Small Banana Cake
This Small Banana Cake recipe makes a cute little two-layer cake that's soft and moist with just a bit of cinnamon in the batter and luscious cream cheese frosting.
Servings 4 to 6 slices
Calories 447kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
Banana Layer Cake
- 1 cup (120g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup (56g) salted butter
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons (25g) brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large overripe banana mashed (about 1/3 cup)
- 1/2 cup buttermilk or buttermilk replacement*
Frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup (113g) salted butter softened*
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cup (180g) powdered sugar sifted, plus more as needed
- 1 tablespoon milk optional, as needed
- Chopped walnuts optional, for decoration
Instructions
Banana Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F and butter and flour 2 six-inch cake pans and line with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine softened butter and granulated and brown sugars and cream together until light and fluffy, about 1 minute.
- Beat in egg, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until well-combined, followed by mashed banana.
- Add half of the flour mixture and mix until just combined, repeating with all of the buttermilk and then the remaining flour mixture.
- Divide batter evenly between prepared cake pans and bake for 22-27 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.
- Cool completely before frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, butter, and vanilla and beat until smooth.
- Add powdered sugar and beat until smooth and creamy. If frosting is too thick for your taste, add milk by the teaspoon until it reaches your desired consistency. For stiffer, pipe-able frosting, add more sifted powdered sugar as needed.
To Frost the Cake
- Place bottom cake layer on cake stand or plate, using a small dollop of frosting to anchor it.
- Spread 1/3 of the frosting over the bottom layer. Place second cake layer on top and use the rest of the frosting over the top and body of the cake, starting at the top and spreading the frosting down the sides.
- Decorate with chopped walnuts if desired.
- Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Notes
* To make buttermilk replacement, add 1 1/2 teaspoon vinegar or lemon juice to a 1/2 cup measuring cup. Fill the cup the rest of the way with milk and set aside for five minutes to sour.
*If you are sensitive to salt and have unsalted butter on hand, you can replace the salted butter with unsalted in the frosting and simply salt to taste.
Approximate nutritional information is for six slices.
Nutrition
Calories: 447kcal