I’ll share my Banana Bundt Cake and a simple little technique I use to coax extraordinary results from overripe bananas.

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I’m kinda obsessed with this Banana Bundt Cake because it hits that weird sweet spot between a pound cake and something airy and light. I always rely on very ripe bananas and a good amount of unsalted butter to get a tender, almost melt in your mouth crumb.

This Banana Cake Recipe doesn’t feel fussy but it looks like you labored over it, which is nice when you want applause without the effort. The bundt shape makes it feel grown up and a little dramatic.

I screw up sometimes, like overmixing or leaving the pan ungreased, but when it comes out right, wow.

Ingredients

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Bananas: sweet, fiber rich mashed for moisture and natural sugar.
Flour: provides structure and carbohydrates makes cake tender when not overmixed.
Butter: adds richness, saturated fat and buttery flavor helps tender crumb.
Sugars: granulated and brown sweeten, brown adds molasses depth and chew.
Eggs: bind, give protein and lift, help cake hold it’s shape.
Sour cream/Greek yogurt: adds tang moisture and a tender crumb from fat and acid.
Nuts: chopped walnuts or pecans add crunch, healthy fats and nuttiness.
Cinnamon: warm spice, subtle sweetness, antioxidants, pairs great with banana.
Glaze: powdered sugar glaze adds shiny sweet finish, can mellow tang.

Ingredient Quantities

2 1/2 cups (312 g) all purpose flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp fine salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon (optional, but it adds warmth)

1 cup (2 sticks, 226 g) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

3 large eggs, room temp

1 1/2 cups mashed very ripe bananas (about 3 large bananas), smashed up good

1/2 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, room temp

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional, chopped kinda fine)

For a simple glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 to 2 tbsp milk and 1/2 tsp vanilla (optional)

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Grease a 10 to 12 cup bundt pan very well with butter or nonstick spray and dust with flour or use baker’s release, getting into every nook so the cake won’t stick.

2. Whisk together 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp fine salt and 1 tsp ground cinnamon if you want it. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl cream 1 cup softened unsalted butter with 1 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape the bowl, it matters.

4. Add 3 large eggs one at a time, beating briefly after each so it blends but don’t over beat. Then mix in 1 1/2 cups very ripe mashed bananas, 1/2 cup room temp sour cream (or Greek yogurt) and 1 tsp vanilla until smooth.

5. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet in two or three additions, mixing just until no streaks of flour remain. Over mixing makes a dense cake, so stop as soon as it’s combined.

6. Stir in 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans if using, mix them in gently so they’re evenly distributed.

7. Pour batter into prepared bundt pan, smooth the top, then bang the pan gently on the counter a couple times to release big air bubbles.

8. Bake in middle of oven for about 50 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but not wet batter. If the top is getting too brown, tent loosely with foil for the last 10-15 minutes.

9. Cool the cake in the pan on a rack 10 to 15 minutes, run a knife around the edges, then invert onto the rack to finish cooling completely. Once cool, make the simple glaze by whisking 1 cup powdered sugar with 1 to 2 tbsp milk and 1/2 tsp vanilla to a drizzle consistency, thin with more milk if needed, then pour over the cake. Enjoy, and store leftovers wrapped at room temp for 2 days or in the fridge up to a week.

Equipment Needed

1. 10 to 12 cup bundt pan, greased good (butter or nonstick spray and flour)
2. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer for creaming the butter and eggs
3. Large mixing bowl plus a medium bowl for the dry ingredients
4. Measuring cups and spoons (for flour, sugars, baking powder, soda, etc)
5. Rubber spatula and a wooden spoon to fold batter without overmixing
6. Whisk for dry mixes and for the glaze
7. Fork or potato masher to smash the ripe bananas
8. Cooling rack and a toothpick or cake tester to check doneness
9. Oven mitts and a baking sheet or dish to catch any drips in the oven

FAQ

Q: How ripe should the bananas be and how do I mash them? A: They should be very ripe, lots of brown spots, almost sweet-smelling; that gives the best flavor and moisture. Use about 1 1/2 cups mashed (roughly 3 large bananas). Mash by hand with a fork or potato masher so you still have small chunks for texture, dont overblend or the cake can get gummy.

Q: My bundt cake stuck to the pan before, how do I prevent that? A: Grease the pan thoroughly with softened butter or shortening, then dust with flour, tapping out excess. Nonstick spray with flour also works. Let the cake cool 10 to 15 minutes, then run a thin knife or flexible spatula around the edges and invert, give the pan a gentle shake to release it. If you have a silicone bundt pan it's way more forgiving.

Q: How do I know the cake is done without overbaking? A: Insert a toothpick into the center, it should come out with a few moist crumbs not wet batter. The cake will also spring back lightly when you press the top and may pull away slightly from the pan edges. If you like numbers, dense cakes hit about 200 to 205 F internally, but the toothpick test is easiest.

Q: Can I swap the sour cream or add oil instead of butter? A: You can swap sour cream for plain Greek yogurt or buttermilk 1 to 1, both keep the cake tender. Replacing butter with oil will make it moister but you lose some buttery flavor; try replacing up to half the butter with neutral oil if you want a moister crumb.

Q: Can I add nuts or chocolate chips, and any tricks so they dont sink? A: Yes, fold in 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, or 3/4 cup chocolate chips. Toss them in a tablespoon of flour before folding into the batter so they suspend better and dont all end up at the bottom.

Q: How should I store or freeze the cake? A: At room temp keep it covered for 2 to 3 days, or refrigerate up to 4 to 5 days (bring to room temp before serving). To freeze, wrap whole or sliced cake tightly in plastic then foil and freeze up to 3 months, thaw overnight in the fridge or on the counter.

BEST Banana Bundt Cake Recipe Substitutions and Variations

All purpose flour: swap 1:1 with a gluten free all purpose blend that already has xanthan gum (use the same cup measure). it may bake a tad denser but works great.
Unsalted butter (1 cup): replace with 3/4 cup neutral oil (vegetable, canola or light olive) or 3/4 cup melted coconut oil for same moisture. if you want to cut fat, use half the butter and half unsweetened applesauce (so 1/2 cup butter + 1/2 cup applesauce) the cake stays moist but less rich.
Eggs (3): use flax eggs for each egg mix 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water, rest 5 mins till gelled. or use 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce per egg for extra moisture, note texture will be slightly different.
Sour cream / Greek yogurt (1/2 cup): swap with 1/2 cup buttermilk, or make soured milk by stirring 1/2 cup whole milk with 1 tsp lemon juice or vinegar and let sit 5 mins. keeps the tang and tender crumb.

Pro Tips

– Use very ripe bananas with lots of brown spots, they add the most flavor and moisture. If you ever have extras freeze them in chunks, then thaw and mash when you need them, they actually mash up nicer that way.

– Make sure the butter is softened not melted, and scrape the bowl often while creaming the butter and sugars so everything gets airy. Dont overbeat once you add the eggs or the flour, stop as soon as you dont see streaks or youll end up with a tough cake.

– Prep the bundt pan obsessively, get into every nook with butter or spray and dust with flour or sugar so it releases cleanly; if it still seems stuck after cooling a bit, pop it in the freezer for 10 minutes then invert and it usually comes out easier.

– If using nuts toss them with a little flour so they dont all sink to the bottom, and tent the top with foil if it starts browning too fast. For the glaze pour it over when the cake is slightly warm if you want it to soak in, or wait until fully cool for a thicker, prettier drizzle.

BEST Banana Bundt Cake Recipe

Recipe by Kate Sinclair

0.0 from 0 votes

I’ll share my Banana Bundt Cake and a simple little technique I use to coax extraordinary results from overripe bananas.

Servings

servings

Calories

470

kcal

Equipment: 1. 10 to 12 cup bundt pan, greased good (butter or nonstick spray and flour)
2. Electric hand mixer or stand mixer for creaming the butter and eggs
3. Large mixing bowl plus a medium bowl for the dry ingredients
4. Measuring cups and spoons (for flour, sugars, baking powder, soda, etc)
5. Rubber spatula and a wooden spoon to fold batter without overmixing
6. Whisk for dry mixes and for the glaze
7. Fork or potato masher to smash the ripe bananas
8. Cooling rack and a toothpick or cake tester to check doneness
9. Oven mitts and a baking sheet or dish to catch any drips in the oven

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups (312 g) all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp fine salt
1 tsp ground cinnamon (optional, but it adds warmth)
1 cup (2 sticks, 226 g) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs, room temp
1 1/2 cups mashed very ripe bananas (about 3 large bananas), smashed up good
1/2 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt, room temp
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional, chopped kinda fine)
For a simple glaze: 1 cup powdered sugar, 1 to 2 tbsp milk and 1/2 tsp vanilla (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 325°F (160°C). Grease a 10 to 12 cup bundt pan very well with butter or nonstick spray and dust with flour or use baker's release, getting into every nook so the cake won’t stick.
Whisk together 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp fine salt and 1 tsp ground cinnamon if you want it. Set aside.
In a large bowl cream 1 cup softened unsalted butter with 1 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape the bowl, it matters.
Add 3 large eggs one at a time, beating briefly after each so it blends but don't over beat. Then mix in 1 1/2 cups very ripe mashed bananas, 1/2 cup room temp sour cream (or Greek yogurt) and 1 tsp vanilla until smooth.
Fold the dry ingredients into the wet in two or three additions, mixing just until no streaks of flour remain. Over mixing makes a dense cake, so stop as soon as it’s combined.
Stir in 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans if using, mix them in gently so they’re evenly distributed.
Pour batter into prepared bundt pan, smooth the top, then bang the pan gently on the counter a couple times to release big air bubbles.
Bake in middle of oven for about 50 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but not wet batter. If the top is getting too brown, tent loosely with foil for the last 10-15 minutes.
Cool the cake in the pan on a rack 10 to 15 minutes, run a knife around the edges, then invert onto the rack to finish cooling completely. Once cool, make the simple glaze by whisking 1 cup powdered sugar with 1 to 2 tbsp milk and 1/2 tsp vanilla to a drizzle consistency, thin with more milk if needed, then pour over the cake. Enjoy, and store leftovers wrapped at room temp for 2 days or in the fridge up to a week.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.