Banana Sheet Cake is one of those easy cakes that always seems to disappear faster than you expect. It’s the perfect way to use up overripe bananas, and that icing? The lightly sweetened cream cheese icing is so good, you’ll want to lick the bowl clean!
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I like this Banana Sheet Cake because it makes good use of overripe bananas without turning into the same old loaf or muffins again. It’s unfussy, easy to throw together, and bakes up tender enough to feel a little special without asking much from you. The frosting gives it that classic finish that makes it just right for slicing and sharing.
This cake reminds me of the frozen loaf cake my mom would buy from the grocery store. The cake was meh (my recipe is 1000x better) but the cream cheese icing is what made it so craveble. If you’ve not had cream cheese icing on a banana sheet cake, you’re missing out!
This is the kind of cake that works for just about anything. Potlucks, birthdays, casual gatherings, or just a weekend bake when you want something sweet sitting on the counter. It keeps well, travels easily, and always feels like a good idea when you need a dependable homemade dessert.
History
As bananas became widely available in the U.S. through expanding trade in the early 1900s, cooks quickly found ways to use overripe fruit rather than waste it. The sheet cake format gained popularity in the mid-century boom of suburban kitchens, where 9×13 pans and one-bowl recipes fit busy households and potluck culture. By the 1950s and 60s, banana sheet cake had settled into its role as a practical, crowd-feeding dessert, often topped with simple frostings like cream cheese or chocolate, and built around pantry staples.
Ingredients
For the Cake
- Olive oil – You can also use canola or vegetable oil.
- Eggs – Large eggs work best, but extra-large eggs are fine. Bring them to room temperature if you can so the batter mixes more smoothly.
- Sugar – Regular granulated sugar gives this cake the right sweetness and structure.
- Sour cream – Full-fat sour cream works best. Low-fat can make the batter thinner and the cake less rich. You can swap in plain Greek yogurt if you don’t have sour cream.
- Ripe bananas – Use very ripe bananas with lots of brown spots. Underripe bananas won’t mash as smoothly and won’t give the same sweetness. I use bananas that are mostly black.
- Ground cinnamon – Adds warmth without making the cake taste overly spiced.
- Salt – I cook with kosher salt.
- Baking soda – Make sure it’s fresh, or the cake won’t rise properly.
- All-purpose flour – Just scoop the flour and level it off without tapping it.
- Walnuts – Toast them first for the best flavor. Pecans work too if you prefer them.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cream cheese – Use full-fat block cream cheese, not whipped tub cream cheese. Let it come to room temperature so the frosting blends smoothly.
- Powdered sugar – Use powdered sugar, not granulated, so the frosting stays smooth instead of gritty.
- Vanilla extract – I cook almost entirely with artificial vanilla extract; you have my permission to use the cheap stuff.
How To Make Banana Sheet Cake
Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.
Preheat the oven to 350°F and position a rack in the center of the oven.
Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish or spray it with non-stick baking or cooking spray. A metal baking pan will give you slightly firmer edges, while a ceramic or glass dish holds heat well and bakes the cake gently.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the olive oil, sugar, eggs, and sour cream until the mixture looks smooth and fully combined.
Add the mashed bananas and whisk again until evenly blended into the batter.
In another medium-sized bowl, mix the dry ingredients: the cinnamon, salt, baking soda, and all purpose flour. Combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix well, then fold in the chopped and toasted walnuts, until just mixed.
Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. A small offset spatula makes it easy to smooth the top into the corners.
Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the top is set and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out mostly clean with just a few crumbs clinging to it.
Let the cake cool completely in the pan before frosting, so the cream cheese frosting does not melt.
To make the frosting, beat the room temperature cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy with no lumps.
Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cake, then chill briefly to help the frosting set before slicing and serving.
Chef Jenn’s Recipe Notes
- Use very ripe bananas here. The darker they are, the better the flavor will be.
- Toast the walnuts before adding them to the batter. It adds a lot more flavor and makes a noticeable difference.
- Let the cake cool completely before frosting or the cream cheese frosting will soften too much and slide around.
- A perfectly baked cake will have a few crumbs clinging to the cake tester or toothpick. If it’s perfectly clean, your cake could be overcooked and too dry.
Serving Suggestions
This is a great cake for brunch spreads, dessert tables, or an afternoon coffee break. Serve it with coffee or tea for a simple treat, or dress it up with extra chopped walnuts on top. It also works well as a casual make-ahead dessert because it stays moist and slices beautifully after chilling. I love serving it after a meal of Mom’s favorite stovetop meatloaf or an easy dinner win like slow cooker beef stroganoff.
Storage
Store the frosted cake covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. For the best texture, let slices sit at room temperature for a few minutes before serving. You can also store the unfrosted cake tightly wrapped and frost it later.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can and I freeze it all the time. I will make the cake, freeze it and then cut it into squares before packing it in freezer-safe containers where it’ll keep fine for 1-2 months. Then, just thaw and eat!
Chill the cake first, then use a long, thin knife wiped clean between cuts. Cold cake holds its structure better, especially with cream cheese frosting, so you get sharp edges instead of drag marks. You can even freeze the cake. In fact, for the images on this recipe post, I cut the cake while frozen.
That usually happens when the cream cheese is too warm or overworked. You want it soft, not loose. Beat just until smooth, then stop. If it starts to slacken, a quick chill will bring it back.
Banana Sheet Cake
Ingredients
For the cake
- 1 cup cooking oil
- 3 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups sugar
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 4 large ripe bananas mashed
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 teaspoons baking soda
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup walnuts toasted and chopped
For the cream cheese frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese or 1 block, room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and position a rack in the center of the oven.
- Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish or pan or spray it with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar, eggs, and sour cream until smooth.
- Mash the bananas with a fork or potato masher, then add the mashed bananas to the egg-sugar mixture and mix until fully combined.
- Combine the cinnamon, salt, baking soda, and all-purpose flour in another bowl and whisk until combined.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry, and mix well until just combined. Then fold in the toasted chopped walnuts until evenly distributed.
- Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 30-40 minutes, until the top is set and a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cake completely in the pan before frosting.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- Beat the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy with no lumps.
- Spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cake.
- Chill briefly to help the frosting set before slicing and serving.
Notes
Chef Jenn’s Recipe Notes
- Use very ripe bananas here. The darker they are, the better the flavor will be.
- Toast the walnuts before adding them to the batter. It adds a lot more flavor and makes a noticeable difference.
- Let the cake cool completely before frosting, or the cream cheese frosting will soften too much and slide around.
- A perfectly baked cake will have a few crumbs clinging to the cake tester or toothpick. If it’s perfectly clean, your cake could be overcooked and too dry.
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed.