In need of a sweet treat that isn’t over the top? Just the perfect amount of sweet with a touch of healthy? I am so excited to share this banana cake with cream cheese frosting!
If you have a middle or high school-aged son, you know that they go through an EXCESSIVE amount of food. I do not know where my kid puts it all. Most weeks, he goes through literal bunches of bananas. We can not keep enough in the fruit bowl to the extent that recently a clerk at the local grocery store said, “I have never seen someone purchase this much fresh fruits and veggies.” #proudmoment
But then there are the odd weeks that we buy four bunches and then they sit. And sit. And suddenly we have five overly soft bananas sitting on the counter for days, no one wanting to eat them. The last time that situation arose, I was determined to make a healthy-ish dessert.
HOw did I make it healthier?
My first step to getting a healthier dessert was to swap the sugar for real maple syrup. Simple swap and so delicious. It also works out that the Mr. has been encouraging me to use up our supply from last year (read about our adventures in tapping trees here!) because syrup season will be here before we know it! I also cut down on the oil, added Greek yogurt for moisture, and added some extra banana.
Well, I mixed up this recipe, and from the moment I gave the batter a taste test, I knew it was a good one. And the frosting? I think it is just the perfect amount of sweet (but feel free to add a little more powdered sugar if you want it sweeter!). The baking dish traveled with me to school (I teach high school!) and my colleagues gave it two thumbs up, followed by, “Wait? You have a food blog?!” That made me giggle.
So are you ready to put together a delicious banana cake with cream cheese frosting? Let’s go!
Your Ingredients for Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 ¼ cup mashed ripe banana, 3-4 bananas
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 egg
- ⅓ cup oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¾ cup real maple syrup
- 1 ½ cup flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Frosting Ingredients
- ½ cup cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1-2 tablespoons milk, optional
- ground walnuts, about ½ cup (optional)
Your Steps to Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×9 baking dish (or 7×10, my jam) with non-stick cooking spray. Whisk the egg in a small dish. Whisk bananas, yogurt, oil, vanilla, maple syrup, and egg until well combined. Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt. Pour into prepared dish. Bake for 35-45 minutes, until a toothpick can be inserted and comes out clean.
Allow to cool 20 minutes. While it cools, mix the frosting. Combine softened butter and cream cheese with a hand mixer until smooth. Add vanilla and mix again. Slowly blend in powdered sugar, ¼ cup at a time. Add milk, ½ tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is acquired. Frost the cake when the cake is not entirely cool to lock in the moisture.
Serve immediately. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.
Looking for other recipe inspiration?
Check out these sweet and savory from scratch recipes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner!
Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup mashed ripe banana 3-4 bananas
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 egg
- ⅓ cup oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¾ cup real maple syrup
- 1 ½ cup flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Frosting Ingredients
- ½ cup cream cheese softened
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Pinch of salt
- 1-2 tablespoons milk optional
- Ground walnuts about ½ cup (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×9 baking dish (or 7×10, my jam) with non-stick cooking spray.
- Whisk the egg in a small dish. Whisk bananas, yogurt, oil, vanilla, maple syrup, and egg until well combined.
- Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt. Pour into prepared dish.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes, until a toothpick can be inserted and comes out clean.
- Allow to cool 20 minutes. While it cools, mix the frosting.
- Combine softened butter and cream cheese with a handmixer until smooth.
- Add vanilla and mix again.
- Slowly blend in pinch of salt and powdered sugar, ¼ cup at a time. Add milk, ½ tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is acquired.
- Frost the cake when the cake is not entirely cool to lock in the moisture. Top with ground walnuts
- Serve immediately. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.
