Banana Cake with Chocolate Icing
This is the best banana cake I’ve ever had! It’s a super moist buttermilk banana cake made in a 9×13 cake pan, with a creamy chocolate icing. Refrigerating the cake while warm can help lock in moisture. You can also skip out on the icing if you are not a fan of frosting.
If you’re gearing up for a holiday weekend or celebration, then this Banana Cake with Chocolate Icing is for you! Chocolate and banana, is there a better combination? Take this classic moist buttermilk banana cake, made with ripe bananas, and top it with the best chocolate frosting to make an irresistible dessert that everyone will love!I
Banana Cake with Chocolate Icing
Most of you know I am a BIG fan of banana bread, so when I had some overripe bananas sitting on the counter, I always think of “banana bread or banana cake!” I topped mine with a chocoalte icing, but a vanilla buttercream frosting would also be delicious.
What is the secret to a super moist cake?
The key to a super moist cake is the ingredients and then how you bake the cake. We use buttermilk but you can also use sour cream, which is combined with oil (fat), and then be careful to not overbake the cake. Overbaking the cake will make it very dry. We also pop the cake in the fridge while it is cooling, which maintains the moistness before frosting it with a delicious icing. Try it – you’ll be suprised how well this tip works!
Recipe ingredient notes for banana cake with chocolate icing
Ripe bananas (or overly ripe) are much sweeter than regular bananas. They are quick and easy to mash, and then perfect for any baked banana dessert, like our Sour Cream Banana Bread. The riper the better!
- Butter and sugar: Creaming butter and sugar together creates a light and airy batter, which results in a moist texture.
- Ripe bananans: The riper the sweeter. Allow them to sit on the counter until they are turning brown and add lemon juice.
- Wet ingredients: Buttermilk’s acidity helps tenderize gluten, resulting in a softer cake. [You can also use sour cream.] Also add eggs and vanilla extract.
- Dry ingredients: Use the usual “cake” ingredients of flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Icing: Cream together softened butter, powdered sugar, cocoa, vanilla, and milk.
How do you make a moist banana cake?
- Prepare the bananas: On a large plate, mash the bananas using a fork, with the lemon juice, and set aside.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- Prepare the cake batter: In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy with an electric mixer. Add in the eggs and beat with the vanilla. Add flour mixture and buttermilk, a little at a time, and beat until smooth. Stir in banana mixture. Pour batter into a prepared 9×13 baking pan (spray with cooking spray).
- Make a moist cake: Bake the cake (see full recipe) until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove cake from oven and place it directly in the fridge, uncovered, for 45 minutes. This makes the cake very moist – and it works!
- Make the icing: Using a hand mixer, add the softened butter to a medium size bowl and and beat the butter adding the powdered sugar, cocoa, vanilla, and milk. Beat until until creamy and smooth. If too dry, add extra milk (1 tablespoon) or, if too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar – until you get the consistency you want for the chocolate frosting.
- Beat until fluffy, thick and super silky. When the cake has cooled, pull it out of the fridge and frost!
- How to frost the cake: Use the back of a spoon to make a wavey effect of icing on top of the cooled banana cake.
Sandy’s tips and substitutions:
- Ripe bananas: The key to the best banana cake is ripe (brown) bananas, which makes it nice and sweet!
- Use sour cream: Replace the buttermilk with sour cream.
- Don’t overbake the cake: Overbaking dries out the cake as the moisture evaporates. TIP: Every oven is different so always check baking time (keep an eye on the cake!)
- Adjust time and temp: Keep in mind, if your cake is still drying out, you may need to adjust the baking time or temperature.
- Baking pan: We use a 9×13 baking pan, but you can also use 2 round 8″ pans. Make sure and spray (or grease) or use parchment paper always so the cake does not stick to the pan. The time may chnage for the (2) round pans.
- Make it moist: Remove cake from oven and place it directly in the fridge, uncovered, for 45 minutes. This makes the cake very moist.
- Add chocolate chips: Add in your favorite chips (vanilla, chocolate, cinnamon) for a “chocolate chip banana cake.”
Frosting a banana cake with chocolate icing
- Frosting: We love this chocolate icing, but if you are not a chocolate fan, you can also frost the cake with vanilla buttercream, or even a peanut butter buttercream frosting. Yum!
- Tip for the frosting the cake: I used the back of my spoon or a spatula to make wavey patterns. You can also use a butter knife for a cleaner finish.
- If you don’t want to use frosting: You can serve the cake plain (it is moist enough!), or you can brush the cake with a simple syrup. Another option is to poke small holes in the cake with a fork, and pour a simple syrup on top.
- Serving: We love this cake served with vanilla ice cream.
- Storage: Store the leftovers in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can freeze this cake up to 3 months (wrap it tightly).
More frosted banana cake recipes you may want to try:
- Sour Cream Banana Cake with Real Banana Frosting
- Sour Cream Chocolate Banana Cake Recipe
- Banana Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Get the Recipe:
Banana Cake with Chocolate Icing
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups overripe bananas, for a strong banana flavor (about 3 large bananas)
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk, or add 1 tablespoon lemon to milk to make 1 1/2 cups
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature (1 1/2 sticks)
- 2 cups white sugar, or a bit less
- 3 eggs
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Chocolate icing:
- ½ cup softened butter, 1 stick
- 1 ¾ cup powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2-3 tablespoons milk
Equipment
- 9×13 baking pan
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350. Grease (or spray with oil) and flour a 9 x 13 inch pan.
- Prepare the bananas: In a small bowl, mash bananas with a fork, mix with 2 teaspoons lemon juice and set aside.
- Prepare the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- Make the batter: In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until fluffy with an electric mixer. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Alternate adding flour mixture and buttermilk a bit at a time – and beat until smooth. Stir in banana mixture. Pour batter into prepared pan.
- Bake and refrigerate: Bake the cake for 45-50 minutes or just until a toothpick comes out clean. As ovens vary, start checking after 45 minutes. Remove cake from oven and place it directly in the fridge, uncovered, for 45 minutes. This apparently makes the cake very moist – and it works!
- Make the icing: Using a hand mixer, add the softened butter to a medium size bowl and and beat the butter for 1 minute. Add in the powdered sugar, cocoa, vanilla, and milk and beat until smooth, about 2 minutes. If too dry, add a small amount of extra milk (1 tablespoon) or, if too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar – until you get the consistency you want. Beat until fluffy, thick and super silky.
- Frost the cake: Use the back of a spoon to make a wavey effect of buttercream on top of the cooled banana cake.
- Serving: Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Hello and welcome to my home and table!
I’m Sandy—lover of food, family, cooking, THE BIG BOARD, travel, and bringing people together. Through great recipes and connection around the table, we become better, stronger, and more courageous people. Feasting on Life is real, and every time we do it, we grow a little more. Read more...
