Banana Coffee Cake

This banana coffee cake is soft, moist, and topped with a buttery cinnamon crumble. An easy recipe perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert.

Prep Time20

Cook Time25

Cool Time30

Total Time1 15

Servings:

Calories: 382kcal

Author: Karin and Ken

Ingredients

½ cup salted butter softened
1 cup light brown sugar
3 large eggs thoroughly beaten
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup sour cream
2 ripe bananas mashed
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder

Toppings

¼ cup salted butter
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup white granulated sugar

Icing (Optional)

1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
½-1 ½ tablespoons milk

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F.
Start by preparing your cake batter. Combine the softened butter and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl. Use an electric hand mixer to beat the ingredients together for about 2 minutes, or until creamy.
Beat in the eggs and vanilla followed by the sour cream and bananas until the mixture is thoroughly combined.
Gently whisk in the flour, baking soda, and baking powder until no dry pockets remain. Pour your batter into an 8x8 inch baking dish coated with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
In a small bowl, melt the butter for your topping and then whisk together the melted butter, flour, and sugar. Sprinkle your crumbly topping mixture over the cake batter. Bake your cake for 25 minutes.
Let your cake cool for 30 minutes before slicing. Serve and enjoy!
You can serve this cake plain or top it with a simple vanilla icing.

Icing (Optional)

In a small bowl combine powdered sugar, vanilla and the lowest amount of milk. Add more milk gradually until you reach desired consistency. Drizzle on top of cake before serving.

Video

Notes

Use ripe bananas (not underripe or overripe): Choose bananas that are soft with brown spots for the best balance of sweetness and flavor—underripe bananas lack flavor, while overly dark bananas can become too strong
Don’t overmix the batter: Mix just until the ingredients are combined after adding flour, as overmixing develops gluten and can make your cake dense instead of soft and tender
Measure flour properly: Spoon flour into your measuring cup and level it off to avoid adding too much, which can lead to a dry, heavy coffee cake
Use room temperature ingredients: Let butter, eggs, and sour cream sit out before baking so they blend smoothly and create a more even, consistent texture
Make a coarse, crumbly topping: Mix the topping until it forms crumbs instead of a paste so it bakes into that classic bakery-style streusel
Check for doneness early: Insert a toothpick into the center a few minutes before the bake time ends—if it comes out with a few moist crumbs, the cake is perfectly baked
Bake until just set: Avoid overbaking, as this can dry out the cake and reduce its soft, moist texture
Let the cake cool before slicing: Allow it to rest for at least 20–30 minutes so it sets properly and slices cleanly without falling apart
Use parchment paper for easy removal: Lining your pan prevents sticking and allows you to lift the cake out easily for perfect slices
Add extra crumb topping: Doubling the topping creates a thicker, bakery-style layer that adds texture and makes the cake even more irresistible

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