Southern Banana Cake (Moist & Fluffy)
“Fluffy, moist southern banana cake made from scratch and full of fresh banana flavor. Topped with cream cheese frosting and sprinkled with pecans!”
Watch me make this Southern Banana Cake from start to finish!
As I was shopping in Target I overheard a woman say she was going to attempt to make her great aunt’s Southern pound cake for Christmas. The little girl with her asked, “What makes a cake southern?”
The lady thought for a while, seemingly stumped and then replied “Well…if it’s full of fresh butter, lots of sugar, blessed with buttermilk , made with love and shared with others I suppose”
I smiled to myself. Love that description! Sometimes it’s not easy to always explain why something is “Southern”. Sometimes it’s just a feeling. Kinda like this banana cake recipe. I grew up eating fresh banana cake. My grandmother whipped up this cake as soon as the bananas turned black and no sooner. I remember wishing those things would hurry the heck up!
When we visit my grandma’s side of the family in Elberton, GA, I can always count on a from-scratch, Southern banana cake being on the after church service dessert table. Those southern church lady’s sure know how to cook!
This recipe isn’t my grandmother’s banana cake recipe. It comes from the Test Kitchen of Taste of Home. I made it over 10 years ago for Thanksgiving and now I have everyone in my family making it.
Banana is one of my favorite flavors! Speaking of which, have you tried these banana oatmeal cookies??? This recipe gets overlooked so much on my site but they are so good! Like a banana bread in cookie form! Try them out!
Anyway, back to this banana cake. It’s a winner! So light, fluffy and moist. Be sure to use over ripped bananas! No artificial banana extracts are needed when you do so. When I first made this Southern banana cake I was a bit nervous that it would taste like a frosted banana bread. I wanted tons of banana flavor and a moist yet fluffy crumb. This cake gives me just that!
As with most banana flavored baked goods, the flavor just gets better the next day!! I usually make this cake the day before I want to take it somewhere so that it has a chance to sit and that banana flavor just maximizes!
Frosting this cake with homemade cream cheese frosting is a must!! I used this Real Cream Cheese Frosting. That tangy, cream cheese frosting goes so great with the banana flavor!
Take this cake to your next gathering and watch how fast it disappears.
Get the Recipe: Southern Banana Cake (Moist and Fluffy)
Ingredients
BANANA CAKE
- 1 ½ cups bananas, mashed (about 3 large bananas)
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 12 tablespoons butter, 1 1/2 sticks, room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar, packed
- 3 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
REAL CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- 4 8 oz packs cream cheese, softened at room temperature
- 16 tablespoons butter, softened at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 275 F.
- Generously grease and lightly flour 3 (9 inch) round cake pans. Set aside.
- In a small bowl combine bananas and lemon juice. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream together butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs & vanilla extract.
- Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk.
- Fold in bananas.
- Pour batter evenly into the prepared pans.
- Bake for 35-40 minutes (check on it at the 35 minute mark)
- When moist crumbs cling to toothpick inserted into center, remove from oven and let cool in pans until pans are warm to the touch. (do NOT over cook. The cake continues to cook as it cools)
- Very carefully remove cake from pans and allow to cool completely on cooling rack.
- Stack and frost layers with cream cheese frosting and sprinkle with pecans if desired.
- Serve.
- Store frosted cake covered tightly in fridge.
- *To make frosting: Cream together cream cheese and butter. Mix in vanilla extract. Gradually mix in powdered sugar until creamy. Refrigerate until firm.
Video
Notes
Wow. This would be my banana cake recipe from now. Just made this and it s so delicious, fluffy and moist. Will add raisins to it nxt time and see how it goes. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us.
I never had any luck with Banana Cake. You could bounce mine off a wall, but this one is special. I’ve made two and they are just. Re perfect. My family loves it. It’s the only recipe I will ever use for Banana cake from now on.
Can you make this into muffins?
I am anxious to make this recipe, I’ve been searching on a few of my favorite sites, and didn’t find one I wanted to try. I watched your video on Youtube and saw the recipe was posted on this site. I’m glad to find you. I enjoyed listening to you. I will check out your site more. Thank you for sharing. I will have to let you know how the recipe turns out.
I did bake this recipe, it is scrumptious! I will bake it again.
Hello Ms. Diva Can Cook!
I’m just curious, or do it make a difference what brown sugar you use,
Light, or dark??
Either will be fine. If you using dark, the cake may be darker in color.
Thank you!
1 more question, isn’t 4-8oz cream cheese a lot for icing or do it depend on how much icing you like? And I’ve tried your Kentucky Butter Cake, Key Lime Cake, Coconut Cake, and they’re all delish!! Thank you, keep them coming!!
Yes, it is a lot for sure and creates a bold cream cheese frosting. This is how I prefer my frosting but I have two more cream cheese frosting recipes on the site if you like it a little more mellow.
This cake is sooo good. Love your recipes. Do tou tweek it a bit by adding additional spices such as cinnamon, etc..but I love it
Looks delicious! Does the cake have to be stored in the refrigerator?
I’ve made the cake , your recipe beats mine. My family loved your grandma’s recipe the best. Thanks so much for sharing and all the time and effort it took to share with others. Yes we Diva’s can cook.!!!!!