Cream Cheese Filled Banana Cake
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This Cream Cheese Filled Banana Cake is super moist, delicious and your new favorite dessert. Filled with an easy and tasty cream cheese filling, and iced with the best cream cheese icing, this banana cake is simply divine! Snack time just got a lot more interesting!
Cream Cheese Filled Banana Cake
Banana bread is the most common “dessert” I make at my house. I consider it a dessert, but really we mostly have it for breakfast with our coffee or late at night when we need a snack or have a sweet tooth.
Today I had a strong craving for that oh so comforting banana bread, but with a richer dessert twist in a cake form. Now I am a fiend for a good cream cheese icing, I almost consider carrot cake and red velvet a vehicle for the stuff. So I thought I’d really make this banana cake decadent by incorporating both cream cheese icing and filing.
Banana Cake?
All I happened to have handy was a bundt pan, so necessity required some creativity. Just goes to show that banana cake doesn’t have to be made in a loaf pan at all and works perfectly well in an unconventional shape. So with that in mind I decided to whip up an easy recipe that doesn’t require any specialized pans or mixers. So get ready to enjoy your new favorite dessert. Don’t worry, I promise not to judge if this also becomes your new favorite snack.
Ingredients in Cream Cheese Filled Banana Cake
Banana cake batter
- Bananas – We want very ripe bananas, just like you would use for banana bread. They are super sweet and best for baking.
- Buttermilk – We want to use buttermilk as it has a nice tang, if you don’t have any on hand feel free to use regular milk.
- Vegetable oil – Something mild is flavorless is what we’re looking for. This is the key to getting a moist rich cake.
- Eggs – Our binding agent for this dessert.
- Vanilla – I used vanilla extract for this recipe but if you have vanilla beans feel free to include them. Vanilla is key to rounding out our flavor in this dish.
- Sugar – White granulated and brown are both needed for this cake base.
- Flour – All purpose flour.
- Salt – Don’t forget the salt in your baked goods! Without it your flavor will fall flat.
- Leavening – I used baking soda and baking powder. If you don’t have one or the other just keep in mind that one teaspoon of baking soda equals 2 – 3 teaspoons of baking powder.
Cream cheese filling
- Cream cheese – Softened at room temperature.
- Sugar – Granulated is needed for this rich filling. Feel free to cut back on this if you prefer a less sweet dessert.
- Flour – All purpose again.
- Egg – Just one egg to bind this filling together as it bakes.
- Vanilla – Plain ole’ vanilla extract is fine.
Cream cheese icing
- Cream cheese – Softened at room temperature.
- Butter – Unsalted is a key, we want to control the sodium level of this dessert.
- Powdered sugar – This is the sugar to use for these types of fillings or icings.
- Vanilla extract – Again needed for that well rounded flavor.
- Salt – Don’t forget the salt! every layer needs seasoning.
How To Make Cream Cheese Filled Banana Cake
Detailed instructions and measurements can be found on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Prepare your oven: Preheat oven to 350 F degrees, spray your bundt pan with cooking spray in the meantime.
- Prepare wet ingredients: Add the ripe bananas to a medium size bowl and mash them using a fork or a potato masher. To it add the buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla extract, and the sugar. Whisk until combined.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a large bowl mix flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together until well combined.
- Incorporate wet with dry: Add the flour mixture to the bowl with the wet ingredients. With a spatula mix until combined. Do not over-mix.
- Combine filling: In a medium size bowl, add all the cream cheese filling ingredients and whisk until smooth. Usually I like to use a spatula to soften the cream cheese further, this makes it easier to whisk everything by hand.
- Combine cake with filling: Pour about 2/3 of the cake batter to the prepared bundt pan. Evenly spoon or pour the cream cheese filling over the cake batter, then pour the remaining cake batter over the cream cheese filling. Smooth the top lightly with a spatula. Place the bundt pan in the oven and bake on middle rack of the oven for 40 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
- Prepare the icing: Prepare the cream cheese icing. Add the cream cheese and butter to a bowl and whisk until smooth. Mix in the remaining ingredients and continue whisking until smooth. Incorporate more milk, a tbsp at a time, until you achieve the desired consistency
- Finish the dessert: Take the cake out of the oven and let it sit in the bundt pan for 5 minutes. Run a knife along the sides of the cake if necessary, then flip the cake over onto a cake tray. Let the cake cool completely before icing.
Tips For Making The Best Banana Cake
- Be sure to use very ripe bananas for this banana cake, ones that are completely brown for this recipe.
- I like my cream cheese icing as thick as possible, hold off on incorporating more liquid to achieve this consistency.
- If you have super ripe bananas and want to make this banana cake at a later date, feel free to freeze them with the peels removed till then.
- Let the bananas stay a little chunky when mashing for this recipe, we don’t want any part of this batter to be over mixed.
Storing Left Over Cream Cheese Icing And Cake
As our filling and icing contain dairy, we want to refrigerate this treat. This method will allow the treat to last 3 – 4 days. If you’d prefer to freeze it be sure to wrap the cake in plastic wrap and aluminum foil for up to 3 months, with the icing stored separately. To thaw the cake you’ll want to keep it wrapped in foil for 3 hours as it thaws on the counter.
Craving More Banana Desserts? Try These:
- Banana Buzz Scones
- The Perfect Banana Muffins
- Banana Upside Down Cake
- Easy Banana Bread
- Banana Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake
- Marbled Chocolate Banana Bread
- Banana Bread French Toast with Caramelized Bananas
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Simple Banana Cake
Ingredients
Cake Batter
- 3 large bananas (very ripe)
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sugar (granulated)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (packed)
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
Cream Cheese Filling
- 6 ounce cream cheese (softened at room temperature)
- 1/4 cup sugar (granulated)
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Icing
- 8 ounce cream cheese (at room temperature, I recommend Philadelphia)
- 6 tablespoon butter (unsalted, softened)
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes.
Instructions
Cake Batter
- Preheat your oven to 350 F degrees. Spray a bundt cake pan generously with cooking spray and set aside.
- Add the ripe bananas to a medium size bowl and mash them using a fork or a potato masher. To it add the buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla extract, and the sugar. Whisk until combined.
- In a large bowl mix flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt together until well combined.
- Add the flour mixture to the bowl with the wet ingredients. With a spatula mix until combined. Do not over-mix.
Cream Cheese Filling
- In a medium size bowl, add all the cream cheese filling ingredients and whisk until smooth. Usually I like to use a spatula to soften the cream cheese further, this makes it easier to whisk everything by hand. Alternatively, you could use a hand mixer to mix everything.
- Pour about 2/3 of the cake batter to the prepared bundt pan. Evenly spoon or pour the cream cheese filling over the cake batter, then pour the remaining cake batter over the cream cheese filling. Smooth the top lightly with a spatula
- Place the bundt pan in the oven and bake on middle rack of the oven for 40 minutes to about an hour or until a wooden toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
Cream Cheese Icing
- While the cake is baking, prepare the cream cheese icing. Add the cream cheese and butter to a bowl and whisk until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and continue whisking until smooth. Add more milk, a tbsp at a time, until you achieve the desired consistency. I prefer it a bit thicker for this cake.
- Take the cake out of the oven and let it sit in the bundt pan for 5 minutes. Run a knife along the sides of the cake if necessary, then flip the cake over onto a cake tray. Let the cake cool completely before icing.
Video
Notes
- The secret to a moist banana cake is the ripe bananas, so please make sure your bananas are super ripe before using them in a banana cake or bread.
- As our filling and icing contain dairy, we want to refrigerate this treat. This method will allow the treat to last 3 – 4 days. If you’d prefer to freeze it be sure to wrap the cake in plastic wrap and aluminum foil for up to 3 months, with the icing stored separately. To thaw the cake you’ll want to keep it wrapped in foil for 3 hours as it thaws on the counter.
- Please keep in mind that nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary greatly based on products used.
Nutrition Information
Notice: Nutrition is auto-calculated for your convenience. Where relevant, we recommend using your own nutrition calculations.
This was amazing! So moist and rich, just deliciousness!! My son who is God’s pickiest eater was in LOVE with it! Only thing is in the beginning instructions when you mix banana add both sugars. I’m newer to cooking and I make sure to follow every step, it says sugar and should maybe read sugars. Just helpful advice to those who are learning. Thanks for sharing this recipe, I will be recommending!
Is there milk in the icing?
No there isn’t.
Just a suggestion, but you might want to review your instructions for the cake batter. As written, they do not make much sense, and use an extra bowl. Perhaps Step 3 should be omitted. The only difference I see between Steps 3 & 4 is that Step 3 uses a larger bowl and omits the salt.
Thanks for the recipes. You do a great job.
You’re correct, that’s been fixed. Thanks!
Can I bake this in 9×13 pan? Thank you!! Looks yummy!!!
Yes you can! It will come out a little thinner but still tasty.
Made this cake for my painting club board meeting and it was a hit with everyone. My granddaughter thought it was delicious and loved the filling and icing. Will definitely be making this cake again. I love getting your recipes everyday. I look forward to see what you will post.
Aw, thank you, Cathe! I appreciate your kind message and I’m glad you guys enjoyed the cake! 🙂
I love this cake. Although the time baking is like 20 min more than what the recipe calls for. ???
Every oven is different, 45 minutes was perfect for us!
Hi,
This recipe looks amazing. To make this in a 9X5 loaf pan, would I just cut the ingredients in half?
Thanks so much.
Do 2/3 of the recipe to fit your pan.
Anyway, I did make the cake; I found that 40 minutes was sufficient baking time; even at that it started to get a little dark, but the thick frosting covered it up. Came out great; I decided to put some mini chocolate chips into the filling. 🙂
You’ve got sugar in both steps 2 & 3. Which is it?
I only see sugar mentioned in step 2!
I saw this cake recipe on Friday morning and it looked SO good I decided to make it for a crawfish party I was attending on Saturday. The icing made a large amount and covered the cake nicely and was so delicious. It was so popular (especially to the men) that it was gone before I knew it. Easy to make and well worth the time and effort. You won’t be disappointed. This will definitely be my “go to” cake.
We always like to make lots of icing, it’s our favorite part 🙂 Thanks for the great review!
Just received this recipe and will make it for the holiday. Every recipe I’ve made from Jo is delicious!
Thanks a ton. I baked it with whatever I had and hence skipped the vanilla essence. But it still tastes awesome. Drinking my evening tea with a piece of banana cake topped with Butterscotch topping and loving every bit of it!!
Enjoying the simple things in life, I love it!
You had me at “simple”!!
LOL my favorite word!
I made this and it was so delicious. Thank you!
She is absolutely beautiful. No other word for her. How old is she?
Thanks Judy, she’s 9 1/2 years old, though in my eyes she’s still my puppy!
That looks amazing! Will be putting on my to-bake list. Pinning!