This Easy Banana Cake is great for using up overripe bananas. It’s incredibly moist and takes no time at all to throw together.
Serve topped with my delicious cream cheese glaze for the perfect finishing touch.
Craving a delicious banana cake but don’t want to spend hours in the kitchen? We’ve got you! This easy banana cake can be whipped up in just minutes with a bowl and whisk. No need for fancy equipment or mixers.
You’ll love this moist, flavorful cake that’s perfect for any occasion. It’s so good, it really doesn’t need the icing, but I topped it with my Cream Cheese Glaze and it was fantastic! It could be also served with Chocolate Glaze or just powdered sugar on top! Serve it at your next party or bring it to a potluck and watch it disappear!
Why This Recipe Works
- Using fresh bananas instead of extract or flavoring gives the cake a natural banana taste that can’t be beat.
- Condensed milk gives the cake moisture and sweetness.
- Melting the butter with the bananas and condensed milk keeps things quick and easy and makes the bananas easier to mash.
Ingredient Notes
- Bananas: Overripe bananas always work best for baking, but if you only have firmer bananas, this recipe makes it really easy to use them as they are warmed with butter and condensed milk making them super easy to mash.
- Condensed Milk: Use sweetened condensed milk. This creates a tender, moist cake with extra flavor and golden crust. I don’t use the whole can because when I tested the recipe using the entire can, the cake came out much denser and wasn’t as tender the next day.
- Buttermilk: You can use fat or low-fat buttermilk in the recipe. They both work just as well.
- Butter: I always use salted butter when baking as it helps season baked goods, enhancing the flavors, but this is a personal choice. If unsalted is your preference, you can use that too.
- Sugar: I like to sure superfine sugar when baking (AKA ultrafine sugar, bar sugar, or caster sugar), but granulated sugar works just as well.
- Eggs: Use large eggs at room temperature. Beating them ahead of time helps them mix easily into the batter.
- Vanilla: Use pure vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste, or artificial vanilla flavoring,
- Flour: All-purpose (AKA plain flour) is best for this recipe.
How To Make Your Own Buttermilk
To make your own buttermilk at home, add 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup of milk. Full-fat milk is best, low-fat or skimmed milk will still work. Stir and let stand for 5 minutes. The mixture may look a little curdled, but that’s fine.
For this recipe: ½ cup buttermilk = ½ cup milk + 1½ teaspoon vinegar.
How to prevent Bundt cakes from sticking
If you’ve ever held your breath when turning out your bundt cake, you are not alone. We’ve all been there – bundt cakes are famous for sticking, but I’m here to help you have the best success.
- Use a good quality pan. Non-stick pans are the best solution to the problems with Bundt cake’s sticking, but be aware that pans with scratches or worn surfaces may no longer be nonstick enough to release your cake without problems.
- Grease your pan well. Use a baking spray or shortening. The milk solids in butter can cause cake batter to fuse to the pan. Be sure to get every crease and crevice including the tube in the pan.
- Loosen the edges before releasing the cake. Running a rubber or silicone spatula along the sides and tube before turning out the cake. Using metal on non-stick surfaces can damage the pan which can cause sticking in future bakes.
How To Make Easy Banana Cake
- Mash the bananas into the melted butter and condensed milk. then mix in the vanilla, buttermilk, and eggs. Set aside.
- Mix the dry ingredients together, make a well, and pour in the banana mixture. Mix until combined.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean.
Step By Step Instructions
Slice the bananas and place them in a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl with the butter and condensed milk.
Microwave on high for 2 minutes (the butter may not be completely melted, but mostly).
Mash the mixture with a fork or potato masher until the banana is fully mashed.
Add the vanilla, buttermilk, and eggs.
Make sure the mixture is cooled enough before adding the eggs or it could start to cook and clump them.
Mix well and set aside. Then Add the dry ingredients to a large bowl.
Mix until well combined, make a well in the middle, and pour in the banana mixture.
Mix until combined. Add the cake batter to the prepared bundt pan.
Bake until a cake tester comes out clean. Place the pan on a wire rack until it is cool enough to handle, then carefully unmold the cake and place it back on the rack to cool completely.
Once cool, glaze with icing.
Serve and enjoy.
Erren’s Top Tips
- Keep an eye on your cake as it bakes. After 30 minutes, check to see if it’s becoming too brown. If so, lightly tent with foil before for the remaining bake time.
- Be sure to follow the steps of the recipe. Mixing the wet and dry ingredients separately before combining them helps to avoid overmixing.
- To avoid the banana cake sticking to the pan, use a good quality, non-stick pan that’s greased well with baking spray or shortening (butter can cause sticking).
Did you make this?
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Let’s Make Easy Banana Cake
Ingredients
- ½ cup Butter sliced
- ½ cup Sweetened Condensed Milk
- 3 bananas
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C and grease a 10 cup capacity bundt pan well and set aside.
- Slice the bananas and place them in a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl with the butter and condensed milk. Microwave on high for 2 minutes (the butter may not be completely melted) Mash with a fork or potato masher until the banana is fully mashed then mix in the vanilla, buttermilk, and eggs (make sure the mixture isn’t too hot or it will cook the eggs). Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl mix the dry ingredients together until well combined, make a well in the middle, and pour in the banana mixture. Mix until combined.
- Add the batter to the prepared bundt pan and bake for 35-45 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Place the pan on a wire rack until it is cool enough to handle, then carefully unmold the cake and place it back on the rack to cool completely.
Tips + Notes
- Keep an eye on your cake as it bakes. After 30 minutes, check to see if it’s becoming too brown. If so, lightly tent with foil before for the remaining bake time.
- Be sure to follow the steps of the recipe. Mixing the wet and dry ingredients separately before combining them helps to avoid overmixing.
- To avoid the banana cake sticking to the pan, use a good quality, non-stick pan that’s greased well with baking spray or shortening (butter can cause sticking).
Barbara says
i want to make this banana bundt cake. But i read the directions and don’t see how much vanilla to add. That would be great to have.
Erren Hart says
Hi Barbara, sorry for the confusion. It’s 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Amy Jo says
I’m trying to get away from boxed cake mixes. Do you think
this would work with two round pans and if so suggest a bake time?
Thanks!
Erren's Kitchen says
Absolutely! You can definitely use two round pans for this recipe. I recommend using 9-inch round pans. Adjust the bake time to about 25-30 minutes, but start checking for doneness around the 20-minute mark. Insert a cake tester or toothpick into the center; if it comes out clean, your cake is ready. Enjoy your homemade banana cake! Please let us know how it turns out!
Tina Denton says
I haven’t made this yet. I’m sure it will be yummy.
Am I overlooking the info for the glaze?
Thanks
Erren's Kitchen says
Hi Tina! Here is the cream cheese glaze that I used for the banana cake.
https://www.errenskitchen.com/cream-cheese-glaze/
Please let me know how it turns out!
CarolAnn R. says
👏👏👏 This worked well my favorite cake so far!
Erren Hart says
That’s so great! Thanks for taking the time to let me know! 🙂
Alex says
Definitely worth the 5 stars! I always have leftover bananas because my kids won’t eat them if they have even one black spot! It’s easy to make, and it is so moist and delicious!
Erren Hart says
That’s great to hear!! Glad the recipe was enjoyed! 🥰
Sabbie says
What a fabulous recipe! Will definitely make it again! 💯
Erren Hart says
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thanks for taking the time to comment! 🥰
Corrine says
This was so easy and really good even better the next day. I followed the recipe exactly. I will definitely make it again.
Erren Hart says
That’s so wonderful to hear! I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe so much! Thanks for letting me know! 🙂
Lisa says
Delicious! I made a rum glaze instead of cream cheese! My guests & my family all loved it!
Erren's Kitchen says
Hi Lisa, that sounds amazing! I’m glad everyone loved it 🙂
Audrey says
So delicious, the best banana cake I’ve ever made. Great recipe, thank you
Erren's Kitchen says
I’m so glad you liked it Audrey 🙂
Ros says
Hi Erin,
The metric conversion seem wrong, 1/2 cup of butter should be around 113g. Also the number of eggs Shows 4,
Thank you
Erren's Kitchen says
Hi Ros, thank you for pointing this out, the metric conversions are worked out automatically and it doesn’t always work! I have adjusted it now and it should read correctly 🙂