I’ve had plenty of banana bread in my day. But it always seems like more of a cold weather food. Go figure, a tropical fruit that makes a cold weather bread. Doesn’t make sense, but that’s how it is.
This cake, though, is lighter than any banana bread I’ve ever had. And with the brown sugar buttercream frosting, it’s an amazing summertime treat.
Ingredients
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
2 egg yolks
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
3 crushed bananas
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 egg whites, beaten
Directions
Combine the sugar and butter and beat on low speed until completely combined.
Add the egg yolks and beat on high speed until the mixture is smooth and fluffy. This is the creaming method. (Follow that link so Jenni can tell you all about why the creaming method works for cakes.)
In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients — flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt — and whisk thoroughly. You’ll want the baking soda to be well distributed throughout the flour before adding to the wet ingredients.
Alternate adding dry and wet ingredients (milk), beating each time until it is just incorporated. Start and end with dry. (If you really care why, Jenni explains all.)
When you’re done, you should have a nice, soft, fluffy batter.
Now mash the bananas and add them to the batter.
Add the vanilla and beat until combined.
Whip the egg whites until they form stiff peaks, but not so much you dry them out.
Carefully fold the egg whites into the batter, trying not to deflate them too much.
Pour the batter into three greased and floured round pans.
Bake at 350° for 35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out dry.
Pop the cakes out of the pans and let them cool to room temperature, then frost with the brown sugar buttercream frosting.
This frosting will stay soft and creamy at room temperature. If you want it to firm up, you’ll need to put the cake in the refrigerator.
And that’s it.
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72 Comments
Looks great Drew
Beautiful presentation. I have always loved banana cake. I have made Dorie Greenspan's banana cake, which is totally awesome. I also recently posted a Bananas n Cream Bundt Cake with Brown Butter Glaze that is to die for! The cake uses sour cream as part of the moisture, YUM!
Oh meant to say the frosting looks awesome too
I've gained five pounds just looking at that gorgeous frosting! Great recipe Drew. Thanks for sharing.
Ali
Banana cake was always a staple in my house growing up. My grandmother used to make the best kind and when I went away to college, my dad used to ship me a baked cake to remind me of home. This version looks a little different and I LOVE your frosting. Perhaps I'll combine it with my family recipe for the cake!
That's an impressive cake, Drew!
I just posted a banana apricot bread on my blog, and now I've got bananas on the brain! This looks so, so good. I'm going to have to pick up some more bananas and give this one a try.
Amanda, brown butter glaze sounds good. Actually I think I always like the idea of a glaze better for bundt cakes. I have no idea why.
Ali, I keep trying to give cake away, and my wife keeps finding more recipes I want to try. It's a good thing I'm living in shorts, and they have elastic.
Kate, how is your version of the cake different?
Jenni, I started beating it and thought, "Now wait, what method is this? Oh … I remember!"
Melissa, I don't see apricots that often except in sauces, glazes and candies. How much was in yours, compared to the bananas?
Drew, I like glazes for bundt cakes for two reasons: 1)it looks really cool they way it drips all over the cake, and 2)bundt cakes are a pain in the ass to ice. I always go for the easy option.
The banana bread recipe I used originally calls for two peaches, but I didn't have any. I used four medium sized apricots instead, added to 2 medium sized bananas.
Looks SO divine. Wish I could just reach in the photo and eat it!! Guess I'll have to do some baking…
I love banana bread but is definitely up a notch
This looks delicious, though I am a little disappointed to find a banana cake doesn't have THAT much banana.
Dinneen, if I figure out a way to deliver cake straight through the internet, I'll retire a wealthy man.
Meagan, you can add more, but it will get heavier.
Found you via Stumble… and I think I just fell in love, looking at that cake. *drool*
Good thing we're both already married.
Damsel, yes that is a good thing. I don't think I could explain to my wife …
Oh, oh, oh, Drew, you are going to knock me off my diet.
Sandi, just do the cake then but don't frost it.
Oh who am I kidding. Do the whole thing, but take it to dinner at someone else's house. Have a small piece and leave the leftovers with them. </evil>
I just tried to make this cake and the icing turned out very runny- any ideas why? Also, you did not put when to add the milk into the directions for the cake.
That looks delicious, thanks you the recipe. Mine didn't come out looking as good as yours but it tasted great!
Anon, if your butter was very soft when you started, I expect the frosting would come out runny. Mine was very soft, maybe softer than whipped cream. I had to put the cake in the fridge to keep the top layer from sliding off. As for the milk, that's the step where you alternate adding dry and wet ingredients. The milk is the wet.
BCP, I didn't do the frosting, my wife did. She's the baker in the family. I'll pass along the compliment.
My mother makes the best banana cake ever!!I Don't put any frosting on it just a huge glop of cream with a glass of banana smoothie!!mmmm….
Whoa! That looks delicious! =) YUM!
It was absolutely divine. I made two of them this morning. One for us and one for my neighbors. The cakes turned out perfectly. The frosting didn't set up like it should have. I think my kitchen was a bit too hot. It is Houston and it is 100 degrees everyday in the summer. We are a family of 7 most of the time. So it was a perfect ending to a summer day. I had a cup of coffee with it if you can believe it…almost too hot for coffee. Thanks for the blog. I have it saved as a favorite and love reading it.
Well, I just read your entire blog over the last 3 days, and were I not visiting friends I would be making many of the recipes!
The banana cake looks wonderful, it's my favourite kind of cake-I'll have to try this one out and see how it compares to my recipe
Cerise, are you baking, on a 100-degree day, with no air conditioning? That's either crazy or dedicated. And then coffee?
Babyg, even I wouldn't try to read my whole blog straight through. Glad you liked it.
Hey Drew…We do have air conditioning! That is not an option. When it gets really hot outside it is harder to keep the inside cool and dry. We do have lots of humidity as well. Kitchens get warm too with running appliances. I have 4 ovens, 2 dishwashers, 6 burner gas stove (love it!), full size frig and full size freezer side by side. It is a nice kitchen, but gets warm. I just think it was too warm to make frosting and it didn't set up right. Where do you love?
This cake was fabulous, I encourage everyone to make it. I simply cannot quit eating it, it's just that good.
Cerise, I love San Diego. But I suspect you wanted to know where I live? In that case, just East of Cleveland. So yeah, a bit cooler. But I used to live in Twentynine Palms, CA, so I know all about hot summers.
Mellie, I bet you'll stop when you finish it.
HAHAHA I just re read my post…hahahaha love. that's funny. Yeah…live was the question. Thanks for answering it.
Post more. I have lots in my repertoire that I have maked and served. I am thinking that I would love to open a soup kitchen complete with the soup nazi. It would be fun and I know people would come for the soup and bread. One day we should share recipes. I have enjoyed many of yours.
This cake looks fantastic! I love all cakes, but there's something about three layers that really gets me. I also happen to be a buttercream frosting freak but have never made one with brown sugar. Can't wait to give your recipe a try.
I have a set of embroidered vintage tea towels that say things like 'Sunday Rest' and 'Thursday Wash Day,' and they're really cute, but I think Monday should say 'Cake Day!'
So glad I discovered your blog – am looking forward to reading more.
Susan, check out the comments on the frosting page. It looks like too much heat can be bad for it.
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The picture looked so dang good and the idea sounded great. So I make the cake, my wife and I both were sick for 24 hours. The combination of 3 sticks of butter and enough sugar for an aircraft carrier put us both in a diabetic coma.
This recipe might work if you live in the fat people states but BEWARE if you eat normally.
Dude, you didn't try to eat the whole thing at one sitting, did you? You can cut smaller slices, or maybe even not finish the first if it's too much for you.
If you're not used to real food, you may be surprised at how little you have to eat to be satisfied.
Holy CRAP but that cake is tasty! And big… I have never so thoroughly filled my covered cake plate. Almost every square mm of space filled with cake & frosting.
And let's talk about that frosting… I literally *hate* buttercream frosting, and yet I refused to toss the parchment scraps (the ones that kept frosting from landing on the cakeplate) for about 4 hours after I was done, just so that I could continue to swipe fingerfuls. By itself it tastes like the beginnings of oatmeal cookies! Cake & frosting together are a perfect match.
I made friends at work, my kid made friends at her work, and people are still demanding the recipe.
This was my introduction to you and your yumminess, and I must say: strong work, my friend. Strong work indeed.
Lisa, my wife had to hurry and get the frosting onto the cake. We let the girls taste it before she started, and it was a struggle to keep their fingers out of the bowl. I've got to say, though … it wouldn't have taken me four hours to clean off the parchment.
Made this the other night. It was really yummy
I think I might try another frosting with it though next time.
Lauren, what were you thinking for the frosting next time? A cream cheese frosting would probably work really well.
A friend of mine tried it out and said she enjoyed it. She linked to your page and I'm happy she did because I will be trying this recipe out very soon. Though I disagree about your seasonality perspective. I think if you love it, make it when you want it. Are your bananas at the "past ripened" state (i.e. completely brown and frozen, then thawed) before your mash them up? Or does it really not matter? I'd be worried about sugar content if I used over-ripened bananas since I'm not sure just how sweet this cake is.
Thanks for the post. Looks yummy.
The bananas were actually still pretty yellow, a little under-ripe if anything. I would have preferred more brown, but I didn't think ahead enough to get them earlier in the week.
If you're worried about it being too sweet — and by the way, it's a cake, how can it be too sweet? — finish baking the cake before you make the frosting. Believe me, that was much sweeter.
Hmmm Yum! I've had banana bread but not banana cake. The frosting looks delicious. I can't wait to make it.
Drew,
I made this cake for the family lake trip and everyone loved it! My husband assisted and he really enjoyed beating the egg whites. Not sure why I find that so funny. Anyhow, I didn't layer the cake b/c it needed to transport easily. It got RAVE reviews! In fact, it was just requested again this morning for my brother-in-laws birthday party…and they want 2. I can't wait to make it again. Thanks for the great recipe.
Stephanie G
Moore, OK
Stephanie, do you have an exceptionally deep cake pan? Or did you do it rectangular?
I am baking this cake for the second time. It's delicious.
I’ve got this cake in the oven now. The aroma has made my houseful of guests drunk with its heady bananalicous scent. Going to have to beat them back with my icing spatula!! I’ll be back to let you know what they thought and I’ll be sure to time how long it take them to devour it!
OMG! This is the best cake ever. Drew, if I win the lottery will you come cook for me?
That depends … how warm is it there right now? I’ve got icicles forcing the gutters off my house as we speak. A little sun would be good.
In the oven now. I made a double batch – 1/2 white whole wheat,1/2 AP Flour; 1/2 brown sugar, 1/2 white sugar and a lot of extra banana. We shall see.
SSM
Nice cake. Is the preparation time far beyond 1 hour?
Greets.
It took me a little over a half-hour to prepare the batter, while taking pictures along the way. Then 35 minutes to bake. You can work on the frosting while it’s baking, but you’ll need to wait for it to cool before frosting it, or the frosting will just melt and run off.
So plan on starting at least two hours before you want to serve it, but actual hands-on time will probably be about a half-hour. The rest is baking and cooling time.
Hey Drew! I’m going to make this today (finally). Can you tell me if it HAS to be refrigerated after you frost it?
Sounds delicious! Though, in anything where you use bananas, there’s no need to use any eggs since bananas act as the binder for the batter. You won’t notice they’re missing but you’ll cut the cholesterol!
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