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.
This simple cake is made using a bowl and a whisk! No need for fancy equipment or mixers.
This cake is 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 and nothing else! I swear I ate it for breakfast!
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 as well as making 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: Buttermilk adds a little tang and extra moisture. 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.
- Baking Powder: Helps the cake rise and brown as it bakes.
- Baking Soda: Works with the buttermilk to produce better rise.
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: 1/2 cup buttermilk = 1/2 cup milk + 1 1/2 teaspoons 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).
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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
- 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.
Barbara says
This was great! Since some comments were mentioning the fact that the cake was rather dense I decided to add an extra teaspoon of baking powder, and the result was a very moist and delicious cake! Thanks a lot! PS: I used 3 large bananas as in the list of ingredients rather than the 2 mentioned among the comments, and it was completely fine.
Erren's Kitchen says
Good shout Barbara, I’m happy you enjoyed it and it worked out well for you!
Melanie says
Curious if the amount of bananas was a typo mistake. Can’t imagine getting a lot of banana flavor with just 3 teaspoons.
Erren's Kitchen says
Hi Melanie haha yes definitely a typo thanks for bringing to my attention!
Memorie H. says
Easy and delicious – thanks for recipe. Only used 1 cup butter and added 1 tsp vanilla extract to batter. Also, had to bake for 45-55 minutes. Thanks again!
Charlotte from AZ says
I am trying this cake right now. Wanted to make banana bread to get rid of the over ripe bananas, but came across your cake recipe. It sound awesome! Thanks for sharing! I have pinned so many of your recipes this evening and cannot wait to try each and every one of them… absolutely love your blog!!
Dee says
I love bananas & have tried a ton of banana bread recipes. I am so glad to see something new for a cake that is also easy. I do have your Victoria Sponge Cake, never thought to add anything to it.
Thanks, my bananas are almost ready.
P.S. What a great tip on m/w for using “not quite ripe” bananas.
Bea says
I don’t have a food processor, will a mixer do?
Erren says
Yes, a mixer will work just fine. 🙂
April says
I made this over the weekend and we LOVED it. I’d double the recipe to make a larger cake, but other than that we thought t was fantastic! very unusual texture – super moist and delicious!
Erren says
Hi April, thanks so much for letting me know you liked it. I’ve had mixed reviews on this recipe so it’s always good to hear when people enjoy it! 🙂
Jill says
Turned it delicious for me, it was underbaked at 35 minutes though so I will bake longer next time. I should have checked but I was out of the house and asked my daughter to take it out for me.
Erren says
Hi Jill, I’m so glad you liked it! 🙂 Thanks for letting me know!
Judy says
This turned out horribly for me. I think the recipes calls for way too much butter. I threw the whole thing out. Has there been any adjustment to the recipe since it was posted?
Erren says
Hi, Judy. I’m really sorry it didn’t turn out right for you. The recipe I based the cake on is a recipe I’ve made time and time again without any problems. The only difference in this recipe is the addition of the fruit. I haven’t had anyone else report any issues, so I haven’t had to make any updates. Again, I’m really sorry it didn’t work out well for you.
Tammy says
I used half the amount of butter, only 3 eggs, 4 1/2 large ripe bananas, used baking soda and baking powder and is baking right now(batter tasted awesome though)-oh and I also added a teaspoon vanilla and salt.
Sonja says
I really don’t mean to be rude, but, how do you have a banana cake without bananas? There aren’t any in the recipe.
Erren says
Oh my! What a mistake! 2 bananas! I updated the recipe! Thanks for pointing it out!