Moist Banana Pound Cake with Cream Cheese Glaze
Servings: 14 slices
Calories: 651kcal
This moist banana pound cake has a rich, buttery and banana flavor that’s pure comfort in every bite and it’s all topped off with a delicious cream cheese glaze.
Print Recipe
US Customary - Metric
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (Measured correctly: Spooned into the measuring cup and leveled off – don't scoop and pack the flour into the cup, that will add too much flour.)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 ½ cups mashed very ripe bananas (about 4 medium-sized bananas)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
For the cream cheese glaze: (optional)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature (1 stick)
- 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature (½ block)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups confectioner’s sugar
- 2-4 tablespoons milk (add more if needed)
- ¼ cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional for garnish)
Instructions
For the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Grease and flour a large bundt pan and set aside.
- In a medium size mixing bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Whisk well and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the room temperature butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar and mix with an electric mixer on medium-high to high for approximately 2 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing on medium for about 15-20 seconds after each addition.
- Scrape down the bowl and add the mashed bananas and vanilla, then mix on medium speed until well combined.
- Alternately add the flour mixture and sour cream to the butter/sugar mixture as follows: Start with adding a third of the flour mixture to the butter/sugar mixture and mix on medium speed only until just combined (about 10-15 seconds only).Add half of the sour cream and mix on medium speed only until just combined (about 10-15 seconds only).Add another third of the flour mixture and mix on medium only until just comined (about 10-15 seconds only).Add the last half of the sour cream and mix on medium only until well combined (about 20 seconds only).IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT SCRATCH CAKES: Be very careful only to mix until well combined. Once the batter is well combined, stop mixing. The batter does not have to be silky smooth. Mixing scratch cake batter too long and/or at too high of a speed can cause the gluten in the flour to over-develop and that will cause the cake to come out dense, rubbery or it may fall in the middle.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again, but only by hand with a large spoon or a silicone spatula.
- Add chopped nuts if desired and mix those in by hand.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake at 325 degrees F for approximately 55 - 65 minutes. Ovens vary. The cake is fully baked when a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out with a few moist crumbs on it or clean, but no raw batter should appear.
- Set the baked cake on a wire rack, still inside of the pan, to cool for 15 minutes, then turn the cake out of the pan and onto the rack and let cool completely.
- While the cake is cooling, prepare the glaze.
For the cream cheese glaze: (optional)
- In a large mixing bowl, add the room temperature butter and cream cheese and mix with an electric mixer on medium-high until smooth.
- Add the vanilla extract, confectioner's sugar and 2 tablespoons of milk and mix well on medium-high speed.
- Check the consistency. If it's too thick add another tablespoon of milk and mix again. Repeat until desired consistency is reached. Depending on how warm the mixture is and/or how warm it is in your kitchen, you may need to add up to 5 tablespoons of milk to get a glaze consistency.
- Add the glaze to the cooled cake. You can use a piping bag, a squirt bottle or just spoon onto the top of the cooled cake.
- Optional: Sprinkle crushed or chopped pecans or walnuts over the top of the glaze if desired.
Notes
I find this cake to be even tastier the next day!
The cream cheese glaze is optional. You do not have to add it. This cake is still delicious without a glaze. You could also just sprinkle on a bit of confectioner’s sugar instead of adding a glaze.
How to Store: This cake should be stored, covered, in the fridge, for up to 5 days.
How to Serve: This cake is a butter cake and will firm up in the fridge. I find it best served at room temperature, since the cake has a chance to warm up a bit and is softer, however it can be eaten cold, at room temperature, or warm.
Make sure to check out the TIPS & FAQs for this recipe in the blog post, which may answer questions you may have.
Nutritional values are an estimate.
*This recipe card may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition
Calories: 651kcal | Carbohydrates: 82g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 117mg | Sodium: 180mg | Potassium: 236mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 58g | Vitamin A: 906IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 78mg | Iron: 2mg