Banana Bundt Cake with Brown Sugar Glaze – Thick and soft banana cake with a tender buttery crumb, topped with a decadent Brown Sugar Glaze. The BEST Banana Cake EVER!
This here is the only banana cake recipe you will need from now until the end of time. This is the BEST banana cake I have ever (I mean, ever!) sunk my teeth into.
Note: I now buy bananas, ban my family from consuming them, then wait for them to ripen so I can immediately bake this cake.
Also to be noted, I might need to move up one pants size if this banana cake habit doesn’t quit. Wah.
Prefer a sheet cake? Try this Banana Cake topped with vanilla frosting.
Prefer a different flavor? Try this Pumpkin Bundt Cake.
I have been on a search for the perfect banana cake for months. I went back and forth about whether it should be a sheet cake or a bundt cake. What should I top it with? Cream cheese frosting? Brown sugar glaze? Chocolate? Decisions, decisions.
All my testing landed me on this recipe, which comes from the brilliant Dorie Greenspan.
Banana Bundt Cake
I made very few changes to the cake recipe itself, and I would call it perfect. Nearly two cups of mashed bananas add the banana flavor, sour cream adds moisture and balances out the sweetness, vanilla extract compliments the bananas, and the right amount of butter creates a tender crumb. See what I said about perfect?
I resisted the urge to add cinnamon or chocolate chips in order to really allow the bananas to shine. I am so, so, happy with how this cake turned out. Its flavor and consistency are spot on.
This cake can absolutely hold its own as-is, without the brown sugar glaze. You can serve it plain, dusted with powdered sugar, or with a smear of salted butter. But, because I am a “more is more” type of girl, I went ahead and whipped up a brown sugar glaze to pour over this beautiful Banana Bundt Cake.
Brown Sugar Glaze
This quick and easy glaze is made with butter, brown sugar and vanilla. It tastes like carmel-praline-brown sugar heaven. It slowly drips down the sides of the cake, coating each bite with sweet and buttery deliciousness. The glaze firms up quickly, which means you don’t have to wait too long before diving in.
Bonus: the glaze also acts like glue if you choose to garnish your cake with chopped walnuts or pecans.
Now, what are you waiting for? You know you want a slice of this cake. Bake, eat, share and enjoy.
P.S. There’s bananas in it, so it can totally be eaten for breakfast, right? Morning, noon, or night – I will never, ever turn down a slice of this beauty.
MORE BANANA RECIPES: BEST EVER BANANA BREAD – BANANA BROWN SUGAR FRENCH TOAST – BANANA BAKED OATMEAL
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Recipe
Banana Bundt Cake with Brown Sugar Glaze
Ingredients
Cake:
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ⅔ cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ¾ cups mashed very ripe bananas, approx 4 bananas
- 1 cup sour cream, I used light
Brown Sugar Icing:
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, cut into cubes
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons milk
- ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup chopped toasted walnuts or pecans
Instructions
Cake:
- Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- With a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter until smooth and creamy. Add sugar and beat for another minute, at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary. Add vanilla, then beat in 1 egg at a time. Mix in bananas (the mixture might curdle, that’s ok).
- Add half of the dry ingredients, sour cream, and then the remaining dry ingredients, mixing between each addition.
- Thoroughly grease a 12-cup bundt pan and add the batter to the pan. Rap the pan on the counter a couple times (to remove air bubbles), then smooth out the top. Bake for 55-65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Loosely cover the cake with foil if it starts to get dark (this was around 30 minutes for me). Place the pan on a wire rack until it is cool enough to handle, then carefully unmold the cake and place it back on the rack to cool completely.
Icing:
- In a small saucepan combine butter, brown sugar and milk. Bring to a simmer, whisking frequently and cook until the sugar is dissolved, a minute or two. Remove from the heat and cool for 5 minutes.
- Add vanilla, whisking to combine. Add powdered sugar ¼ cup at a time, whisking vigorously, until you reach your desired consistency. The icing will start to firm up quickly so have the cake cooled and ready. Drizzle the icing over the cake and immediately sprinkle with nuts. The icing will set in a matter of minutes.
Nutrition
Nutritional Information is an estimate based on third-party calculations and may vary based on products used and serving sizes.
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment and rating below!
Brenda Henson
Mine was awesome–I did sub buttermilk or the sour cream and used self rising flour—DELICIOUS !!
Allison
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂
Rita FRENCH
Does this have to be covered or out in refrigerator if no eating right away?
Allison
It can stay at room temperature for up to 1 day, or the fridge for a couple days longer.
Sha
Hi Brenda,
Did you have to adjust the baking time with the buttermilk since it’s thinner than sour cream?
Nelda Brady
Delish!! The cake was a big hit, and the glaze is to die for! No cinnamon or chocolate! Vanilla only, and the banana taste comes through beautifully.
One tip: For the glaze, while mixing in the powered sugar (icing sugar, as Canadians call it) I put the pot back on the burner on low lifting it off periodically just to keep it warm. All the tiny lumps mixed up better. Let it cool again for a few minutes while stirring before drizzling it on. Yum! I had to throw the leftover icing in the sink or I would have polished it off right there!
Allison
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing your experience. 🙂
Naomi
What can I substitute for the sour cream?. I don’t have that on hand.
Allison
You can try buttermilk or plain yogurt.
Amanda
I’ve used heavy whipping cream everytime and it turns out awesome everytime!
Jenna
You were not kidding !! This is an amazing recipe. I followed the recipe to a tee – it was so delicious. Would have been great even without the yummy drizzle on top.
Allison
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂
Ron
I have made this recipe several times. Directions are great, easy to follow and the cake is the best! It is my go to when I have some ripe bananas that I do not want to go to waste. (sometimes I buy bananas just to let them go ripe so I can make this cake!) Everyone in my home LOVES IT! I am not a huge fan of icing on any cake, so I leave it off. I do warm a piece up and spread some butter on it. Amazing! I have found the only banana cake recipe I will ever use. I did substitute vanilla yogurt once in the recipe and it turned out great! I am betting buttermilk would be awesome too!
Allison
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂
rae verrocchio
I have made this cake 4 times now and my husband loves it. Yum, yum, yum.
Allison
I’m so glad that you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂
Julie
I had ripe bananas on hand and my husband requested banana bread. I usually use buttermilk but didn’t have any. I had sour cream so I did a Google search. Delicious! I did not make the icing , made a cinnamon crumble instead. Followed everything else..
Allison
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Rette
I made this tonight and it turned out wonderfully. The cake is packed with banana flavor, moist, and the glaze put it over the top. I can’t wait to have some with my coffee in the morning.
Allison
Thanks for the kind review. I’m glad you enjoyed it! 🙂
JJ Jones
Delish! Being Canadian I added two teaspoons of pure Quebec maple syrup to the icing, for added yumminess! But original is amazing on it’s own. Thanks for sharing.
Allison
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to comment. ?
Roxanne Mayhorn
Ohh my, this cake is absolutely delicious … I’ll never go to any other recipe! I substituted buttermilk for sour cream. Thank you for sharing this recipe. ❤️
Allison
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂