Strawberry Banana Cake Recipe
This easy-to-make strawberry banana cake recipe combines ripe bananas and fresh strawberries for a moist and flavorful treat. With simple ingredients like flour, sugar, eggs, and vanilla, it's a delightful dessert for any occasion. Topped with cream cheese frosting and sliced strawberries, it's a perfect blend of fruity sweetness.
Equipment
- 2 mixing bowls
- Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
- 9-inch round cake pans (or any shape you prefer)
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Cooling rack
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Knife (for slicing the fruit)
- Piping bag (optional for frosting decoration)
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 2 ripe bananas mashed
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup strawberries chopped
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup granulated sugar or sugar substitute of choice
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 4 tablespoons 56g unsalted butter, room temperature
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup fresh strawberries pureed
- ½ cup freeze-dried strawberry slices
Instructions
Step 1: Preheat the Oven
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease or line your 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper for easy cake removal.
Step 2: Prepare the Dry Ingredients
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set this aside.
Step 3: Mix Wet Ingredients
- In a large mixing bowl, use an electric hand mixer to beat the softened butter and granulated sugar until it’s light and fluffy. This usually takes about 3-5 minutes. Add the mashed bananas, eggs, and vanilla extract, mixing everything until smooth.
Step 4: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients
- Alternately add the dry ingredients and buttermilk to the wet mixture, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix gently until everything is well incorporated. Be careful not to overmix.
Step 5: Add the Chopped Strawberries
- Fold in the chopped strawberries and vegetable oil into the batter, ensuring an even distribution.
Step 6: Bake the Cake
- Divide the batter evenly between the prepared cake pans and smooth the tops. Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Step 7: Cool the Cake
- Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for about 10 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Step 8: Prepare the Frosting
- While the cakes are cooling, prepare the frosting. In a mixing bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract, mixing until creamy. Finally, fold in the pureed strawberries for a fruity kick.
Step 9: Assemble the Cake
- Once the cakes are fully cooled, spread a layer of frosting on the top of the first cake. Place the second cake layer on top and frost the entire cake with the remaining cream cheese frosting.
Step 10: Decorate and Serve
- For extra flair, I like to decorate the top with freeze-dried strawberry slices or fresh strawberries. Slice, serve, and enjoy the fruity goodness!
Notes
Ripe bananas are key to this recipe’s moistness. If your bananas aren’t quite ripe yet, place them in a brown paper bag with an apple for a day or two. The apple releases ethylene gas, which will help ripen the bananas.