Ina Garten Old Fashioned Banana Cake Recipe

Ina Garten Old Fashioned Banana Cake Recipe is a classic American dessert featuring overripe bananas and tangy buttermilk. This moist bake uses vegetable oil and a thick layer of cream cheese frosting to create a soft, spiced sponge.

The first time I made this, I used bananas that were only just yellow. Now I always wait until the skins are almost black. If you use fruit that isn’t soft and patchy, the cake tastes like plain sponge instead of deep, sweet banana.

The buttermilk is doing more work than you’d think. Without it, the bicarbonate of soda won’t react properly and the cake stays flat. I’ve tried a few versions of banana bakes and this one from Ina is the one I keep going back to because the oil keeps the crumb soft for days.

Ina Garten Old Fashioned Banana Cake Recipe Ingredients

For the Cake

• 3 large ripe bananas, mashed
• 150g (5oz) caster sugar
• 100g (3.5oz) light brown sugar, packed
• 125ml (4fl oz) vegetable oil
• 2 extra-large eggs, room temperature
• 125ml (4fl oz) buttermilk
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 220g (7.5oz) plain flour
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 50g (2oz) walnut halves (optional)

For the Cream Cheese Frosting

• 225g (8oz) cream cheese, room temperature
• 115g (4oz) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 375g (13oz) icing sugar, sifted

How To Make Ina Garten Old Fashioned Banana Cake Recipe

1. Preheat and prep the pan: Set the oven to 180°C (350°F/Gas Mark 4) and grease a 23cm (9in) square baking tin. Line the bottom with greaseproof paper to stop the base sticking.
2. Mix wet ingredients: Whisk the mashed bananas, caster sugar, brown sugar, and vegetable oil in a large bowl until the mixture looks like a thick syrup. Add the eggs one at a time and beat them in until combined. Stir in the buttermilk and vanilla extract.
3. Add dry ingredients: Whisk the plain flour, bicarbonate of soda, and salt together in a separate bowl. Tip the dry mixture into the wet batter and stir with a wooden spoon until you can no longer see any white streaks. Do not overmix the batter or the cake will turn out tough.
4. Bake the cake: Pour the batter into the prepared tin and level the top with a spatula. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until a skewer poked into the centre comes out clean. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before moving it to a wire rack to go cold.
5. Make the frosting: Beat the softened cream cheese and butter together in a clean bowl until the mixture is smooth and pale. Add the vanilla, then slowly beat in the sifted icing sugar until the frosting holds its shape.
6. Frost and serve: Spread the frosting over the cold cake in a thick, wavy layer using a flat knife. Press walnut halves into the top if you want a bit of crunch. Slice the cake into squares and serve immediately.

Recipe Tips

Use a fork for mashing. Do not put the bananas in a liquidiser or they will turn into a thin juice that ruins the cake structure. A few small lumps in the mash add moisture to the finished sponge.

Sift the icing sugar. Skipping this step results in tiny white dots of dry sugar in your frosting that are impossible to beat out later. Pass it through a fine mesh sieve before you add it to the cream cheese.

Check the bicarbonate of soda. If your soda has been open in the cupboard for more than six months, replace it. This cake relies on the chemical reaction between the buttermilk and the soda to rise.

Cool the cake completely. If the sponge is even slightly warm, the butter in the cream cheese frosting will melt and slide off the sides. Give it at least two hours on a wire rack.

Avoid overmixing the flour. Once the dry ingredients hit the wet batter, stir only until the flour disappears. Too much stirring develops gluten, which turns a light cake into something chewy.

Substitute buttermilk if needed. If you haven’t got any, mix 125ml (4fl oz) of full-fat milk with 1.5 teaspoons of lemon juice. Let it sit for 5 minutes until it thickens slightly before adding it to the bowl.

What To Serve With Old Fashioned Banana Cake

Serve a slice of this cake with a hot cup of coffee or a strong Earl Grey tea to cut through the sweet frosting. It also works as a proper dessert with a handful of fresh strawberries or blueberries on the side.

If you want something more indulgent, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of salted caramel sauce. A scatter of toasted coconut flakes over the frosting gives the cake a tropical finish.

How To Store Old Fashioned Banana Cake

Fridge

Keep the cake in an airtight tin in the fridge for up to 5 days. Because of the cream cheese in the frosting, it must stay cold to prevent the dairy from spoiling.

Reheat

Eat this cake cold or at room temperature. If you prefer it slightly warm, take a slice out of the fridge 30 minutes before eating so the sponge softens naturally without melting the frosting.

Freeze

Wrap individual unfrosted slices in clingfilm and freeze for up to 2 months. If you freeze it frosted, place the cake on a tray in the freezer for an hour to harden the icing before wrapping it tightly.

Ina Garten Old Fashioned Banana Cake Recipe Nutrition Facts

Per serving (1 of 12):

• Calories: 510 kcal
• Protein: 5g
• Fat: 27g
• Carbohydrates: 60g
• Sugar: 38g
• Sodium: 250mg

Estimated. May vary based on ingredients and cooking methods.

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