The Most Moist Banana Coffee Sheet Cake 

Banana Coffee Sheet Cake- A cross between banana bread and cinnamon coffee cake dusted with a generous amount of powder sugar. Very moist banana cake base, and a crunchy cinnamon topping. 

If you are needing a dessert that isn't quite fall, but definitely will give you major comfort vibes, then you need this Banana Coffee Sheet Cake. Made with fresh ripped bananas, butter, and then topped with a cinnamon streusel topping. I used a sheet pan to make this cake incredible to whip up for any occasion. 

Here are some of my favorite cake recipes you should try! 

• Banana Biscoff Cake
• Famous Banana Caramel Cake with Brown Butter Frosting
• Biscoff Banana Bread

Why this recipes works 

• Easy to make-If you're new to making a layer cake, this is a great cake to start with. There aren't too many elements and the elements that are present are easy to make! 
• Strong banana base-This cake has a delicious banana bread taste that comes from mashed up fresh bananas mixed with a tiny bit of banana extract. These cake layers scream BANANA
• The perfect dessert for any occasion-Whether this is a dessert for a special family get together, or just a week night treat, your family and friends will love this in their lives. 
• Crunchy Top- the top is made from butter, brown sugar flour, and salt. It helps give the cookie the crunch that it needs. 
• Easy to make- This cake is so easy to make. It can be made by any level of baker!
• No decorating needed- Because this is made as a sheet cake, there is no decorating needed! 

Ingredients you will need

Here are some of the ingredients that you will need, for the full list, check out the recipe card below. 

• Unsalted butter-This recipe uses a lot of butter. In fact, each element of this cake has butter in it. When making the cake layers, make sure to pull your butter out ahead of time, so it is at room temperature when you use it. This is so important!!
• Ripened banana-It really isn't a huge deal if your bananas aren't fully ripened, but it will make your cake a lot more moist, if they are! I use medium sized bananas for this recipe. 
• Large eggs-The eggs need to be pulled out 2-4 hours before you make your batter, so they can be at room temperature.
• Banana Extract- I use banana extract that you can find in the baking isle. 
• Buttermilk-This recipe uses a lot more buttermilk than most of my other recipes. Make sure to pull it out of the fridge at least 2 hours before you start baking the cake batter.
• Powdered sugar-You need to sift the powdered sugar when you make your vanilla buttercream. I promise it's worth it! It will make your frosting so much smoother.

Substitutions

Although I don't recommend substitutions, if you are ever in a pinch, here are a few things you can use as substitutions: 

Vanilla extract-You can always use vanilla flavor or imitation vanilla.

Banana extract-If you can't find this, you can just substitute with vanilla extract.

Buttermilk-You can use whole milk and lemon. For every cup of milk, add one Tablespoon of lemon juice. Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes before using. 

Step by step instructions- cake

STEP 1: Beat the butter, sugar, and oil. Beat these three ingredients on high for 5 minutes to get a light and fluffy texture. This creates air pockets in your cake that also helps it rise. I recommend beating for 2 minutes, then scraping down the sides and beating for the remaining 3 minutes.

STEP 2: Beat the eggs. Beating the eggs after each addition is considered the "creaming method." You'll want to scrape down the bowl after each egg to really ensure that they are creamed into the butter and sugar. 

STEP 3: Add the extracts.  After adding the eggs, add the vanilla and banana extract.

Step 4: Add in the dry ingredients and buttermilk. Alternate these ingredients and mix on low.

Step 5: Fold in the mashed bananas. I make sure that the bananas are really mashed up before adding them to the cake batter.

Step 6: Bake the cake. Bake the cake low and slow for 23-33 minutes, mine took about 30

Expert Baking Tips

-Make sure that your ingredients for the cake are room temperature. This will help your cakes rise properly in the oven. 

-You can make everything ahead of time and assemble on the day that you are ready to serve it. 

-SIFT your powdered sugar. This is a step you seriously don't want to skip. It helps keep your buttercream smooth and SILKY. 

-Use high quality cake pans. My favorite pan for sheet cake can be found here.

FAQ

Can I make this into cupcakes?

Yes, this recipe will make 18-20 cupcakes. Reduce the baking time to 20-22 minutes. 

Can this be made into a layer cake?

Yes, you can make a four layer, 6 inch cake, or a three layer, 8 inch layer cake. You will need to double the frosting. 

Storing and Freezing

Store this Banana Coffee Sheet Cake in the fridge covered in plastic wrap for up to 5 days. For best results, let the cake come to room temperature before serving and eating.

Freezing

You can freeze this for up to 6 months, if the cake is wrapped and completely airtight.

If you make this recipe, please make sure to rate and leave a review!

Here are a few more recipe that you might like and want to try!

• The Most Delicious Pumpkin Coffee Cake Cookies
• Browned Butter Blueberry Cookies
• The Most Splendid Caramel Pumpkin Sheet Cake
• The Most Spectacular Fall Biscoff Apple Cake

Recipe

Banana Coffee Sheet Cake

Molly Murphy

A cross between banana bread and cinnamon coffee cake dusted with a generous amount of powder sugar. Very moist banana cake base, and a crunchy cinnamon topping.

5 from 3 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course cake, Dessert

Cuisine Cake

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

For the banana cake layers

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
• 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
• 4 large eggs room temperature
• 1 cup buttermilk room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon banana extract
• 3 medium-sized ripened bananas mashed

For the Cinnamon topping

• 1 cup Light Brown Sugar
• ⅔ cup All Purpose Flour
• 1 Tablespoon ground Cinnamon
• Pinch of Salt
• 6 tablespoons unsalted Butter room temperature.

Instructions

 

For the cinnamon topping

• In a mixing bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and flour. Add the butter and with your hands, combine everything until it is well incorporated. You want it to have a shaggy look. Set aside. This can be made ahead o time and can be stored in an air tight container for up 5 days.

For the cake

• Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Spray a 9×13 metal pan on the bottom, line with parchment paper, and spray again this time also spraying the sides of the pan. If you need to use metal binder clips to hold down the sides, remember to use metal, not plastic. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• In another medium sized bowl, mash the bananas with a fork until they are completely mashed.
• In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, oil, and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. With a rubber spatula, scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl.
• With the speed turned down to medium, add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next (about 30 seconds for each addition). Add the vanilla and banana extract and mix on low.
• With the mixer on low, add the dry ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk into the creamed butter mixture, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. I do it in the three parts.
• Mix until just incorporated and remove bowl from stand mixer.
• With a rubber spatula, fold in the mashed bananas until fully incorporated. Make sure to scrape down the bottom of the bowl.
• Evenly distribute the banana batter to the prepped cake pan. With the back of a spoon, even out the batter to ensure it's smooth for baking.
• Evenly sprinkle the cinnamon topping on top of the banana cake batter.
• Bake for 35-40 minutes. Check the cake by inserting a toothpick. It's done when it comes out with just a few moist crumbs or no crumbs at all.
• Let it come to room temperature before serving and. Dust with a little powder sugar on top, and serve.

Keyword banana, coffee cake, sheet cake

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