Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

The first thing I did after eating a piece of this banana cake was cut another slice. That’s how good it is. If you have a soft spot in your heart for banana bread, you are going to love banana cake. This subtly sweet cake has the full flavor you’d expect from banana bread and a hint of cinnamon, but the texture puts it firmly in dessert territory. Unlike a dense slice of banana bread, this cake is soft, tender, and incredibly moist. While this cake is great on its own, a generous layer of cream cheese frosting makes it truly incredible. Best of all, like many of my favorite cake recipes, it’s simple, unfussy, and easy to make. 

• It tastes just like a really good loaf of banana bread. The banana shines through without being overpowering, and the cake has a lovely soft, moist texture that screams cake. The cake itself also isn’t too sweet so as to leave room for the sweet cream cheese frosting.
• It’s easy and unfussy. The cake bakes in a 9×13-inch pan, so there’s no dividing batter and no dealing with any layers.

• Overripe bananas. Just like with banana bread, the more overripe and brown the bananas, the better. Overripe bananas give the cake more flavor.
• Unsalted butter. You’ll need full sticks total to add richness to both the cake and the cream cheese frosting. 
• Buttermilk. This gives the cake a fuller flavor than using regular whole milk and contributes to the cake’s moist texture.
• All-purpose flour. Three cups is the right amount to give the cake its structure, without taking on a dense bite.
• Granulated and brown sugar. There’s just enough granulated sugar to give the cake a subtly sweet flavor. You’ll also need light or dark brown sugar. I prefer dark because it lends a richer flavor, but both work well.

1. Bring dairy to room temperature. Set the butter, buttermilk, and eggs at room temperature until the butter is softened. Room temperature ingredients incorporate into the batter better than when they’re cool.
2. Mash the bananas. Use a fork or potato masher to mash the peeled bananas until smooth with just a few small lumps.
3. Mix the batter. Cream the softened butter, sugars, and kosher salt in a stand mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in the bananas and vanilla extract. Beat in the eggs, then alternate adding dry ingredients to the batter with buttermilk.
4. Bake the cake and cool. Bake the batter in a 9×13-inch baking pan that’s lined with a greased parchment sling. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Let the cake cool. 
5. Make frosting and frost the cake. While the cake is cooling, beat softened cream cheese and butter, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt together until smooth. Spread the frosting over the top of the cooled cake. 

• An equal amount of ground cardamom, nutmeg, or allspice can be substituted for the cinnamon. 
• You can mix whole milk with lemon juice or vinegar for an easy buttermilk substitute if you don’t have any buttermilk. 
• If you’re really in a pinch, don’t have buttermilk, and can’t make a DIY version, whole cow’s milk will work. It is worth noting though that the flavor is much better with buttermilk. 

• The cake can be baked up to 1 day ahead, cooled, wrapped in plastic wrap, and stored at room temperature. The frosting can be made up to 3 days ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container. Let the frosting sit at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes before frosting the cake to allow it to soften and become spreadable again (beat it briefly with a whisk if it’s a little stiff).
• Because of the cream cheese frosting, leftover cake should be stored in the refrigerator, ideally in an airtight container. It will keep well for up to four days.