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Southern Creamy Banana Cake featuring roasted banana puree and rich brown butter cream cheese frosting.

Velvety Southern Creamy Banana Cake

Rebecca Blumer
A plush, deeply flavored Southern layer cake featuring roasted bananas and nutty brown butter, finished with a generous tangy cream cheese frosting for a truly decadent dessert.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 55 minutes
Cooling Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine Southern
Servings 12 slices
Calories 645 kcal

Equipment

  • 3 (9-inch) round cake pans
  • Skillet
  • Mixing Bowls
  • Electric Mixer

Ingredients
 

BANANA CAKE:

  • 1 1/2 cups ripe bananas mashed (about 3-4 large bananas)
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 12 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks, room temperature)
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups buttermilk

REAL CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:

  • 4 8 oz packs cream cheese, softened at room temperature
  • 16 tablespoons unsalted butter softened at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 4 cups powdered sugar sifted

Instructions
 

The Flavor Foundation

  • Heat your oven to 350°F. Roast the unpeeled bananas for 15 minutes until the skins turn dark and fruit is soft. Once cool enough to handle, mash the bananas and stir in lemon juice immediately to preserve the golden color.
  • In a skillet over medium heat, melt 12 tablespoons of butter. Cook until it foams and turns golden brown with a nutty aroma. Remove from heat and let the brown butter cool before using in the batter.

Prep and Mix the Batter

  • Lower the oven temperature to 275°F. Grease and flour three 9-inch round cake pans. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
  • In a large bowl, cream the cooled brown butter with granulated and light brown sugars until light and creamy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract until smooth.
  • Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, alternating with the buttermilk. Mix just until combined, then gently fold in the mashed banana mixture.

Low and Slow Baking

  • Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs.

Cool, Frost, and Finish

  • Let the cakes rest in the pans until warm, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Do not frost until the layers are entirely cold.
  • For the frosting, beat the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add vanilla, then gradually mix in powdered sugar until thick and fluffy. Chill the frosting until firm before stacking and frosting the cake layers.

Notes

Flavor Secret: Roasting the bananas and using browned butter adds a caramelized, nutty depth that raw bananas cannot provide.
Texture Tip: Ensure all dairy and eggs are at room temperature to create a smooth emulsion, resulting in a velvety crumb and lump-free frosting.
Storage: Because of the cream cheese frosting, store the cake covered in the refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. It is often even better after resting for 24 hours.
Nutrition information is estimated based on common ingredients and serving sizes and may vary.

Nutrition

Calories: 645kcalCarbohydrates: 82gProtein: 6gFat: 34gSaturated Fat: 21gCholesterol: 105mgSodium: 410mgPotassium: 285mgFiber: 2gSugar: 58gVitamin A: 1150IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 75mgIron: 2mg
Keyword banana cake, cream cheese frosting, Southern Creamy Banana Cake
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