Great-Grandmother’s 100-Year-Old Banana Cake Recipe

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Sure! Here’s a big, heartwarming banana cake recipe that includes everything you’re asking for: a family-oriented introduction, a bit of history, full ingredients, step-by-step instructions, cooking methods, and even some sentiment about the lovers of this recipe. Let’s bake some memories! 🍌🎂

🍌 Great-Grandmother’s 100-Year-Old Banana Cake Recipe 🍰

A legacy of love, passed down through generations.

🏡 Introduction

This banana cake recipe isn’t just any dessert – it’s a treasured piece of family history. It originated in the cozy farmhouse kitchen of my great-grandmother over 100 years ago. The cake has been lovingly baked through generations, often served at weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, and quiet Sunday afternoons with a pot of tea. Each time it’s made, it brings a piece of the past into the present, carrying stories, memories, and a warm, familiar taste that only family recipes can deliver.

Whether you’re baking this for the first time or the fiftieth, you’re becoming part of a legacy. Now, it’s your turn to keep it alive.

📜 History of the Recipe

This recipe dates back to 1925, when my great-grandmother, Eleanor Mae, developed it as a way to use overripe bananas instead of letting them go to waste. Over time, the recipe was refined – with buttermilk for tenderness, a hint of spice for warmth, and a soft cream cheese frosting for richness. Eleanor baked it for her husband on their 10th wedding anniversary, and since then, it’s been known as the “Lovers’ Banana Cake” in our family.

🍌 Ingredients

For the Banana Cake:

  • 2 ½ cups (315g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 ½ tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 ¾ cups (350g) granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp banana extract (optional but delightful)
  • 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature
  • 1 ½ cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3–4 bananas)

For the Cream Cheese Frosting:

  • 8 oz (226g) cream cheese, softened
  • ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 3–3½ cups (360–420g) powdered sugar, sifted
  • 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt

Optional Toppings:

  • Chopped toasted walnuts or pecans
  • Sliced bananas (added just before serving)
  • A sprinkle of cinnamon sugar

👩‍🍳 Method & Instructions

🔹 Step 1: Preheat and Prepare

  • Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
  • Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans or one 9×13-inch pan.
  • Line the bottoms with parchment paper for easy removal.

🔹 Step 2: Mix Dry Ingredients

  • In a medium bowl, whisk together:
    • Flour
    • Baking powder
    • Baking soda
    • Salt
    • Cinnamon
    • Nutmeg
      Set aside.

🔹 Step 3: Cream Butter and Sugar

  • In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy (about 3-5 minutes).
  • Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each.
  • Stir in vanilla and banana extract.

🔹 Step 4: Add Bananas and Buttermilk

  • Mix in mashed bananas.
  • Alternate adding the flour mixture and buttermilk in three parts, beginning and ending with the flour. Do not overmix.

🔹 Step 5: Bake the Cake

  • Divide the batter evenly between pans.
  • Bake for 28–35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center.
  • Let cakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove and cool completely on wire racks.

🎂 Frosting & Assembly

🔸 Make the Frosting:

  1. Beat cream cheese and butter until smooth.
  2. Gradually add powdered sugar, ½ cup at a time.
  3. Add vanilla and a pinch of salt; beat until fluffy (about 3 minutes).

🔸 Assemble the Cake:

  • If layered: Place one cake layer on a serving plate, frost the top.
  • Add the second layer and frost the top and sides.
  • Decorate with nuts or banana slices if desired.

❤️ Lovers of the Recipe

This cake has won the hearts of many:

  • My great-grandfather said it was “the best part of coming home from the fields.”
  • My parents had it at their wedding.
  • I made it for my partner on our 5th anniversary.
  • Friends have requested it instead of birthday presents!

Whether you’re a romantic or a foodie (or both), this cake speaks to the soul.

🧪 Formation (Baking Science)

What makes this cake so good?

  • Bananas add natural sweetness, moisture, and a tender crumb.
  • Buttermilk makes the cake light and slightly tangy.
  • Baking soda + bananas = perfect rise and soft texture.
  • Cream cheese frosting balances the sweetness with tang.

🏁 Conclusion

This banana cake is more than just a dessert – it’s a celebration of love, legacy, and homemade comfort. Whether you’re passing it down to the next generation or just enjoying a quiet slice with coffee, you’re continuing a tradition that began in a farmhouse kitchen 100 years ago.

Make it once, and you’ll be in love. Make it again, and it will love you back.

Would you like a printable version of this recipe or want it styled for a blog post or family recipe book? I can help with that too. 🍽️

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