Banana Spice Cake

Banana cake joins up with spice cake in this moist and tender Banana Spice Cake! With sweet bananas and cozy cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg, this is one of those easy moist banana cake recipes you’ll reach for again and again. I know I do!

Banana spice cake is one of those wonderful snack cakes that keeps in the fridge, and every time you pull out a piece, you notice that the flavors are deeper, richer; the cake even more moist than the time before.

The cream cheese frosting contributes just the right amount of sweetness, the perfect counterpoint to banana and spice flavors.

Table of Contents

• The Story Behind the Recipe
• About This Banana Cake Recipe
• Banana Spice Cake Ingredients
• How to Make It
• How to Store Banana Cake
• More Banana Recipes

• Jump to the Full, Printable Recipe
• Read Comments & Reviews

The Story Behind the Recipe

This banana spice cake was one of the last recipes I made in our old house all the way back in 2013. And it was one of the first I made when we settled into our new place.

It’s tough adjusting to a new place! But this spiced banana cake was perfect for making our house feel like a home. It helps that this cake smells AMAZING while it bakes.

About This Banana Cake Recipe

All the spices that go into spice cake – cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves – also happen to go stunningly with bananas. It a combo that was meant to be!

This is an easy banana cake recipe that’s made in a 9×13 pan. It mixes easily with a stand mixer, and tastes amazing with a cup of coffee. Highly recommend.

Banana Spice Cake Ingredients

For the banana cake:

• Flour – I use straight-up all-purpose flour here.
• Baking soda & baking powder – These traditional leaveners help the cake to rise.
• Cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, cloves, and salt – These spices and seasonings make this a spice cake instead of just a plain ol’ banana cake.
• Butter – You want to make sure it’s at room temperature so that it can mix easily.
• Sugar – White, granulated sugar.
• Bananas – You want them to be nice and ripe, fragrant with with plenty of brown spots.
• Sour cream – Makes a moist and tender cake and adds a bit of tangy flavor.
• Eggs – Helps bind the cake together.

For the cream cheese frosting:

• Cream cheese – I like to use full-fat for the thickest frosting. Make sure it’s room temp so it blends easily!
• Butter – unsalted, so that you can better control the salt level.
• Powdered sugar – Also known as confectioner’s sugar.
• Vanilla – Adds a nice little note of flavor.
• Salt – Just a pinch to counteract the sweetness.
• Milk – Just a splash if you need it to thin the icing to spreading consistency.

How to Make It

It’s easiest to make banana spice cake in a stand mixer. First, beat together the butter and sugar.

Then add the eggs, sour cream, and bananas.

Mix together until well incorporated and creamy.

Mix together the dry ingredients in a separate bowl.

Then add the dry ingredients to the stand mixer bowl a little at a time, until a thick batter has formed.

Spread the batter in a prepared 9″x13″ pan, and bake.

The cake is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let it cool to room temperature, then make the frosting.

Spread the frosting evenly over the top of your banana cake. Yum! Add a few banana slices to the top if you like, too. They’re cute!

How to Store Banana Cake

You’ll want to store your banana spice cake in the fridge because of the cream cheese frosting. The flavors will deepen and the cake will get moister over time. It’s magic! Delicious, delicious magic. Your banana cake will keep for about 4 days in the fridge.

Banana spice cake is homey, comforting, uses up those goshdarn overripe bananas, and couldn’t be more perfect for serving to the kids when they get home from school on a drizzly afternoon.

More Banana Recipes

• Dairy-Free Banana Bread
• Honey Banana Muffins
• Banana Muffins with Brown Sugar Ripple
• Vegan Banana Bread Muffins
• Fluffy Banana Pancakes
• Coconut Banana Bread

5 from 3 votes

Banana Spice Cake

Prep: 15 minutes mins

Cook: 25 minutes mins

Total: 40 minutes mins

Author: Kare

Yield: 12

With warm, comforting cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves, the spices in this super-moist banana cake get deeper and richer with time. The sweet and tangy cream cheese frosting is the literal icing on top!

Print Pin Rate

Ingredients

Banana Spice Cake

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temperature [1 stick])
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 large)
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground allspice
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• Pinch ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt (or table salt)

Cream Cheese Frosting

• 8 ounces cream cheese (one block; room temperature)
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Pinch fine-grain sea salt
• 1 teaspoon milk (only if needed for thinning the icing to a spreading consistency)

Equipment

• Stand mixer
• 9×13 baking pan

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter and flour a 13-inch x 9-inch baking pan or spray it with non-stick spray.
• In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves. Set aside.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the beater blade attachment or in a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugar on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 1 – 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time and mix until well incorporated. Mix in the sour cream and the bananas.
• Pour in the flour mixture, a little bit at a time, beating continuously until well-incorporated.
• Spread batter into the prepared pan.
• Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the top of the cake is golden and a toothpick or tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove the cake from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool to room temperature.
• To make the frosting, fit a stand mixer with the beater attachment or use a large bowl and an electric hand mixer. On medium speed, beat together the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Turn the mixer to low and gradually add the powdered sugar. Once all the powdered sugar has been added, increase the speed to medium and beat for another 30 seconds. Add the vanilla and pinch salt; beat for another minute or so until smooth. If the frosting seems too stiff to spread, add a little milk (a teaspoons at a time)
• Spread frosting onto the cooled cake. Cut into 12 pieces for serving.

Notes

Cover and store leftover cake in the refrigerator; it keeps well (and keeps getting better) for 3 – 4 days.

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1square, Calories: 485kcal, Carbohydrates: 70g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 22g, Saturated Fat: 13g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Trans Fat: 0.4g, Cholesterol: 86mg, Sodium: 285mg, Potassium: 190mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 49g, Vitamin A: 757IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 65mg, Iron: 1mg

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