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Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Banana cake with cream cheese frosting—an easy banana sheet cake with a pillowy, moist crumb. Bake in a 9x13 pan, then spread thick, tangy frosting in swooped waves for a soft-peaks look.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings: 15 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 420
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Banana cake
  • 3 bananas Ripe; mash until mostly smooth.
  • 2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.5 cup butter Softened for mixing.
  • 1.5 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 cup sour cream
Cream cheese frosting
  • 8 oz cream cheese Softened for smoothing.
  • 0.5 cup butter Softened for frosting.
  • 3.5 cup powdered sugar
  • 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp heavy cream

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Bake the banana cake
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13 pan so the cake releases cleanly.
  2. Beat 1/2 cup softened butter and 1.5 cups sugar until fluffy, about 2 minutes, then add 2 large eggs, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and the 3 mashed bananas and mix until combined.
  3. In a separate dry bowl, combine 2 cups flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp cinnamon.
  4. Alternate folding the flour mixture and 1 cup sour cream into the batter, starting and ending with flour, until no dry streaks remain.
  5. Pour the batter into the greased 9x13 pan and bake at 350°F for 30–35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean and the edges look lightly golden.
Make frosting and finish
  1. Beat 8 oz softened cream cheese and 1/2 cup softened butter until smooth, then gradually add 3.5 cups powdered sugar, 1.5 tsp vanilla extract, and 2 tbsp heavy cream.
  2. Beat until the frosting is thick and fluffy, with soft peaks that hold their shape.
  3. Frost the completely cooled cake generously, swooping the frosting across the entire surface for a billowing wave effect.

Notes

For clean slices, cool the cake fully before frosting; if your bananas are very wet, mix just until combined to keep the crumb tender. Store covered in the refrigerator up to 4 days (freezer: no for frosted cake; you can freeze the unfrosted cake layers once cooled for up to 2 months). For a lighter option, swap the frosting heavy cream for whole milk by adding it slowly until the frosting reaches thick, swoopable consistency.