Our Ultimate Banana Coffee Cake has loads of banana mashed into the cake and an extra thick layer of streusel sprinkled over the top!
Quite some time ago, I shared one of my all time favorite recipes…a coffee cake so loaded with pumpkin that it really is a cross between pie and cake. The streusel chunks are so large and in charge that you kind of have to eat the cake to understand. It’s just heaven.
Of course, I’m talking about our pumpkin coffee cake.
I’m aware that if I made that cake during the spring or summer, my family would revolt. So I came up with an alternative that is every bit as good…this Banana Coffee Cake!
Positively loaded with bananas so that the cake is not at all lacking in that banana flavor goodness, the same streusel goodness on top, and this one is acceptable to make any time of year. 😉
Just like the original pumpkin version, we packed in loads of bananas. This results in a dense, ultra moist cake…it’s not light and airy like a traditional cake.
I mean, if you’re going to have a banana coffee cake, then have a dang BANANA coffee cake, right?
Ingredient Notes:
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For the coffee cake:
Dry Ingredients – You’ll need some standard dry cake batter ingredients including flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, brown sugar, and white sugar!
Wet Ingredients – You will also need one large egg and a stick of room temperature butter.
Bananas – The best bananas for this recipe are brown and overripe! They’re a little mushy, but sweeter and perfect for baking. We’re using 3 bananas in this recipe to make for an ultra moist, ultra dense cake.
What We Love About This Recipe:
- This recipe is a great way to use up browned, overripe bananas without them going to waste!
- This isn’t like a traditional cake – it’s very custard-y thanks to all those bananas!
- The streusel topping is just nuts – there’s lots of it and you can form it into huge clumps or sprinkle it on like a coarse crumb.
For the streusel topping:
Sugar – This easy homemade streusel topping starts with some brown sugar and granulated white sugar!
Cinnamon – Who doesn’t love a good mix of cinnamon and sugar? It’s the perfect way to top any coffee cake!
Salt – Just a bit to round out the flavors.
Butter – You’ll need a half cup of melted butter to mix with the sugar, cinnamon, and flour.
Flour – When you mix this up with the sugar and melted butter it’ll form a nice crumbly topping for the coffee cake.
How To Make Streusel Topping:
Streusel: Add the sugars, cinnamon, salt, and melted butter to a mixing bowl and stir until well combined. Finally, stir in the flour.
Dry: You’ll want to set the streusel aside for 15 to 20 minutes to let it dry a bit. This is a perfect time to prepare your coffee cake batter.
Helpful Tip!
Thick and Chunky or Fine and Crumbly
This streusel topping recipe is easy to make into huge, glorious chunks of streusel, but you can also make it into a coarse crumble!
For thick and chunky streusel, use your hands to squeeze the streusel together to form big clumps. Grab a handful, squeeze, and sprinkle over your cake.
For fine and crumbly streusel, stir the mixture with a fork and sprinkle the crumbs over the cake.
How to Make Banana Coffee Cake:
Dry Ingredients: Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt to a large mixing bowl and whisk together to combine.
Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl add the sugars along with the butter and beat together with a mixer until it is light and fluffy. Stir in the mashed bananas.
Combine: You can now add the banana mixture in with the flour mixture, and stir until just combined. Finally, spread the banana coffee cake batter into the prepared baking dish.
Topping: Start taking the streusel topping into your hands and pressing it together to form large crumbs or leave it as a more fine topping and just sprinkle it over the top. It will look like too much streusel, but trust me, there’s no such thing and this is the right amount. 😉
Bake: Place the dish into the oven and bake the banana coffee cake for 30 minutes or until a tester inserted into the center comes out mostly clean. Let it cool completely and sprinkle on some powdered sugar or drizzle with a simple glaze before serving!
Powdered Sugar Glaze:
We love this cake topped with a drizzle of powdered sugar glaze. It just adds the perfect finishing touch!
You’ll just combine 1 cup of powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons of milk or heavy cream and a 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Whisk to combine and add more powdered sugar or milk to get the thickness you prefer.
Drizzle this over your cooled cake and dig in!
What To Serve With Banana Coffee Cake:
Banana coffee cake is a delicious breakfast or brunch dish that can be enjoyed on its own, but it can also be paired with a variety of side dishes to make a complete meal. Some options include:
- Fresh fruit: Serve banana coffee cake with a side of fresh berries, melon, or sliced fruit to add color and flavor to your plate.
- Yogurt or cottage cheese: Pair banana coffee cake with a side of plain yogurt or cottage cheese for a satisfying breakfast.
- Butter and jam: Serve banana coffee cake with a small dish of butter and jam on the side for spreading on the warm cake.
- Coffee or tea: Banana coffee cake pairs well with a hot cup of coffee or tea to make a perfect breakfast or brunch.
- Bacon or Sausage: If you want a more savory option you can serve banana coffee cake with bacon or sausages for a well-rounded breakfast.
FAQs:
Overripe bananas (brown, soft, and a bit squishy) are ideal for banana coffee cake because they are sweeter and have a stronger banana flavor.
Banana coffee cake can be stored at room temperature for a day or two, or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Yes, banana coffee cake can be frozen for up to 3 months. Wrap it well in plastic wrap and aluminum foil before freezing.
MORE BANANA RECIPES!
- Double Chocolate Banana Bread
- Blueberry Banana Bread
- Banana Pound Cake
- Air Fryer Bananas
- Mini Banana Muffins
- Nutella Banana Bread
- Banana Oatmeal Cookies
- Banana Nutella Scones
Banana Coffee Cake
Ingredients
For the streusel:
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoons cinnamon
- 1/2 cup butter melted
- 1 1/4 cups flour
For the cake:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoons baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 /2 cup butter, room temperature 1 stick
- 1 large egg
- 3 overripe bananas about 12 ounces
- Powdered sugar for topping
Instructions
To make the streusel:
- To prepare the streusel, stir together the sugars, cinnamon, salt, and melted butter in a medium mixing bowl until well combined.
- Stir in the flour. Set aside while you prepare the cake batter.
To make the cake:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×9 baking dish with non-stick spray.
- Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt to a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine.
- Add the sugars and butter to a medium mixing bowl and beat with a mixer until light and fluffy.
- Mash the bananas until smooth with a fork. Add to the sugar and butter along with the egg and stir until just combined.
- Add the banana mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just combined.
- Spread cake batter into prepared pan.
- Take the streusel topping in your hands and press together to form large crumbs. Top the cake with the streusel. It will seem like too much, but use it all for the best streusel experience.
- Bake for 30 minutes or until a tester inserted in the middle comes out mostly clean.
- Cool completely.
- Sprinkle the top with powdered sugar or drizzle with vanilla glaze before serving.
Tips & Notes:
Nutrition Information:
This recipe was originally published in October 2017. It was updated with new photos in January 2023. Original photos below.
Brittney says
This turned out to taste very good. But I am not a natural born Baker. The recipe took double the time to actually cook and ended up burning my struessel which is my fav part. So I am very disappointed in that.
Karly says
Hi Brittney! Did you use the correct oven temperature and the right sized pan? The cake is very moist and packed with banana, so it’s supposed to be more dense than a traditional cake.
Jen says
Delicious! Made as written. Absolutely wonderful! I would not change a thing! Thank you!
Karly says
Thanks, Jen! Glad to hear it was a keeper! 🙂
Nancy Leary says
Waiting for the timer to go off. Just the thing for extra bananas and a need for sugar.
Karly says
Hope you loved it!
janet cole says
im making it as I type, cant wait for the outcome.
Karly says
Hope you love it!
Jenniferhg says
I made this twice last night. Exactly to recipe. Great cake, everyone loved it. I made one in a bundt pan and took to my niece and her boys. The bundt cake had to bake for 1 hour.
Marion skelly says
Keep the recipes coming
Stephenie says
Sadly was not a fan. Streusel was more chewy than streseul like/crisp. Cake was still jiggly/part raw at 25 mins, 35 mins… maybe too much banana?! Taste was alright though.
Karly says
Sorry to hear you weren’t a fan. The recipe calls for a ton of banana and is supposed to be very dense and thick, not like a traditional cake.
Patti Kumazawa says
This had a great flavor. However, the streusel made a huge mess. I will probably make it again, but with half the streusel and I’ll make the topping with cold butter.
Jason says
Looks amazing! Can’t wait to make these, thanks for posting the recipe.
Anna Davis says
You posted flour as an ingredient twice, which amount is used for the streusel and for the cake itself?
Karly says
Sorry about that – just recently switched to a new recipe card and it stripped out the formatting. It should all be easier to read now. 🙂
Natalie says
This cake looks so good! Tender moist and just what I need with my coffee this morning 🙂
Kim | Unrefined RD says
Oh my goodness, yes please!
marsha white says
You refer to a ‘tester’. Not sure, but do you refer it to be
a toothpick test?
Karly says
I normally use a toothpick. 🙂
Alison's Allspice says
I love to treat myself with coffee cake, and I’ve never seen it made with bananas – I must try! The streusel looks delicious!
Karly says
You’ll love that streusel on top! 🙂
Jodi says
I always have overripe bananas staring me in the face! I can’t wait to try this!
Karly says
Hope you love it!