Banana cake with Nutella cream cheese frosting
Just imagine taking a bite of the most delicious, moist banana cake ever, topped with a velvety Nutella cream cheese frosting that almost melts on your tongue. This is probably one of the most moist cakes in my recipe collection and it has such an amazing banana flavor without being overwhelmingly sweet. And the pièce de résistance, the icing on the cake (pun absolutely intended!), is the absolutely mouth-watering Nutella frosting. Because we all know that Nutella is what dreams are made of. Are you drooling yet? If not, you will be soon!
About the banana cake recipe
This dreamy banana cake fits so many occasions and appetites big and small. Whether it’s for a children’s birthday party, a bake sale, school event, a pick-me-up for colleagues or simply just to treat yourself on a cozy afternoon, it’s a surefire winner. A favorite with both kids and adults, it’s like a warm hug on a plate!
One of the absolute highlights of this banana cake? Its texture. Let me tell you, it’s one of the most heavenly, moist cakes I’ve ever had the pleasure of tasting. Now, there are a couple of secrets behind this delightful moistness. Of course, it all starts with those lovely bananas. They bring a load of moisture to the party, making each bite a tender, flavor-packed experience. But there’s more to it than that. Before adding the other ingredients, we whip eggs and sugar into a fluffy, airy wonder. This step adds an incredible lightness to the cake, keeping it from becoming dense or crumbly. It doesn’t fall apart when you take a bite but will hold its shape as you enjoy every single bite!
Now, let’s talk about that amaaazing Nutella cream cheese frosting. We all know Nutella is an invention on par with electricity or at least the Internet. Its creamy texture, divine hazelnut flavor, versatility, and how it pairs so magically with fruit is just pure genius. And Nutella and bananas together – oh my gosh, they’re soulmates.
You may be thinking that a Nutella frosting sounds heavy and overly sweet, but that’s where our trusty cream cheese comes to the rescue. It adds an airy, light texture and a touch of tanginess, making the frosting a breeze to work with and giving it that absolutely perfect consistency for a cake like this. It’s light enough to heighten the flavor experience but firm enough to hold its shape.
And hey – if you’re not that into Nutella (whaaat?) you can always opt for a chocolate cream cheese frosting, vanilla cream cheese frosting or even a whipped buttercream.
Ingredients
Below are some details regarding the ingredients for the banana cake and Nutella cream cheese frosting. Scroll down to the recipe card for exact amounts.
Ingredients for the banana cake
- Milk with lemon juice: Essentially, this is buttermilk, created when you mix lemon juice into milk. You can easily swap it 1:1 with “real” buttermilk, but personally, I rarely have it on hand. You can also substitute the milk for soy milk for a vegan or dairy-free version.
- All-purpose flour: I’ve opted for all-purpose flour for my banana cake to achieve the optimal rise. A gluten-free or whole grain flour won’t yield the same airy and moist results.
- Baking soda: In this banana cake, I use baking soda as the leavening agent, activated by the acidity of the lemon juice. You won’t achieve the same rise if you substitute it for baking powder.
- Vanilla: Added for flavor. You can substitute it with a whole vanilla bean.
- Sugar: The bananas naturally sweeten the cake, but it also gets some sweetness from refined sugar.
- Eggs: Contribute to the cake’s rise and texture. For vegan version, you can replace them with flaxseed eggs, but it won’t yield the exact same airy results.
- Brown sugar: This adds the most delightful caramelized flavor to the banana cake. It shouldn’t be left out or substituted.
- Butter: Besides the bananas, we need butter as fat. You can use salted or unsalted butter or a vegetable-based alternative (like vegan butter). If using unsalted butter, add a bit of extra salt.
- Bananas: Of course, bananas are a must in banana cake! It’s best to use bananas that have just gotten a few brown spots on the skin but haven’t gone overly ripe and brown. The riper the bananas, the sweeter the cake, but be cautious; overly ripe bananas will make the cake a bit too sweet.
Ingredients for Nutella cream cheese frosting
Note that if you’re making a vegan version of this cake, this frosting isn’t for you. Sub for a smarter vegan option instead.
- Cream cheese: Helps create the velvety texture and adds acidity.
- Butter: Adds flavor and texture. You can use salted or unsalted butter. If using unsalted butter, add a little salt.
- Nutella: Of course you’ll needs lots of Nutella for this frosting! You can also use another brand of hazelnut chocolate paste.
- Cocoa: Adds color and kicks up the chocolate flavor. Use high quality cocoa powder for best results.
- Powdered sugar: Gives the frosting its texture and controls how soft or firm the frosting is. Add a little extra if your frosting won’t hold its shape.
How to make this banana cake
This banana cake is super easy to make! Whip together the wet ingredients. Check! Mix the dry ingredients. Check! Mix the wet and dry ingredients along with milk. Finally, add mashed bananas, and you’re done! Pour the batter into the pan and bake it while you relax and enjoy the amazing smell that will take over your kitchen.
While the cake is cooling you can mix the frosting and then the only step left is to spread your frosting onto the cake, and optionally sprinkle with some chocolate chips. It’ll a take you a few hours in total including cooling time, but most of that time you can spend on something else 😉
How to frost your cake
There are many ways you can frost this cake. The Nutella cream cheese frosting I have used for my banana cake can be spread onto the cake with a spatula or palet knife or you can pipe it. I just spread it with a spatula and shaped it a little with the back of a spoon.
I can’t wait to hear what you think of this banana cake! It’s my new favorite.
Banana cake with Nutella cream cheese frosting
Ingredients
Banana cake:
- 2,5 dl milk
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 250 g flour
- 1,5 tsp baking soda
- 1,5 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 pinch of salt
- 200 g sugar
- 2 eggs
- 75 g dark brown sugar
- 75 g butter (room temperature)
- 200 g peeled bananas
Nutella cream cheese frosting:
- 1 portion of my Nutella cream cheese frosting
- Dark chocolate chips for decoration (optional)
Instructions
Banana cake:
- Mix lemon juice and milk together and set aside.2,5 dl milk, 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Mix flour, baking soda, vanilla and salt together in a bowl.250 g flour, 1,5 tsp baking soda, 1,5 tsp vanilla extract, 1 pinch of salt
- Mix sugar and eggs at high speed until fluffy. Add dark brown sugar and softened diced butter. Mix at high speed until you get a thick but airy batter.200 g sugar, 2 eggs, 75 g dark brown sugar, 75 g butter
- Add half of the flour mix and half of the milk mix to the eggs and stir together with a spoon. Do not overmix. Add the rest of the flour mix and milk mix and stir slowly until you get a runny batter.
- Mash the bananas with a fork and add them to the batter. Stir slowly to mix.200 g peeled bananas
- Spray a round cake pan (22 cm) with non-stick spray or butter it. Pour the batter into the cake pan.
- Bake the banana cake at 180 degrees C (without fan) for 45-50 mins. Cover the cake with foil after 25-30 minutes if the cake is getting too dark.
- Check when the cake is done. Insert a toothpick into the center of the banana cake to see if the crumb has set. If it comes out clean, the cake is done. If it comes out with crumbs clinging to it, the banana cake needs more time in the oven.
- Let the banana cake cool off for 15 minutes on a baking rack. Then put the banana cake in the fridge until it's room temperature.
Nutella cream cheese frosting:
- Mix the frosting according to the recipe.
- Spread the frosting in a thick layer all over the cake once the cake has completely cooled.
- Sprinkle with dark chocolate if desired.
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