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!
Joanie Pettee
This is the ABSOLUTE BEST Banana Bundt bread ever! Been making this treat for over 40 years and none compared to this bread. It’s moist, has great flavor, and the recipe is spot on. Only change was to add 2/3 cup of pecans. Delicious. Thanks for taking time to share this with others.
Celebrating Sweets
Thank you for the kind review. I’m so glad that you enjoyed it! 🙂
Mark Keever
Yes! Fabulous! Had some bananas that were too ripe. Used them with a little Rumchata in the glaze. I called the cake a bananas foster bundt cake! It was super moist and delicious!
Celebrating Sweets
I’m glad you enjoyed it!
Lora
Yum!! Rumchata is my fave!! Where did you add it and how much??? Would love to try that addition. Currently have the “original” recipe in the oven and it already smells delicious!
Dina
Hello ! I love your recipes !!!! I wanted to bake this tonight . Could you please let me know if this needs to be refrigerated after making ? Also, how many days will it taste “fresh” until ?
Thank you !!!
Celebrating Sweets
Hi, Dina. You do not need to refrigerate it, but it will last longer if you do (I prefer serving it at room temp). It is best within 1-2 days of baking. The mashed banana keeps the cake moist, but there is a chance that over time the moisture from the bananas might seep into the glaze, thinning it out a bit. Enjoy!
Penny
Fabulous recipe. However am always shocked that so many recipes are not in metric even though your nutrition is. Then comes the confusion of cups – UK vs Australian vs US. Please can you add auto metric converter widget to your great recipes.
Deanna
Can this cake be frozen after baked and cooled. Then glazed after defrosted ?
Celebrating Sweets
Hi, Deanna. I have never tried that but I would assume it should be just fine. Enjoy!
Breein
So so yummy and nice to look at! I added 1/2cup of blueberries and a 1/4cup of walnuts and it’s delicious. Definitely keeping this in my recipe book ?
Celebrating Sweets
That sounds delicious! I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Shellie Shand
I wish I could post my picture! I am so impressed as a learning home Baker.
This is the 2and weekend in a row that I made this. It is a winner and Omg, delicious!
Celebrating Sweets
I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
Molly
Amazing!!! I love this recipe, only thing is I added more banana and I hand whisked everything(RIP to my arm muscles) but well worth it! 10/10. This bread doesn’t last a day in our house it’s so goood!
Celebrating Sweets
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂
Pauline Lacy
Fantastic everyone has seconds!!!!!!!!
Celebrating Sweets
Wonderful! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂
Ray
Are the measurements for the icing correct? It came out a thick mess…I had to add milk to even loosen it up enough to drip from a spoon.
Celebrating Sweets
The instructions have you add the powdered sugar a little bit at a time until you reach your desired consistency (this is to help avoid the icing from getting too thick). Did you add the powdered sugar all at once? The powdered sugar is what will thicken the icing, you might not have needed all of it.
Annie
This was sooooo good!! Me and my sister made this and I had my doubts about the sauce but it thickened nicely thank you for sharing this recipe!!
Celebrating Sweets
I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to comment. 🙂