Banana coffee cake is a great way to use up any overripe bananas you might have lying around! With a moist, fluffy, vanilla banana-flavored interior and a buttery streusel topping, this is a unique twist on coffee cake that will have you hooked after the first bite!
Coffee cake is a breakfast staple and a great way to add a little sweetness to your day! More great recipes to try next: blueberry buckle, apple coffee cake, and coffee cake muffins!
Banana Coffee Cake Recipe
Recently I’ve been doing a lot of baking with bananas after finding myself faced with a mile-high pile of well-browned bananas. They were just past their prime and desperately needed to be baked into something or would shortly need to be thrown out (and my freezer was and always is way too full to even consider storing them there).
I made batch after batch of my favorite banana bread, but eventually I wanted to try something different. So, this recipe for banana coffee cake was born! Trust me when I say that this is one of the best coffee cake recipes ever. It’s so moist and sweet, with a crumbly texture and delicious glaze on top that will leave you wanting more. This banana coffee cake is a great make-ahead breakfast or Mother’s Day brunch option, it’s simple, packed with flavor, and sure to be a hit with everyone. Let’s get into all the ingredients you need!
Coffee Cake Ingredients
I know it looks like a lot, but trust me, this banana coffee cake is so worth it! It’s the most delicious way to use up overripe bananas. See the recipe card below for all measurements.
Streusel
Melted Butter: Adds a rich flavor to the streusel and also helps everything stick together.
All-Purpose Flour: Gives the streusel topping structure.
Light Brown and Granulated Sugar: I use both for the perfect sweetness and flavor!
Ground Cinnamon: You can’t go wrong with a little warm spice in homemade desserts.
Banana Coffee Cake
Unsalted Butter: Softened so it mixes together smoothly with the other ingredients.
Sugar: Adds sweetness to the cake itself.
Ripe Bananas: Have your overripe bananas mashed and ready to go.
Large Eggs: Give the banana coffee cake structure.
Vanilla Extract: Adds warm, sweet flavor to the cake. Use pure vanilla extract if you can!
Sour Cream: The secret ingredient for an ultra-moist and tender cake!
All-Purpose Flour: Gives the cake structure. All-purpose flour is great because it has a low protein content and will make your coffee cake light and crumbly.
Baking Powder and Soda: Makes your cake light and airy.
Ground Cinnamon: Another place to add a touch of this tasty spice.
Salt: A little goes a long way to boost all the flavors in this cake.
Glaze (optional)
Powdered Sugar: Makes the glaze sweet and also gives it substance.
Milk: For adjusting the consistency.
How to Make Banana Coffee Cake
I’ve broken it up into 3 parts: the streusel, the cake, and the glaze! Despite all of the instructions this delicious cake is actually super easy to make.
Preheat Oven, Prep Baking Dish: Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and lightly grease and flour a 9×9 baking pan. Then set aside.
Sugar Mixture: Combine butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl and use an electric mixer). Beat until well-combined, then stir in mashed bananas.
Mix In Wet Ingredients: Add eggs, stirring well after each addition, and then add sour cream and vanilla extract and stir well.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate, medium bowl, whisk together your flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
Combine: Gradually add the dry ingredients to wet, stirring until completely combined (be sure to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl). I prefer to do this with a spatula to avoid over-mixing the batter.
Add to Pan: Pour cake batter evenly into prepared 9×9 pan. Prepare streusel.
Streusel
Melt Butter: Melt butter in a medium-sized bowl on 10 second increments (stirring between) until just melted (you don’t want it to be too hot).
Combine With Other Ingredients: Use a fork to whisk together your flour, sugars, and cinnamon. Pour melted butter over mixture and use a fork to stir until combined (mixture should be crumbly).
Sprinkle Crumb Mixture on Top: Sprinkle crumb topping evenly over batter.
Bake: Bake at 350 degrees F for 35 minutes, or until centers spring back to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with few moist crumbs or clean.
Cool: Allow to cool before drizzling with glaze (if using) and slicing and serving.
Glaze
Combine Ingredients: If desired, make the glaze by whisking together powdered sugar and milk. Drizzle over cooled banana coffee cake.
Tips and Tricks
Banana coffee cake is really straightforward to make, but here are a few tips to make it turn out as perfectly as possible! I’ve also included a couple ways to customize it.
Use Overripe Bananas: The #1 tip is to find the ripest bananas you can! The browner and spottier they are the better; this is going to give your banana coffee cake the best flavor and soft texture. Mash them up well (you can use a potato masher or even just a fork) and add them to your butter, sugar, eggs, and other wet ingredients.
Don’t Overmix Streusel: Take care not to overwork the streusel mixture, or you’ll end up with a paste! You want the mixture to resemble coarse crumbs that you can use your hands to drop evenly over your banana coffee cake.
Mix-Ins: If you want your coffee cake to have more texture, add in chopped walnuts or pecans!
Add a Drizzle: Instead of the powdered sugar glaze, try adding caramel sauce or white chocolate sauce!
Storing Leftovers
Here are a few different ways to keep your banana coffee cake fresh and delicious:
At Room Temperature: Store wrapped with plastic wrap or in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
In the Refrigerator: Store for up to 5 days in an airtight container.
In the Freezer: Wrap in plastic wrap and then transfer to a freezer bag. Your cake will stay good for 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge, then let come to room temperature before serving.
Banana Coffee Cake
Ingredients
Streusel
6 Tablespoons butter melted1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour1/2 cup light brown sugar tightly packed1/3 cup sugar3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Banana Coffee Cake
¾ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature3/4 cup sugar3 very ripe bananas mashed (1 ½ cups)2 large eggs lightly beaten (room temperature preferred)1½ teaspoon vanilla extract2 Tablespoons sour cream1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour¾ teaspoon baking powder1/2 teaspoon baking soda½ teaspoon ground cinnamon½ teaspoon salt
Glaze (optional)
1/2 cup powdered sugar2-3 teaspoons milk
Instructions
Streusel
Glaze
Notes
Updated on June 5, 2023
