whole milk
- 20 g unsalted butter
- 125 ml heavy whipping cream
- 2 tablespoon powdered sugar
For the cake
- 60 g white granulated sugar
- 60 g light brown sugar
- 80 g unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 200 g bananas 2 medium pureed bananas (the bananas should be weighed without skins)
- 200 g all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
For the cream
- In a saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Whisk well.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract, then whisk until smooth.
- Pour in the milk, and whisk again to combine.
- Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring continuously.
- When it begins to boil, reduce the heat to low and cook for 1-2 minutes, until thickened to a
- pudding-like consistency and no raw starchy taste remains.
- Remove from heat and add the butter. Whisk until fully melted and combined.
- Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a clean medium bowl to remove any curdled egg pieces.
- Cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate until chilled.
For the cake
- Preheat the oven to 320F (160C). Line the bottom and sides of an 8" x 8" (20cm x 20cm) brownie pan with parchment paper.
- In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or use a hand mixer and a mixing bowl), cream together the white sugar, brown sugar, butter, and vanilla extract until light and fluffy.
- Add the vegetable oil and mix until incorporated.
- Add the egg and beat again.
- Add the puréed bananas and mix until fully combined.
- Sift in the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix on low speed until just incorporated. The batter should be thick.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the pan until safe to handle. Then, remove the cake from the pan and wrap it in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until completely cooled.
Assembling the cake
- Whip the heavy cream with powdered sugar using a hand mixer until stiff, shiny peaks form.
- Using the same mixer, whip the chilled pastry cream until it's smooth.
- Gently fold one-third of the whipped cream into the pastry cream using a rubber spatula. Fold in the remaining whipped cream until fully combined and smooth.
- Spread the cream evenly over the cooled cake, or transfer it to a piping bag for a decorative finish.
- Refrigerate the assembled cake for at least 1 hour before serving.
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