This Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting is made with pantry staples, ripe bananas, spiced rum, and is the perfect holiday dessert! It’s fluffy, moist, is full of banana flavor that goes perfectly with the cinnamon, rum, and nutmeg.
Normally, I would use those overripe bananas with brown spots to make chocolate chip banana bread or luscious banana cream cheesecake, but I decided to switch things up. Turns out this is the ONLY banana cake recipe you will ever need, because it is that good! The secret ingredient is the rum, believe it or not! The warming spices (think kind of like carrot cake), along with the banana flavor, really shines. Trust me, you will want a second slice!
If you don’t drink all the rum while you are baking, use a little to make my Bacardi Rum Cake or chocolate rum truffles (these are a couple of my favorite recipes!). You can also use your extra bananas to whip up other sweet treats like our banana pudding trifle and banana buttermilk pancakes.
Jump to:
Why You’ll Love This Delicious Homemade Banana Cake
- The flavor combination is out of this world!
- It’s an easy recipe that can be prepped in 20 minutes.
- Perfect for crowds, parties, or another special occasion.
- A great way to use up brown bananas.
🍌 Ingredients:
- Unsalted butter – I use unsalted so we can control the amount of salt used
- Sugar – granulated AND confectioners (powdered)
- Eggs – bring to room temperature
- Captain Morgan’s Spiced Rum – this gives the cake a warm flavor and smell
- Vanilla extract – warms up the flavors
- Bananas – these need to be ripe. They add natural sweetness and make a moist cake
- All-purpose flour – to thicken up the batter
- Baking soda – helps the cake raise and keep fluffy
- Salt – enhances the flavors
- Cream cheese – for the rich tangy cream cheese frosting
- Unsalted butter – makes the frosting creamy
- Vanilla – enhances the flavors
- Spices for the frosting: ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, salt
- Heavy cream – for the whipped cream decorations
- Powdered sugar – thickens the frosting
- Whole pecans and banana slices soaked in lemon juice – decoration
For a full list of ingredients and their measurements, 📋 please view my printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Substitutions and Variations
- To make banana cupcakes: Divide the batter into lined muffin pans. Keep an eye on them while cooking. These may take less time to bake. Decorate as usual before serving.
- If desired, the rum can be omitted without substituting any other ingredients.
- We’ve tried this with brown sugar instead of the granulated sugar in the cake batter and its excellent. It gives the cake an extra richness.
🔪 Instructions:
PREP: Grease the baking dish and preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Step 1: Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl. Add the eggs and mix. Then mix in the rum and vanilla. Use the electric mixer to combine the dry ingredients.
Step 2: Add the mashed bananas and beat until incorporated.
Pro Tip – Before You Start: Let all of the cold ingredients come to room temperature so it’s easier to mix. Slice 1-2 bananas in slices and soak them in lemon juice. This prevents them from turning brown.
Step 3: Pour batter into the prepared pan, and bake until a toothpick come out with just a few crumbs. Allow the cake to cool completely.
Step 4: In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and butter on medium speed until creamy. Stir in the vanilla, rum, and spices. While the mixer is on low, beat in salt and powdered sugar until it’s fluffy.
Step 5: Spread the frosting on top of the cooled cake so it’s an even layer.
Step 6: Use the mixer on high speed to beat the cream until soft peaks form. Add the powdered sugar, and whip until it’s stiff and pipeable. Score the cake into 12 slices. Pipe a swirl on each square. Top with a banana slice and whole pecan.
GARNISH/SLICE/SERVE: Serve this Best Ever Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting at room temperature and enjoy!
Tips for Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe:
- If you are making the cake ahead of time or freezing, know that banana slices do not freeze well. However, the cooked bananas inside the banana mixture are fine. Simply decorate after thawing and before serving.
- The rum flavor in this cake is very mild but can be omitted with substitutions if desired.
Fun Fact
Some cultures refer to banana cake as banana bread!
Recipe FAQs
No. We keep leftovers in an airtight container on the counter for up to 3 days. You can place it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days if its covered in an airtight container. Just bring to room temperature before serving.
Yes! To freeze, wrap the frosted, undecorated cake in a layer of plastic wrap and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge overnight and decorate before serving.
More Easy and Delicious Cake Recipes
If you tried this Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how you liked it in the 📝 comments below.
Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Cake
- ½ cup unsalted butter 1 stick, room temperature
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 tablespoons Captain Morgan’s Spiced Rum
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 4 medium ripe bananas smashed
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese room temperature
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 teaspoons Captain Morgan’s Spiced Rum
- 1 ½ pounds powdered sugar 6 cups
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Decorating
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 12 whole pecans
- 1 banana 1-2 whole bananas sliced
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×13 baking dish with nonstick baking spray.
- Cream butter and sugar on low speed in the bowl of an electric mixer or stand mixer. Add eggs, mix well. Add rum and vanilla. Beat well to combine.
- Add flour, baking soda and salt. Mix until combined. Add bananas and beat until completely combined.
- Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs.
- Allow cake to cool completely.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine cream cheese and butter. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add vanilla, rum, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Beat until well combined. With the mixer on low, add salt and powdered sugar (starting with about 1 pound and increasing as necessary to get a light fluffy frosting.
- Frost the cake.
- Whip heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add powdered sugar and continue whipping until stiff and pipeable. Score the cake into 12 even slices. Pipe a swirl of whipped cream in the center of each slice. Top with a banana slice and whole pecan.
- Serve and enjoy!
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