Moist Banana Cake (Printable)
A tender banana cake that stays moist, perfect for dessert or brunch; easy swaps for flour, fat, and add-ins.
# What You Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
04 - ½ teaspoon salt
→ Wet Ingredients
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - ½ cup vegetable oil or melted unsalted butter
07 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
09 - 4 medium ripe bananas, mashed (about 1½ cups)
10 - ½ cup buttermilk or plain yogurt
→ Optional Add-ins
11 - ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
12 - ½ cup chocolate chips
# How-To:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x13-inch cake pan or line it with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - In a large bowl, beat together the sugar and oil (or melted butter) until well combined. Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition, then stir in the vanilla extract.
04 - Fold in the mashed bananas and buttermilk (or yogurt) until just combined.
05 - Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing gently just until no flour spots remain. Do not overmix.
06 - If using, fold in the chopped nuts or chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
07 - Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top with a spatula for an even layer.
08 - Bake for 35–40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
09 - Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Serve plain or with your favorite frosting.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It uses pantry staples and whatever bananas are languishing on your counter, no fancy shopping required.
- The crumb stays incredibly tender for days, which means it is just as good on Wednesday as it was on Monday.
02 -
- Overmixing once the flour goes in will make the cake tough and dense instead of tender and soft.
- Underripe bananas will taste flat, so wait until the peels are heavily spotted or nearly black for the best result.
03 -
- Gently warm your buttermilk or yogurt to room temperature before adding it so the batter stays smooth and cohesive.
- A light dusting of sugar on top before baking creates a delicate, barely there crust that makes the edges irresistible.