Banana Cake
Make Banana Cake once and it will go straight into your regular rotation. Prep takes about under an hour, cooking around 2 hours, and it serves 255. Sweet without being heavy, it works just as well for an afternoon treat as for dessert. Scroll down for the ingredients, the step-by-step method, and answers to the questions we get asked most about it.
- Cook 2h
- Total 2h
- Serves 255
- Level Easy
Ingredients
- 2 cup All purpose flour
- 10 ½ tsp Baking Powder
- ½ tsp Baking soda
- ½ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Ground Cinnamon
- ½ cup Unsalted Butter, softened
- 1 cup Granulated sugar
- 2 Standard eggs
- 1 0.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 Ripe bananas, mashed
- ½ cup Buttermilk
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract.
- Add the mashed bananas to the butter mixture and mix until well combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the banana mixture, alternating with the buttermilk. Begin and end with the dry ingredients, mixing just until combined after each addition. Be careful not to overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake for 45–50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Then, transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once the cake has cooled, you can frost it with cream cheese frosting, a dusting of powdered sugar, or enjoy it plain.
Tips for the best Banana Cake
- Do not crowd the pan. Cook in batches if needed so everything browns instead of steaming.
- Use a kitchen scale for the dry ingredients if you have one — baking is less forgiving than cooking.
- This is a 10-step recipe, so set up your workspace in the order the steps use it.
- Preheat the oven fully before anything goes in — a cold start changes the texture.
Variations
- Slow cooker: brown everything first, then cook on low for 6–8 hours instead of simmering.
- Vegetable boost: stir in a handful of spinach, peas or diced peppers in the last few minutes of cooking.
- Individual portions: divide into ramekins or a muffin tin and reduce the baking time by about a third.
Serving ideas
Best with fresh berries on the side and a little whipped cream.
Storage
Keeps in an airtight container at room temperature for 2–3 days, or refrigerated for up to a week. Most versions freeze well for 2 months.
Frequently asked questions
How many people does this Banana Cake recipe serve?
As written it serves 255. The quantities scale up or down in a straight line, so double everything for 255×2.
How long does Banana Cake take to make?
About 2 hours in total — roughly under an hour of preparation and 2 hours of cooking.
Is this Banana Cake recipe hard to make?
It is rated hard: 11 ingredients and 10 steps. Follow the order and the tips above and it is very forgiving.
Can I make Banana Cake ahead of time?
Yes. It actually improves after a few hours, so make it earlier in the day and reheat gently before serving.
Adapted from Wikibooks Cookbook, CC BY-SA 4.0 — source
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