Banana Cake Recipe

A soft, moist banana cake made with ripe bananas, warm spices, and simple pantry ingredients. Easy to bake, perfect for dessert or afternoon coffee.

This banana cake is soft, fragrant, and wonderfully moist, making it a reliable choice for a simple homemade dessert. It uses very ripe bananas for natural sweetness, a tender crumb, and a comforting flavor that works beautifully for family gatherings, afternoon coffee, or an easy weeknight treat. The recipe is straightforward, beginner-friendly, and can be finished with a light dusting of sugar, a glaze, or cream cheese frosting if desired.

Ingredients

• 3 very ripe bananas, mashed
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar, for topping, optional

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F and grease a 9-inch loaf pan or an 8-inch square baking pan. Line it with parchment paper if desired.
2. In a large bowl, mash the bananas until mostly smooth. Stir in the lemon juice, vanilla extract, eggs, milk, and softened butter until well combined.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture and stir gently until no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle with brown sugar if using.
6. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
7. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.