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🍌 Soft & Fluffy Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
✨ Introduction:
There’s something truly nostalgic and comforting about the scent of ripe bananas baking into a golden cake. This Soft and Fluffy Banana Cake is moist, tender, and topped with a luscious, tangy cream cheese frosting that balances the natural sweetness of bananas. Perfect for brunch, celebrations, or simply enjoying with tea, this cake brings smiles to faces and warmth to hearts.
📝 Ingredients:
🍰 For the Banana Cake:
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
- ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100g) brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240ml) buttermilk (or milk + 1 tbsp vinegar)
- 3 large ripe bananas, mashed (about 1½ cups)
🧁 For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 oz (225g) cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened
- 2½ cups (300g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
🧑🍳 Instructions:
Step 1: Prepare the Cake Batter
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×13 inch cake pan or two 9-inch round pans.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter, oil, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla.
- Mix in the mashed bananas.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in three parts, alternating with the buttermilk. Mix until just combined.
Step 2: Bake
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan(s).
- Bake for 30–35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 3: Make the Cream Cheese Frosting
- Beat cream cheese and butter together until creamy and smooth.
- Add powdered sugar gradually, mixing until light and fluffy.
- Add vanilla extract and a pinch of salt. Mix well.
Step 4: Assemble
- Once the cake is cool, spread a thick, generous layer of cream cheese frosting over the top.
- Decorate with banana slices, chopped walnuts, or a dusting of cinnamon if desired.
🧾 Method Summary:
- Mix Dry & Wet Ingredients Separately
- Combine Gently
- Bake Until Golden
- Cool Completely
- Frost Generously
📜 History:
Banana cakes originated as a clever way to use overripe bananas before refrigeration was common. Popularized in the 1930s during the Great Depression, banana cake became a staple in American homes. It gained fame in cookbooks and evolved into more indulgent versions with cream cheese frosting, inspired by carrot cake pairings.
🍌 Benefits of Banana Cake:
- Bananas are rich in potassium, vitamin B6, and fiber.
- Moist texture from natural banana sugars and buttermilk.
- Cream cheese offers calcium and probiotics (if not overprocessed).
- Homemade goodness—less processed than store-bought treats.
🏗️ Formation:
This cake gets its soft and fluffy crumb through the use of:
- Oil + butter for moisture and flavor.
- Buttermilk to tenderize gluten and enhance softness.
- Baking soda + mashed banana acidity for an airy rise.
- Creaming method to incorporate air into the batter.
💖 Lovers of Banana Cake:
Banana cake is a global favorite:
- Kids love the sweet and tender bite.
- Elderly enjoy its nostalgic, soft texture.
- Bakers appreciate its flexibility (add nuts, chocolate, coconut).
- Health-conscious folks like that it uses real fruit and can be adapted (less sugar, whole wheat flour, etc).
🧪 Nutrition (Per Slice, approx. 1/12 of cake):
| Component | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | ~390 |
| Carbohydrates | ~52g |
| Sugars | ~32g |
| Protein | ~4g |
| Fat | ~18g |
| Saturated Fat | ~9g |
| Fiber | ~2g |
| Sodium | ~230mg |
| Potassium | ~260mg |
Note: Nutrition will vary depending on portion size and specific ingredients used.
🧁 Lovers Revisited:
People who fall in love with banana cake are those who:
- Crave comfort in each bite.
- Celebrate birthdays with moist cakes.
- Pair cake with coffee or tea during afternoon breaks.
- Bake for joy, sharing with family and friends.
🔚 Conclusion:
The Soft and Fluffy Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is more than a dessert—it’s a symbol of warmth, love, and homemade comfort. Whether you’re baking it for a birthday, brunch, or just because the bananas on your counter are too brown to eat, this cake never fails to impress. It’s a treat that satisfies the soul and fills the home with the aroma of baking joy.
Would you like a version with nuts, chocolate chips, or coconut added? Or a vegan or gluten-free variation?