This Asian-style banana butter cake is moist, buttery and rich with banana flavour. Easy and fuss-free recipe that uses everyday pantry ingredients, this banana cake bakes beautifully and always turns out!

This is my one of my most baked banana butter cakes! In fact, I’d like to say this is my favourite Asian banana cake.

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And that’s because Asians tend to enjoy their banana cakes a little less sweet, and lighter on the palette.

We love our heritage of light yet rich butter cakes. This banana cake is no exception and always a treat to have or to gift to our family and friends.

If you’re looking for more of a Western banana bread type of dessert, I’m going to point you towards this super moist rum and raisin banana bread, which is just as delicious without the liquor.

Banana Butter Cake

Today, I bought a big bunch of bananas from the market. Which I left in the car, naturally, while I popped by the library to pick up some books. And boy, it was hot out today.

Not just today, but pretty much this past week has been searing hot. What was originally intended to be a short book browse quickly became an hour.

I swear the bananas ripened in that time, as if they had sat in a warm oven. Not that I minded as that would only make the inevitable come sooner. You see, I could get to making this banana butter cake right away!

There are so many ways to turn bananas into delicious treats. But I really enjoy bananas most when mashed into a rich and moist banana butter cake.

Why this banana butter cake is so good

Let me just say that this banana butter cake is as simple as it gets.

There’s no need for any dairy other than butter, so you won’t find milk, sour cream or yogurt in this recipe like in a lot of banana cake or bread recipes.

Banana Butter Cake

Asian banana cake recipes tend to be brief with ingredients. So where does the flavour come from?

Believe it or not, all you need are bananas plus just a few key ingredients. Here’s why this cake is so good:

  • Using over-ripe bananas gives this cake the boldest, richest and most intense flavour! It will guarantee that your banana cake tastes sweet, rich, and ultra banana-ey! If you have bananas now that aren’t quite there yet, here’s how you can ripen your bananas quickly – like in a matter of minutes, so you can bake this today!
  • This banana butter cake is super moist. The cake gets all of its moisture from the mushy bananas. There’s a full ¾ cup of it! Plus, sweetening the deal with brown sugar also guarantees moistness!
  • You’ll love how buttery this banana cake is! With a flour to butter ratio of 1:1, you know this is going to turn out a moist and buttery banana cake.

Ingredients for banana butter cake

Banana cakes are easy to bake at a moment’s notice because they use up regular pantry ingredients. So here’s what you’ll need:

  • Over-ripe bananas, please!
  • Butter, unsalted
  • Eggs, large (I use 60 gram eggs)
  • Light brown sugar
  • Self-raising flour
  • Baking soda
  • Salt
  • Lemon juice

How to make this easy banana butter cake

  • Step 1: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, place the butter and light brown sugar. You can also use a hand-held mixer fitted with beaters, or simply beat with a wooden spoon by hand.
  • Step 2: Cream on medium speed (I use speed 3 on my Kitchen Aid) until the butter mixture turns pale, and feels light and fluffy.
  • Step 3: Tip in the beaten eggs, bit by bit, beating well in between each addition. Make sure you don’t tip in too much at one go, add only when the previous addition has been fully incorporated. I did this in about 5 to 6 additions.
  • Step 4: The batter should look smooth and uniform after beating in the eggs and remain fairly light and fluffy.
  • Step 5: Add in ½ of the sifted flour, baking soda and salt mixture. Beat in until just combined. Be careful not to over beat or over stir at this point. You’ll just need to beat or stir in until you don’t see specks of flour in the batter.
  • Step 6: Tip in the mashed bananas, and beat or stir until well combined.
  • Step 7: Finally, add the remaining flour mixture. Again, only beat until the flour is well incorporated throughout the batter.
  • Step 8: The final batter should be smooth and uniform in consistency throughout. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake at 170°C (338°F) for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Once cooled, the cake will keep well in air-tight container for up to 3 days in a cool, dry space of your kitchen. Maybe less, if you live in a humid tropical environment like I do.

I prefer to store it chilled after the first day, and warm up a slice in the microwave whenever I want to have it.

All it takes is about 15 to 20 seconds to get it as tender and moist as when first baked, depending on how warm you enjoy your slice.

You might also enjoy these banana recipes:

Tried this recipe? I’d love to see! Share your pics on Instagram and tag @foodelicacy or #foodelicacy.

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Easy Banana Butter Cake

4.6 from 33 reviews
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 50 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Yield: 10 servings
This Asian-style banana butter cake is moist, buttery and rich with banana flavour. Easy and fuss-free recipe that uses everyday pantry ingredients, this banana cake bakes beautifully and always turns out!

Ingredients

  • 175 g self-raising flour
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • tsp baking soda
  • 175 g butter cut into cubes and at room temperature
  • 175 g light brown sugar
  • 3 large eggs lightly beaten
  • 225 g bananas without peel
  • 2 tsp lemon juice

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 170°C (340°F). Set the oven rack in the lower third (just below center) of the oven.
  • Line the base and sides of a 7-inch (18-cm) baking pan with greaseproof paper. Brush with some softened butter.
  • Sift together the flour, salt and baking soda into a mixing bowl.
  • In a small bowl, mash bananas thoroughly with a fork and stir in the lemon juice. Set aside.
  • Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or a hand-held mixer fitted with beaters), cream butter with light brown sugar on medium speed. Cream until the mixture turns pale, and feels light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
  • Add beaten eggs, a bit at a time, beating well in between additions until well incorporated.
  • Add ½ of the sifted flour mixture, and beat until just combined. Do not over beat or over stir the mixture. Then tip in the mashed bananas, and beat or stir until well combined.
  • Finally, add the remaining flour mixture. Again, only beat until the flour is well incorporated throughout the batter.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and bake at 170°C (338°F) for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
  • Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, before removing. Once released, set the cake on a metal rack and let cool to room temperature.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 296kcal, Carbohydrates: 35g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 16g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 93mg, Sodium: 421mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 20g
Cuisine: Asian, Western
Course: Breakfast, Cake Recipes, Desserts, Tea
Author: Celia Lim
Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a rating and a review in the section below, and tag @foodelicacy on Instagram and hashtag it #foodelicacy so I can see!