This cake is my go-to when I have a couple of overripe bananas and want something that feels like comfort but actually slices nicely for sharing. It’s tender and moist thanks to the sour cream, and the cream cheese frosting keeps it rich without being cloying. No tricks. Just good baking fundamentals that deliver predictable results.
I make this when I need an easy celebration cake or a reliable weeknight dessert. It holds up well, slices cleanly, and responds nicely to small tweaks — add toasted nuts on top or swap vanilla for a splash of bourbon if you’re feeling adventurous. Mostly, though, it’s about ripe bananas, sour cream, and a simple cream cheese frosting done right.
Below you’ll find a clear ingredient list, step-by-step directions taken straight from the tested recipe, and practical notes for swaps, storage, and troubleshooting. Read once, gather your tools, and you’ll have a cake you’ll want to make again and again.
Ingredient Rundown
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened — provides fat and tenderness in the cake batter; use at room temperature so it creams easily.
- 1½ cups granulated sugar — sweetens and helps with the cake’s structure and browning.
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature — bind and add richness; room temperature eggs incorporate more smoothly.
- 1 cup full-fat sour cream — keeps the cake moist and gives a subtle tang that balances the bananas and frosting.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract — enhances the overall flavor; don’t skip it.
- 2 cups all-purpose flour — the base structure of the cake; measure by spooning the flour into the cup and leveling for accuracy.
- 1 teaspoon baking soda — the leavening agent that reacts with the acidic sour cream and bananas.
- ¼ teaspoon salt — rounds out the flavors and balances the sweetness.
- 1 cup mashed bananas, ~2-3 large overripe bananas — the star flavor; the riper, the sweeter and more banana-forward the cake.
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened — for the frosting; use softened (not melted) for a stable, creamy texture.
- 8 ounces full-fat cream cheese, softened — gives the frosting its tang and creaminess; full-fat yields the best texture.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract — for the frosting; matches the cake’s flavor.
- 1 tablespoon milk, + 1 tablespoon more to thin if needed — to loosen the frosting to a spreadable consistency; add slowly.
- 2½ cups powdered sugar, sifted + ½ cup more if needed — sweetens and firms up the frosting; sift to avoid lumps and add more if the frosting is too thin.
Directions: (Sour Cream Banana Cake)
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish and set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream ½ cup softened unsalted butter and 1½ cups granulated sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3–5 minutes.
- Add 2 large eggs (at room temperature), 1 cup full-fat sour cream, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to the butter-sugar mixture and mix until combined. Stir in 1 cup mashed bananas until evenly distributed.
- In a separate large bowl, sift together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and ¼ teaspoon salt, then whisk to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and fold with a spatula just until no dry flour pockets remain. Do not overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared 9×13 pan and spread evenly.
- Bake for 25–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top is golden brown.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely in the pan at room temperature before frosting.
- For the frosting, beat ½ cup softened unsalted butter and 8 ounces softened full-fat cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth and creamy.
- Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon milk and beat until combined.
- Gradually add 2½ cups sifted powdered sugar and beat until smooth. If the frosting is too thick, add up to 1 additional tablespoon of milk, a little at a time, to thin. If it is too thin, add up to ½ cup more powdered sugar, a little at a time, until you reach a thick, easily spreadable consistency.
- Spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the completely cooled cake. Refrigerate the frosted cake for 2–3 hours before serving for best results.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This cake is forgiving. The sour cream keeps the crumb soft and moist even a day later, and the cream cheese frosting adds the right amount of tang to cut through the sweetness. It doesn’t rely on exotic ingredients or complicated techniques, and yet it tastes elevated — the kind of homemade cake people ask for seconds of.
Texture is the win here: tender, not gummy; sturdy enough to slice neatly; and the banana flavor is present without being overpowering. It’s a crowd-pleaser for potlucks, a lovely treat for tea, and a stress-free option when you want a celebration cake without the fuss.
Swap Guide
Here are practical swaps you can make without breaking the recipe’s balance.
- Butter (cake or frosting) — can be swapped 1:1 with European-style butter for a deeper flavor. Avoid margarine; it changes texture.
- Full-fat sour cream — you can use plain Greek yogurt (full-fat) for a tangy, slightly firmer crumb. Thin Greek yogurt with a teaspoon of milk if it’s very thick.
- All-purpose flour — do not substitute whole-wheat 1:1 unless you’re okay with a much denser crumb; if you must, replace up to half and add an extra tablespoon of liquid to compensate.
- Powdered sugar — must be powdered for frosting. If you want less sweet frosting, reduce to 2 cups and taste as you go; expect a thinner frosting that may need extra chilling to set.
Gear Up: What to Grab
Minimal tools required. Gather them before you start to keep everything smooth.
- 9×13-inch baking dish, greased
- Large mixing bowls (at least two)
- Stand mixer or hand mixer for creaming and frosting — makes the job easier but isn’t essential
- Spatula for folding batter
- Measuring cups and spoons, and a kitchen scale if you prefer accuracy
- Cooling rack
- Toothpick or cake tester
Easy-to-Miss Gotchas
Little things that can derail an otherwise perfect cake:
- Butter temperature: If your butter is too cold, you’ll have trouble creaming it with sugar and the cake may be dense. If it’s melted, the cake will be flat. Aim for softened, not warm.
- Overmixing: Once you add the dry ingredients, fold only until no streaks remain. Overmixing develops gluten and gives you a tough crumb.
- Bake time range: Ovens vary. Start checking at 25 minutes and trust the toothpick. If the surface is browning quickly, tent with foil for the last few minutes.
- Frosting temperature: Make sure both butter and cream cheese are softened. If the cream cheese is too cold, the frosting will be lumpy; if too warm, it will be runny.
- Frost when cool: Frosting a warm cake will melt the frosting and make a mess. Cool completely in the pan, as instructed.
Tailor It to Your Diet
Want to adjust this for dietary needs? Here are safe approaches that keep the cake’s character:
- Lower sugar: You can reduce the granulated sugar in the cake by up to ¼ cup without dramatically affecting texture, but the cake will be less golden.
- Dairy-free: This one’s trickier because sour cream and cream cheese are central. You can try full-fat dairy-free yogurt in place of sour cream and a dairy-free cream cheese for the frosting, but expect slight differences in taste and setting.
- Egg substitutes: Not recommended for the best texture. If you must, use commercial egg replacers and know the crumb will be different.
Testing Timeline
How I test this recipe at home so you can plan your baking day:
Day 0 (prep): Mash bananas and bring eggs, butter, and cream cheese to room temperature. Preheat and bake — cake takes 25–35 minutes.
Day 0 (after bake): Cool completely in the pan, then make the frosting and spread it. Refrigerate the frosted cake for 2–3 hours as the recipe suggests; this helps the frosting set and makes cleaner slices.
Serving note: For best texture and flavor, bring slices to room temperature for 15–20 minutes before serving. The frosting softens and the banana flavors become more pronounced.
Meal Prep & Storage Notes
Storage is straightforward and forgiving.
Refrigerate the frosted cake covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Because of the cream cheese frosting, this cake should be refrigerated. To freeze: wrap individual slices tightly in plastic wrap and then foil, or freeze the unfrosted baked cake in the pan tightly wrapped; thaw overnight in the fridge before frosting or serving.
Transporting: Keep the cake chilled until right before serving. If you’re carrying it somewhere warm, place it in a cooler with an ice pack to protect the frosting.
(Sour Cream Banana Cake) FAQs
Q: Can I make this in a different pan?
A: Yes. If you use a 9×13 pan, the timing is correct. For two 9-inch round pans, reduce bake time and check starting at about 20–25 minutes. For a loaf pan, expect longer bake times; use a toothpick to test doneness.
Q: My frosting is runny. What happened?
A: Your butter or cream cheese was likely too warm, or you added too much milk. Chill the frosting for 20–30 minutes and beat again. If still thin, add small amounts of sifted powdered sugar until it firms up.
Q: Can I freeze the whole cake?
A: Yes, wrap tightly with plastic wrap and a layer of foil. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Q: How ripe should the bananas be?
A: Very ripe — the skins should be heavily spotted or mostly brown. They mash easily and give the most banana flavor and natural sweetness.
Let’s Eat
Slice this when the frosting has had time to chill and firm up. Serve slightly chilled or at cool room temperature. I like a thin slice with coffee in the morning and a slightly larger one after dinner — both work.
Make it your own with a scattering of chopped toasted walnuts or a few banana slices on top for presentation. But if you want the straightforward, reliably delicious version, follow the recipe as written and enjoy a cake that hits the sweet spot between comfort and celebration.
Sour Cream Banana Cake
Equipment
- 9x13 pan
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1/2 cupunsalted butter softened
- 1 1/2 cupsgranulated sugar
- 2 largeeggs at room temperature
- 1 cupfull-fat sour cream
- 1 teaspoonvanilla extract
- 2 cupsall-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoonbaking soda
- 1/4 teaspoonsalt
- 1 cupmashed bananas ~2-3 large overripe bananas
- 1/2 cupunsalted butter softened
- 8 ouncesfull-fat cream cheese softened
- 1 teaspoonvanilla extract
- 1 tablespoonsmilk + 1 tablespoon more to thin if needed
- 2 1/2 cupspowdered sugar sifted + 1/2 cup more if needed
Instructions
Instructions
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish and set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream ½ cup softened unsalted butter and 1½ cups granulated sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3–5 minutes.
- Add 2 large eggs (at room temperature), 1 cup full-fat sour cream, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to the butter-sugar mixture and mix until combined. Stir in 1 cup mashed bananas until evenly distributed.
- In a separate large bowl, sift together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and ¼ teaspoon salt, then whisk to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and fold with a spatula just until no dry flour pockets remain. Do not overmix.
- Pour the batter into the prepared 9x13 pan and spread evenly.
- Bake for 25–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top is golden brown.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely in the pan at room temperature before frosting.
- For the frosting, beat ½ cup softened unsalted butter and 8 ounces softened full-fat cream cheese in a large bowl until smooth and creamy.
- Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon milk and beat until combined.
- Gradually add 2½ cups sifted powdered sugar and beat until smooth. If the frosting is too thick, add up to 1 additional tablespoon of milk, a little at a time, to thin. If it is too thin, add up to ½ cup more powdered sugar, a little at a time, until you reach a thick, easily spreadable consistency.
- Spread the cream cheese frosting evenly over the completely cooled cake. Refrigerate the frosted cake for 2–3 hours before serving for best results.
Notes
*Be sure to mash bananas well before you add to the cake batter.
Sour Cream:
Use full-fat sour cream, not reduced-fat or fat-free sour cream.
Layered Banana Cake:
To make a 2-layer cake, divide the batter between 2 greased 9-inch cake pans, and bake at 350 degrees F for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes on a cooling rack, and then remove from cake pans and cool fully before icing. You will want to double the frosting to fully ice the cake.
Underripe Bananas
: Place unpeeled bananas on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 30-40 minutes at 300 degrees Fahrenheit, or until the skins on the banana are fully browned. Allow to cool, peel, mash, and use in the banana cake recipe as directed.
Baking Time:
Every oven is different, hence the variance in bake time. For best results, position a rack in the middle of the oven and fully preheat before baking the cake. Check the cake at 25 minutes. If the cake jiggles, set the timer for an additional 5 minutes. If the cake looks set, test it with a toothpick. If the toothpick is dry remove the cake, if it is wet bake for an additional 2 minutes and recheck until fully set.
Optional Mix-Ins:
Feel free to add up to 1 cup of chopped walnuts and/or semi-sweet chocolate chips to the flour mixture before combining the wet and dry ingredients. Coating the nuts/chocolate chips in the flour will help prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the cake.
Storage:
Refrigerate cake iced or uniced cake covered tightly in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freezing:
To freeze this cake, bake in a disposable or freezer-safe cake pan. Cool fully and then ice as directed. Cover the cake pan tightly with 2 layers of plastic wrap and then 2 layers of heavy-duty foil. The cake can be frozen for up to 3 months but tastes best if enjoyed within 6 weeks. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight before enjoying.
Halving the Recipe:
This cake can be halved and baked in an 8x8 cake pan for the same amount of time with great results.
