This banana cream cake is made with moist layers of banana cake, filled with banana pastry cream, and frosted with cream cheese frosting.

This banana cream cake is the ultimate dessert for banana lovers! It starts with soft, moist layers of banana cake made with real mashed bananas, giving it a naturally sweet and rich flavor and a soft and moist texture.
Between each layer, there’s a smooth and creamy banana pastry cream that is made with mashed ripe bananas that add a luscious texture and an extra burst of banana flavor.
The entire cake is covered in a velvety and easy-to-make whipped cream cheese frosting that’s slightly tangy, balancing the sweetness perfectly.
The cake is finally topped with dollops of cream cheese frosting around the edges of the cake and fresh banana slices on top of each dollop.
For more banana desserts, check out my banana upside-down cake, bananas foster cheesecake, banana coffee cake, banana bread cookies, and double chocolate banana bread.
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Why this recipe works
- Soft cake layers- the foundation of this cake is moist, fluffy banana cake, that is made with real mashed ripe bananas. It’s naturally sweet, tender, and full of rich banana flavor.
- Banana pastry cream filling- between the layers, you get a rich, silky banana pastry cream that takes the cake to the next level. It adds extra creamy and delicious texture with banana flavor.
- Whipped cream cheese frosting- the entire cake is covered in a luscious creamy cream cheese frosting that’s slightly tangy, balancing out the sweetness of the cake and filling.
- Way to use ripe bananas- if you have overripe bananas, this cake is the best way to use them up instead of throwing them away!
- Perfect flavor & texture– the combination of fluffy cake, creamy filling, and rich frosting creates a perfect balance of flavors and textures. Every bite is a dreamy mix of soft, smooth, and slightly tangy deliciousness.

Ingredients
Before you start to make this recipe, measure and prepare your ingredients so the cooking process will go smoothly and easily.
Full measurements are in the recipe card below.
Ripe bananas- use ripe bananas for this recipe! Ripe bananas are sweeter, moister, and easier to mash into a pudding consistency.
If you don’t have ripe bananas, bake regular bananas in a 200c (400f) preheated oven for 10 minutes, this will soften the bananas and make them into a ripe banana texture.
Flour– I used all-purpose flour for this recipe, self-rising flour and cake flour will work great as well.
Baking soda and baking powder – baking soda and baking powder help the cake to rise. Make sure they aren't expired.
Butter- use unsalted butter for this cake. Melt it in the microwave.
Greek yogurt- get your Greek yogurt to room temperature. Any percent of fat will work for this recipe. You can use sour cream if you don't have Greek yogurt.
Sugar- I used granulated sugar for this recipe. You can use caster sugar as well.
Milk- use whole milk for this recipe. You can use plant-based milk as well.
Eggs-Â you will need 3 large eggs for this recipe. Make sure that your eggs are at room temperature.
Vanilla extract- adds extra flavor. 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract is what you will need for this recipe.
Kosher salt- you will need about ½ teaspoon of kosher salt for this recipe.
For the banana pastry cream filling
Egg yolks-Â you will need 4 egg yolks for the pastry cream. Use large eggs.
Cornstarch- the cornstarch is used to thicken up the pastry cream.
For the frosting
Powder sugar- you don’t have to buy powdered sugar, you can simply make it at home by blending granulated sugar in a blender or food processor.
Cream cheese– you will need to get your cream cheese to room temperature. Use full-fat cream cheese for this.
Heavy cream- use full-fat heavy cream for this recipe. This can't be substituted.
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180 (350f) and prep 3 6 inch baking pans with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl, add the ripe bananas and mash them into a pudding-like consistency using a fork or a potato masher.
Into the same large bowl with the mashed bananas, add the eggs, sour cream, vanilla extract, milk, salt, sugar, and melted butter. Mix with a whisk until well combined.

Add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda, and mix with a whisk until almost combined.

Divide the mixture into 3 6 inch baking pans, I suggest using cake strips for even baking. Bake in a preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean with a few moist crumbs.
Allow the cake layers to cool completely. Run a butter knife or a thin spatula around the edges of the cake to release it from the sides of the pan.
Invert and Tap: Place a wire rack or plate over the pan, hold them firmly, and flip to invert the pan. Lift Gently: Carefully lift one side of the pan, then remove it completely to slide your cake onto the surface.

Make the banana pastry cream
In a small mixing bowl, add the sugar and cornflour. Mix with a whisk until combined. Add the egg yolks and a splash of the milk and mix. Set aside.

Place a saucepan over high heat and fill it with the milk and vanilla extract. Let it simmer until it slightly bubbles but isn’t boiling.
Over low heat, add the egg yolk mixture into the milk mixing constantly with a whisk to prevent the eggs from cooking.

Mix over medium-low heat and mix constantly with a whisk until the mixture thickens. Don't increase the heat, be patient it will be worth it! Add the mashed bananas and mix until well combined.
Its normal if the pastry cream isn’t smooth at this point, since it has mashed bananas in it.

Transfer the mixture to a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap tightly. Place the bowl in the fridge. Allow it to set and cool for a few hours.

Make the whipped cream cheese frosting
In a large mixing bowl add the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract, and mix with an electric hand mixer until stiff peaks form.
Add the room-temperature cream cheese and mix until smooth and creamy.
Assembly the cake
Pipe a small dollop of the frosting on the surface that you will frost on. Lay the first cake layer over the frosting dot.
Pipe a circle around the edges of the cake using the frosting. Then fill the circle with 2-3 tablespoon of the banana pastry cream filling and smooth it out with an offset spatula.

Top with the second cake layer and repeat the same process. Top with the third cake layer and frost the cake with more frosting.

I like scraping some of the remaining frosting to reveal the beautiful layers of the cake for a semi-naked cake look, but it's not a must.
Make dollops of the remaining frosting around the edges of the cake. I used a 1M piping tip. Top each dollop with a slice of fresh banana for a beautiful look.

Expert Tips
- Prepare your pan properly. Line your pan with parchment paper and generously butter it to prevent sticking, making sure your caramel topping comes out cleanly.
- Choose ripe bananas. Use bananas that are ripe with brown spots. They’re sweeter and mash easily, adding moisture to the cake.
- Line your pan properly. Grease your baking pan well to prevent sticking, ensuring you can release the cake from the pan without any trouble.
- Use room temperature ingredients. It is important that you use room-temperature ingredients like eggs. This step ensures that your mixture mixes into a homogenous mixture and bakes perfectly.
- Measure your flour correctly! When measuring your flour, avoid scooping it with a measuring cup. Instead, stir the flour with a spoon to create as many air pockets as possible, and spoon it into your measuring cup. Finally, level it with a back of a knife.
- Don’t overmix the batter, you don’t want to develop the gluten in the flour. This step ensures you have a moist cake and not a dense and dry cake.
- Line your baking pan with parchment paper! This step helps the cake to bake evenly, and it makes sure that your cake will release easily from the pan.
- Test for doneness carefully. Insert a toothpick into the center, it should come out clean or with just a few crumbs attached when done.
- Once you've removed the cake from the oven, allow it to cool in the pan for about 10-15 minutes before attempting to flip it over onto a serving plate. This helps prevent any breakage or sticking.
- If the pastry cream is too thick, add 1-2 teaspoon of milk to loosen it up until you get the right consistency.
- Be patient! It's tempting to frost the cake as soon as it's out of the oven, but let it cool for at least an hour. This will make it firmer, prevent crumbling, and keep the frosting from melting.

Faq's
Banana bread is denser, less sweet, and often made with whole wheat, almond flour, or nuts—more like a quick bread.
Banana cake, on the other hand, is lighter, fluffier, and sweeter, usually with frosting on top, just like a regular cake.
If your banana cake isn’t fluffy, it could be because of overmixing the batter or using expired leavening(like baking powder or baking soda). Make sure to mix gently, and measure ingredients correctly.
Yes, bananas can be too old for banana cake! Overripe bananas with brown spots are perfect because they’re sweet and soft, but if they’re completely black, moldy, or smell bad, they’re too far gone.
Storing
This cake will last up to 4 in the fridge. Cover the cake with plastic wrap or foil to prevent it from drying out.
Freezing
For individual slices, wrap each piece tightly in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer-safe container or bag. This method is great for easy portion control.
To freeze the entire cake, first place it in the freezer uncovered for about an hour to firm up the ganache. Then, wrap the cake securely in plastic wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil.
This double-wrapping helps prevent freezer burn and keeps the cake fresh. Whether you're freezing slices or the whole cake, make sure to label it with the date.
When properly stored, your cake can stay fresh in the freezer for up to three months. To thaw, simply move the cake or slices to the refrigerator overnight before serving.
Make It Ahead Of Time
You can make this cake ahead by freezing the cake layers ahead of time. Wrap each cake layer with a few layers of plastic wrap and freeze for up to 2 months.
You can make the pastry cream and freeze it for up to 1 month in an airtight container. Make the frosting when ready to assemble.
Thaw at room temperature for 1-2 hours or in the fridge overnight.

Substitutions
Gluten-free - if you want to make this recipe gluten-free, simply replace the flour with gluten-free flour.
Dairy-free- to make this cake dairy-free, replace the milk with almond milk. Also, replace the heavy cream with coconut cream and the butter with vegan butter.
Variations
Nuts- mix â…“ cup of chopped walnuts or pecans into the batter for a bit of crunch, or sprinkle them on top of the cake for extra texture and flavor.
Spices- add cinnamon, nutmeg, or a pinch of allspice to the cake batter to give it a cozy, spiced banana bread vibe.
Banana extract- if you want an even stronger banana flavor, a little banana extract in the cake batter or pastry cream will enhance the natural sweetness of the cake.
Caramel sauce- add a generous drizzle of caramel sauce over the frosting (or between the layers) to add a rich, buttery sweetness that pairs perfectly with the bananas.
Equipment
- Mixing bowl (set of 3)
- Whisk Set (pack of 3) to whisk the ingredients together
- 6 inch cake pan set
- Rubber spatula
- Cake scraper
- Rotating cake turntable
- Pastry bag
- Cake strips
More banana desserts
Banana Brownies- These fudgy banana brownies are made with ripe bananas, come together in one bowl, and are gooey in the middle, and have a crackly top.
Banana Pudding Cupcakes- These banana pudding cupcakes are made with a banana cupcake base, filled with a banana pudding filling, and topped with whipped cream.
Banana Chocolate Chip Cake- This banana chocolate chip cake is moist and filled with melty pockets of chocolate and topped with smooth chocolate frosting.
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If you liked this recipe
📖 Recipe

Banana Cream Cake w/ Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
For the banana cake
- 1 â…“ cups Bananas ripe, mashed
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1 â…“ cups Granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon Kosher salt
- ¾ cup Sour cream
- 3 Eggs
- â…” cup Butter melted and cooled, unsalted
- ½ cup Milk
- 2 â…“ cups Flour AP, plain
- ½ teaspoon Baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoon Baking powder
For the banana pastry cream
- 2 tablespoon Cornstarch
- â…” cup Granulated sugar
- 4 Egg yolks
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1 cup Milk whole milk
- 2 tablespoon Bananas mashed, ripe
For the whipped cream cheese frosting
- 2 cups Heavy cream cold
- 8 oz Cream cheese room temperature, full fat
- â…” cup Powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon Vanilla instant pudding to stabilize
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 (350f) and prep 3 6 inch baking pans with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the ripe bananas and mash them into a pudding-like consistency using a fork or a potato masher.
- Into the same large bowl with the mashed bananas, add the eggs, sour cream, vanilla extract, milk, salt, sugar, and melted butter. Mix with a whisk until well combined.
- Add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda, and mix with a whisk until almost combined.
- Divide the mixture into 3 6 inch baking pans, I suggest using cake strips for even baking. Bake in a preheated oven for about 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean with a few moist crumbs.
- Allow the cake layers to cool completely. Run a butter knife or a thin spatula around the edges of the cake to release it from the sides of the pan.
- Invert and Tap: Place a wire rack or plate over the pan, hold them firmly, and flip to invert the pan. Lift Gently: Carefully lift one side of the pan, then remove it completely to slide your cake onto the surface.
Make the banana pastry cream
- In a small mixing bowl, add the sugar and cornflour. Mix with a whisk until combined. Add the egg yolks and a splash of the milk and mix. Set aside.
- Place a saucepan over high heat and fill it with the milk and vanilla extract. Let it simmer until it slightly bubbles but isn’t boiling.
- Over low heat, add the egg yolk mixture into the milk mixing constantly with a whisk to prevent the eggs from cooking.
- Mix over medium-low heat and mix constantly with a whisk until the mixture thickens. Don't increase the heat, be patient it will be worth it! Add the mashed bananas and mix until well combined.
- Its normal if the pastry cream isn’t smooth at this point, since it has mashed bananas in it.
- Transfer the mixture to a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap tightly. Place the bowl in the fridge. Allow it to set and cool for a few hours.
Make the whipped cream cheese frosting
- In a large mixing bowl add the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract, and mix with an electric hand mixer until stiff peaks form.
- Add the room-temperature cream cheese and mix until smooth and creamy.
Assembly the cake
- Pipe a small dollop of the frosting on the surface that you will frost on. Lay the first cake layer over the frosting dot.
- Pipe a circle around the edges of the cake using the frosting. Then fill the circle with 2-3 tablespoon of the banana pastry cream filling and smooth it out with an offset spatula.
- Top with the second cake layer and repeat the same process. Top with the third cake layer and frost the cake with more frosting.
- I like scraping some of the remaining frosting to reveal the beautiful layers of the cake for a semi-naked cake look, but it's not a must.
- Make dollops of the remaining frosting around the edges of the cake. I used a 1M piping tip. Top each dollop with a slice of fresh banana for a beautiful look.
Notes
- Prepare your pan properly. Line your pan with parchment paper and generously butter it to prevent sticking, making sure your caramel topping comes out cleanly.
- Choose ripe bananas. Use bananas that are ripe with brown spots. They’re sweeter and mash easily, adding moisture to the cake.
- Line your pan properly. Grease your baking pan well to prevent sticking, ensuring you can release the cake from the pan without any trouble.
- Use room temperature ingredients. It is important that you use room-temperature ingredients like eggs. This step ensures that your mixture mixes into a homogenous mixture and bakes perfectly.
- Measure your flour correctly! When measuring your flour, avoid scooping it with a measuring cup. Instead, stir the flour with a spoon to create as many air pockets as possible, and spoon it into your measuring cup. Finally, level it with a back of a knife.
- Don’t overmix the batter, you don’t want to develop the gluten in the flour. This step ensures you have a moist cake and not a dense and dry cake.
- Line your baking pan with parchment paper! This step helps the cake to bake evenly, and it makes sure that your cake will release easily from the pan.
- Test for doneness carefully. Insert a toothpick into the center, it should come out clean or with just a few crumbs attached when done.
- Once you've removed the cake from the oven, allow it to cool in the pan for about 10-15 minutes before attempting to flip it over onto a serving plate. This helps prevent any breakage or sticking.
- If the pastry cream is too thick, add 1-2 teaspoon of milk to loosen it up until you get the right consistency.
- Be patient! It's tempting to frost the cake as soon as it's out of the oven, but let it cool for at least an hour. This will make it firmer, prevent crumbling, and keep the frosting from melting.
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