Banana Sheet Cake

This moist and flavorful banana cake is sure to be a crowd favorite. The cake is flavored with ripe bananas and buttermilk, making for an incredibly delicious cake.

The cooked cake is smothered with a sweet and creamy cream cheese vanilla frosting, which pairs perfectly with the banana cake.

banana sheet cake close up

Ingredients You’ll Need

  • Butter: Unsalted butter is used in this recipe.
  • Granulated sugar: The granulated sugar can be substituted wth brown sugar, or a combination of brown sugar and granulated sugar.
  • Bananas: The riper the bananas, the better this banana cake will taste.
  • Eggs: 4 large sized eggs were used in this recipe.
  • Vanilla extract: The vanilla extract in both the cake batter and frosting can be substituted with equal amounts of vanilla essence.
  • Salt: The amount of salt used in both the cake batter and frosting can be increased or decreased to suit personal tastes.
  • All-purpose flour: Standard all-purpose flour was used in this cake.
  • Buttermilk: The buttermilk can be substituted with whole milk.
  • Cream cheese: Use block-style full-fat cream cheese in the frosting.
  • Powdered sugar: Powdered sugar, or confectioners sugar, is used in the cream cheese frosting.
banana sheet cake with banana slices

How to Make Banana Sheet Cake

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan and set aside.

2. Add the softened butter and granulated sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat using a flat beater attachment on a high speed for 3 minutes, or until pale and creamy.

3. Add the mashed bananas, eggs, vanilla extract and salt to the creamed butter and beat on a medium speed until well combined.

4. Add the flour and baking powder and beat on a low speed until just combined. Add the buttermilk and beat on a low speed until smooth and combined.

5. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until cooked through. Allow to cool completely in the pan.

6. To make the cream cheese frosting, add the softened cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat with a wire whisk attachment on a high speed for 3 minutes, or until pale and smooth.

7. Add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, and beat on a low speed until well combined. Increase the speed to high and beat for 2 minutes, or until pale and fluffy.

8. Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cake. Slice and serve.

banana sheet cake with fork

Storage

Store this cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Allow to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before enjoying to improve the texture.

This cake is suitable for freezing. Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before enjoying.

banana sheet cake

Banana Sheet Cake

This moist and flavorful banana cake is sure to be a crowd favorite. The cake is flavored with ripe bananas and buttermilk, making for an incredibly delicious cake.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Cooling Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 18 slices

Equipment

  • Standmixer with flat beater and wire whisk attachments
  • 9 x 13-inch baking pan
  • Non-stick cooking spray or parchment paper

Ingredients
  

Banana Cake:

  • ¾ cup butter softened
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • 2 large ripe bananas mashed
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 4 tsp baking powder
  • 1 ½ cups buttermilk

Cream Cheese Vanilla Icing

  • 4 oz. cream cheese softened
  • ¼ cup butter softened
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 3 ½ cups powdered sugar

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 13-inch baking pan and set aside.
  • Add the softened butter and granulated sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat using a flat beater attachment on a high speed for 3 minutes, or until pale and creamy.
  • Add the mashed bananas, eggs, vanilla extract and salt to the creamed butter and beat on a medium speed until well combined.
  • Add the flour and baking powder and beat on a low speed until just combined. Add the buttermilk and beat on a low speed until smooth and combined.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until cooked through. Allow to cool completely in the pan.
  • To make the cream cheese frosting, add the softened cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat with a wire whisk attachment on a high speed for 3 minutes, or until pale and smooth.
  • Add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, and beat on a low speed until well combined. Increase the speed to high and beat for 2 minutes, or until pale and fluffy.
  • Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cake. Slice and serve.

Notes

  • The baking pan can be lined with parchment paper in place of using non-stick cooking spray.
  • The cake is cooked through if it bounces back when touched in the center. Alternatively, insert a skewer or toothpick into the center of the cake. If the skewer or toothpick comes out clean, the cake is cooked through.
  • A large mixing bowl and hand-held electric beaters can be used in place of a stand mixer for both the cake batter and frosting.
  • 1 cup of chocolate chips could be folded through the cake batter for a banana chocolate chip loaf cake.
  • Add a splash of whole milk to the frosting for a thinner frosting. For a thicker frosting add a small amount of extra powdered sugar.
  • Ground cinnamon can be used to decorate the frosted cake.
  • 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon can be added to the cake batter for a spiced banana cake.
 
Storage:
  • Store this cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Allow to sit at room temperature for 20 minutes before enjoying to improve the texture.
  • This cake is suitable for freezing. Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before enjoying.
Keyword Cake

Related Articles: