This banana snack cake is exceptionally soft, with a crumb so tender it's almost creamy. It's not overly sweet, packed with rich banana flavor, and the warm comforting hint of nutmeg and cloves.
As all snack cakes should be, this one is quick and easy to make and will stay fresh and moist for several days. It's delicious on it's own, but spread with a thick layer of peanut butter frosting and it goes from good to can't-stop-thinking-about-it good.
"Hi Rebecca, Today I tried your Banana cake with peanut frosting. It came out so well. It's so tasty 😋 that couldn't resist eating. Thank you so much for the wonderful cake recipes." - Sajini
So, look. I'll be honest with you. This banana cake is mostly the result of my needing something to spread peanut butter frosting on because that stuff is like crack. And I wouldn't even call myself much of a frosting person.
I am most definitely a cake lover, as is evidenced by the ever expanding library of nearly 90 cake recipes on this site.
I love cake. LOVE it.
But, the frosting sometimes ends up scrapped off on the side of my plate. It's often just too sweet for me. This is absolutely not true of this peanut butter frosting which is rich and creamy, filled with peanut butter flavor, and just sweet enough.
And what goes better with peanut butter than bananas???? Well, maybe chocolate. But, peanut butter and bananas is a marvelous, delicious, timeless combo that will never go out of style.
This cake is peanut butter frosting's perfect match. It's ridiculously soft and fluffy, bursting with banana flavor and just enough nutmeg, cloves, and vanilla to make it feel all warm and cozy. Like something your grandmother made. Or something you wish your grandmother made.
The cake is very similar to this banana cream cake, so if soft, creamy banana cake is your thing, you'll want to check that one out as well.
xo
-Rebecca
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Ingredients needed to prepare this recipe
- Cake flour ensures that the texture of this cake is super soft and light. No cake flour? No problem. Scroll down for a substitute.
- Baking powder, baking soda, and salt
- Ground nutmeg and cloves. As if bananas and peanut butter aren't warm and comforting enough, a bit of nutmeg and cloves makes this cake even more so.
- Butter for flavor and vegetable oil to keep the cake incredibly moist.
- Brown sugar adds flavor and moisture to this cake. Use light brown or dark brown sugar.
- 3 large eggs + 1 large egg yolk. Whenever I write a recipe with an extra egg yolk or egg white I get asked the question, Why is that necessary? You wouldn't think an extra yolk would make much difference, but it does. That extra yolk gives this cake an an extra rich flavor and a softer, more tender crumb.
- Vanilla and almond extract. Vanilla is expected, but almond extract is my secret weapon. I use it often because it adds that little something extra that takes the flavor of baked goods from really good to memorable. In this cake, it adds a slight nuttiness that marries perfectly with the peanut butter frosting.
- Very ripe bananas. It's important that the bananas are quite ripe because that's when their texture is the softest and their flavor is the most intense.
- Buttermilk is one of my favorite ingredients to bake with because it contributes both flavor and acid. The acid creates a more tender texture and works with the baking soda to ensure the cake bakes up light and fluffy.
- And, of course, peanut butter frosting
Additions and substitutions
- If you don't have cake flour, make this easy substitution: Measure out 1 cup (120 grams) of all-purpose flour then remove two tablespoons (15 grams) of the flour and replace them with two tablespoons (14 grams) of cornstarch.
- To make this cake gluten free, use a gluten free flour mix instead of the cake flour. My favorite brands are Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Flour and King Arthur Gluten Free Flour.
- To make this cake dairy free, omit the butter and increase the amount of vegetable oil to ¾ cup. Or use ½ cup of virgin coconut oil instead of the butter. Swap out the buttermilk for any kind of plant based milk. Measure 1 ½ cups and remove one tablespoon replacing it with a tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar.
- If you'd like to add some additional texture and flavor to the cake, stir in some chopped roasted nuts, mini chocolate chips, or toasted coconut.
Step-by-step photos and instructions
Add the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and ginger to a large bowl and stir with a wire whisk to combine.
Beat the butter, vegetable oil, and brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
Add the eggs and egg yolk one at a time, beating on medium-high speed after each addition until fully incorporated.
Beat in the vanilla and almond extract, then the mashed banana, beating until well combined.
Mix in the buttermilk and flour mixture in alternating additions, starting and ending with the flour: Flour, buttermilk, flour, buttermilk, flour. Beat in each addition on low speed, mixing just long enough to barely incorporate one addition before adding the next. Be careful to not over-mix.
Spread the batter into a 9x13-inch pan and bake!
The cake is done when it's pulling away slightly from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out without any raw batter on it.
Allow the cake to cool completely inside the pan before frosting.
Frosting options for banana snack cake
As I already admitted, I created this cake just so I'd have something to put peanut butter frosting on because that frosting is my current obsession. It's rich and creamy, full of peanut butter flavor and not too sweet, which is a prerequisite for every frosting I love.
But, banana snack cake is delicious with many different kinds of frosting, not just peanut butter. Here are a few of my favorites...
How to make a smaller banana snack cake
If you'd like to make an 8 or 9-inch square cake instead of a 9x13-inch rectangle cake, for 6-9 servings instead of 12, here are the ratios:
- 1 ½ cups (180 grams) cake flour
- ¾ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon table salt (or ¾ teaspoon kosher salt)
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- A pinch of ground cloves
- ¼ cup (57 grams) butter, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons (25 grams) vegetable oil
- ½ cup packed (106 grams) light or dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- ½ teapoon almond extract
- 2 very ripe bananas (a scant 1 cup) mashed very ripe bananas
- ¾ cup (170 grams) buttermilk, at room temperature
More for banana lovers to love
If you give this recipe a try, let me know! Scroll down to rate this recipe and leave a comment for me.
Happy baking!
📖 Recipe
Banana Snack Cake
This banana snack cake is exceptionally soft, with a crumb so tender it's almost creamy. It's not overly sweet, packed with rich banana flavor, and the warm comforting hint of nutmeg and cloves.
As all snack cakes should be, this one is quick and easy to make and will stay fresh and moist for several days. It's delicious on it's own, but spread with a thick layer of peanut butter frosting and it goes from good to can't-stop-thinking-about-it good.
Ingredients
- 3 cups (360 grams) cake flour (No cake flour? See note below for substitution)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon table salt (or 1 ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt)
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ cup (4 ounces/ 113 grams) butter, at room temperature
- ¼ cup (50 grams/ 1.75 ounces) vegetable oil
- 1 cup packed (213 grams) light or dark brown sugar
- 3 large eggs + 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 ¾ cups (400 grams) mashed very ripe bananas (3-4 bananas)
- 1 ½ cups (340 grams/ 12 ounces) buttermilk, at room temperature
- 1 recipe peanut butter frosting
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees F (176 degrees C). Coat the inside of a 9x13 rectangle baking pan with vegetable shortening or butter. Sprinkle flour inside the pan and shake it around so that the entire inside of the pan is coated with flour. Tap out the excess flour.
- Add the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg, and ginger to a large bowl and stir with a wire whisk or a fork to combine.
- Beat the butter, vegetable oil, and brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add the eggs and egg yolk one at a time, beating on medium-high speed after each addition until fully incorporated.
- Beat in the vanilla and almond extract, then the mashed banana, beating until well combined.
- Add the buttermilk and flour mixture in alternating additions, starting and ending with the flour: Flour, buttermilk, flour, buttermilk, flour. Beat in each addition on low speed, mixing just long enough to barely incorporate one addition before adding the next. Be careful to not over-mix.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing out the top with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon.
- Bake the cake in the center of the oven for 35-45 minutes. The cake is done when it's pulled away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out without any raw batter on it.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely inside the pan before icing the cake with peanut butter frosting, if desired.
Notes
If you don't have cake flour, make this easy substitution: Measure out 1 cup (120 grams) of all-purpose flour then remove two tablespoons (15 grams) of the flour and replace them with two tablespoons (14 grams) of cornstarch.
*Nutrition information calculated without any frosting.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1/12 of the whole cakeAmount Per Serving: Calories: 366Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 99mgSodium: 420mgCarbohydrates: 52gFiber: 2gSugar: 21gProtein: 7g
Janet says
can i freeze the cake b 4 frosting?
Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Janet! Yes! This cake can be frozen for up to 3 months. You can frost it while it's still frozen if you like. Then, just let it sit out at room temperature for a couple of hours to thaw. Please let me know if you have any other questions!
Sajini Placid says
Hi Rebecca,
Today I tried your Banana cake with peanut frosting. It came out so well. It’s so tasty 😋 that couldn’t resist eating. Thank you so much for the wonderful cake recipes.
Rebecca Blackwell says
Hi Sajini! I am so happy to hear that you liked this recipe! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment for me! I truly appreciate it!!!