Ultimate Moist Banana Bread Bundt Cake with Irresistible Cream Cheese Frosting

If you have a special place in your heart for the comforting taste of classic banana bread, prepare to fall head over heels for this spectacular Banana Bread Bundt Cake! It captures everything you adore about your favorite quick bread – its rich, sweet banana flavor and incredibly moist texture – but presents it in an elegant bundt form. Crowned with a luscious, tangy cream cheese frosting, this cake is a truly unforgettable dessert that perfectly balances sweetness with a delightful creaminess. It’s a showstopper perfect for any occasion, from a casual family brunch to a sophisticated dinner party.

My kitchen often smells of ripe bananas, and I’m always finding new ways to incorporate this versatile fruit into delightful treats. For fellow banana bread enthusiasts, I’ve perfected recipes like my much-loved Chocolate Chip Banana Bread and the warmly spiced Cinnamon Banana Bread. But the banana love doesn’t stop there! If you lean more towards cakes, you’ll adore my Banana Coffee Cake, complete with a buttery streusel topping, and these adorable Banana Cupcakes. And for those who can’t resist a good cookie, don’t miss out on my Frosted Banana Cookies and the incredibly popular Banana Cream Pie Cookies. It’s absolutely B-A-N-A-N-A-S how much joy baking with bananas brings!

Why This Banana Bundt Cake Recipe Is a Must-Try

This isn’t just another banana cake; it’s a meticulously crafted recipe designed for maximum flavor, moisture, and ease. Here’s why this moist banana bundt cake will become a staple in your baking repertoire:

• Effortlessly Simple Bundt Cake. Many people find bundt cakes intimidating due to their intricate shapes, but this recipe proves that beautiful results can be achieved with minimal fuss. The secret lies not just in the ingredients, but in the right pan preparation! Once your pan is ready, the process is straightforward: combine your dry ingredients, mix your wet ingredients, gently fold them together, pour into the bundt pan, and bake. It’s genuinely that easy to create a stunning dessert!
• Unrivaled Banana Flavor. The hallmark of any truly exceptional banana cake is its bold, authentic banana taste. This recipe delivers on that promise and then some. By utilizing overly ripe bananas, we maximize their natural sweetness and depth of flavor, ensuring every bite is bursting with that beloved banana essence. Much like classic banana bread, the flavors in this bundt cake will continue to meld and deepen over time, making it even more delicious the day after it’s baked.
• Incredibly Moist and Tender Texture. Say goodbye to dry, crumbly cakes! This is arguably the best banana bundt cake because it incorporates two key ingredients known for their moisturizing properties: sour cream and vegetable oil. Sour cream adds a luxurious richness and tang while reacting with the baking soda to contribute to a perfect rise. Vegetable oil ensures the cake remains incredibly moist and tender, even days after baking, creating a soft, melt-in-your-mouth crumb that sets it apart from other recipes.

Essential Ingredients for Your Perfect Banana Bundt Cake

Each ingredient in this recipe plays a vital role in creating the perfect texture and flavor profile. Here’s a closer look at what you’ll need and why:

• All-Purpose Flour: This is the fundamental structural component of our banana bread bundt cake. Ensure you measure it correctly by spooning it into your measuring cup and leveling it off, rather than scooping directly from the bag, which can lead to a denser cake.
• Baking Soda: A crucial leavening agent that helps our cake rise beautifully and contributes to a tender crumb. It reacts with the acidic sour cream, creating air pockets that give the cake its light texture.
• Ground Cinnamon: In my humble opinion, the warm, fragrant notes of cinnamon are indispensable in any good banana bread or cake. It perfectly complements the banana flavor, adding a layer of comforting spice that elevates the entire dessert.
• Salt: Don’t skip the salt! It’s a flavor enhancer that balances the sweetness of the sugars and bananas, preventing the cake from tasting flat and bringing out the best in all the other ingredients.
• Unsalted Butter: Using softened unsalted butter is key here. It’s creamed with the sugars, a process that incorporates air and contributes significantly to a tender, fine-crumbed finished cake. Always opt for unsalted butter to control the overall salt content of your recipe.
• Sugar (Granulated & Brown): The combination of granulated sugar and packed light brown sugar provides the ideal balance of sweetness and moisture. Granulated sugar offers crisp sweetness, while brown sugar adds depth, a hint of caramel flavor, and extra moisture, thanks to its molasses content.
• Eggs: Large eggs are essential for structure, richness, and binding the ingredients together. Since this cake already has the moistening and binding power of bananas, two eggs are just the right amount to achieve a stable yet tender crumb. Ensure they are at room temperature for optimal emulsification.
• Vanilla Extract: Often referred to as a “flavor enhancer,” good quality vanilla extract adds a layer of warmth and complexity that truly rounds out the taste of the cake, making it more aromatic and delicious.
• Sour Cream: A true MVP for moisture and richness! Sour cream not only keeps the cake incredibly moist but its acidity also reacts with the baking soda, aiding in the cake’s rise and contributing to a wonderfully tender texture. Full-fat sour cream will yield the best results.
• Vegetable Oil: Using vegetable oil alongside butter is a clever trick to achieve a uniquely moist cake. Oil coats more evenly than butter, contributing to a consistently tender crumb and keeping the cake fresh and soft for longer.
• Bananas: The star of the show! For the most intense and authentic banana cake flavor, it’s crucial to use overly ripe bananas – those with plenty of brown spots or even entirely brown peels. These bananas are sweeter and softer, making them easier to mash and infuse more flavor into the batter. Aim for about 1½ cups of mashed banana, which is typically 3-4 medium bananas.
• Cream Cheese (for frosting): Trust me, topping this bundt cake with a classic cream cheese frosting is absolutely the right move! Its tangy sweetness provides a perfect counterpoint to the rich banana cake, creating a harmonious flavor experience.

How to Bake Your Perfect Banana Bread Bundt Cake

Follow these detailed steps to create a beautiful and delicious Banana Bread Bundt Cake from scratch:

1. Prepare Oven and Bundt Pan. Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). This ensures the oven is at the correct temperature when the cake goes in, promoting an even bake. Next, thoroughly grease a 10-cup bundt pan with a nonstick cooking spray. For extra insurance against sticking, lightly flour the greased pan, rotating it to coat all surfaces, then gently tap out any excess flour. This crucial step helps guarantee a clean release of your stunning cake.
2. Combine Dry Ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 2¼ cups of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, and 1 teaspoon of salt. Mixing these dry ingredients thoroughly now ensures they are evenly distributed throughout the batter. Set this bowl aside.
3. Mix Wet Ingredients. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or use a large bowl with a hand mixer), add ½ cup of softened unsalted butter, ½ cup of packed light brown sugar, and ½ cup of granulated sugar. Beat these together on medium speed for about 2 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy – this creaming process incorporates air, resulting in a more tender cake. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Then, add 2 large eggs (one at a time, mixing well after each addition), 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, ½ cup of sour cream, ½ cup of vegetable oil, and 1½ cups of mashed overly ripe bananas (which is approximately 4 medium bananas). Mix until just combined, ensuring no large lumps of banana remain.
4. Gently Combine Wet and Dry. Gradually add the reserved flour mixture to the stand mixer bowl with the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed until *just* combined and no streaks of dry flour are visible. Be very careful not to overmix the batter, as this can develop the gluten in the flour too much, leading to a tough, dense cake. Mix only until barely combined.
5. Bake to Perfection. Pour the prepared batter evenly into your greased and floured bundt pan. Use a spatula to gently spread the batter and ensure it’s level. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached. Once baked, remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the bundt pan for exactly 10 minutes. This allows the cake to firm up slightly before you attempt to invert it. After 10 minutes, carefully invert the cake onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Cooling completely is essential before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting and sliding off.

6. Whip Up the Cream Cheese Frosting. While your cake cools completely, prepare the irresistible cream cheese frosting. In a medium bowl, beat together 4 ounces of softened cream cheese and ¼ cup of softened unsalted butter until the mixture is completely smooth and free of lumps. This may take 2-3 minutes. Gradually add 1½ cups of powdered sugar (sifted for best results) and a pinch of salt, beating until the frosting is light, fluffy, and well combined. If the frosting seems too stiff to pipe or spread easily, add milk or heavy cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing after each addition until it reaches your desired smooth and spreadable consistency.
7. Frost and Serve. Once the banana bundt cake is completely cool, it’s time for the crowning glory: the cream cheese frosting! For a decorative touch, transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a round tip, or simply snip a corner off a sturdy ziplock bag. Pipe the frosting strategically in between the ridges of your bundt cake to highlight its beautiful shape, or spread it generously all over the top – the choice is yours! Once frosted, slice yourself a generous piece of this delightful moist banana bundt cake, and prepare to enjoy pure bliss.

Expert Tips for the Best Banana Bread Bundt Cake

Achieving a perfect Banana Bread Bundt Cake is easy with these insider tips:

• Bundt Cake vs. Banana Bread: Not the Same! It’s important to understand that this recipe is specifically formulated for a bundt cake. While it tastes like banana bread, it uses specific cake-making techniques and ingredient ratios (especially in leavening and fat content) to achieve the ideal texture for a cake baked in a bundt pan. Simply pouring a standard banana bread batter into a bundt pan will not yield the same moist, tender, and beautifully structured result. Trust the process!
• Embrace Overripe Bananas. For the most pronounced and delicious banana flavor, always use overly ripe bananas. Their skins should be speckled brown or even mostly black. At this stage, bananas are at their sweetest and most aromatic, imparting a rich, deep flavor to your cake that underripe bananas simply can’t match. If your bananas aren’t ripe enough, you can speed up the process by baking them in their peels at 300°F (150°C) for 15-30 minutes until they are black and soft.
• Never Skip Greasing and Flourishing Your Bundt Pan! Bundt pans, with their intricate designs, are famously tricky when it comes to cake release. To avoid a broken cake and ensure a picture-perfect presentation, generously grease *and* flour every crevice of your bundt pan. Use a non-stick spray, then dust with flour, rotating the pan to coat thoroughly, and tap out any excess. This double-layer of protection is key for a clean, effortless removal.
• Sour Cream Substitutions. If you don’t have sour cream on hand, plain full-fat Greek yogurt makes an excellent substitute. It offers a similar tang and richness, contributing to the cake’s desirable moisture and tender crumb.
• Alternative Frostings. While the cream cheese frosting is highly recommended for its perfect complementary tang, this moist banana bundt cake is also incredibly delicious on its own. If cream cheese frosting isn’t your preference, consider pairing it with a simple dusting of powdered sugar, a light glaze, or for a rich, nutty twist, my Brown Butter Buttercream would be an exquisite choice.
• Prevent Chocolate Chips from Sinking: If you decide to add chocolate chips (a fantastic combination!), toss them with a tablespoon of flour before adding them to the batter. This light coating helps them suspend more evenly throughout the cake as it bakes, preventing them from sinking to the bottom. Mini chocolate chips also tend to sink less than standard-sized ones.

Make Ahead, Storing, and Freezing Your Banana Bundt Cake

This delicious banana bundt cake is perfect for making ahead and stores wonderfully, ensuring you can enjoy its delightful flavors for days:

Make Ahead: One of the best qualities of this cake is that its flavor actually improves and deepens over a day or two. Feel free to bake the cake 1-2 days in advance. However, hold off on frosting it until you are ready to serve. Since the cream cheese frosting contains dairy, it requires refrigeration to stay fresh and safe.

Storing: To store any leftover banana bundt cake with cream cheese frosting, it must be kept in the refrigerator in an airtight container. This prevents the cream cheese frosting from spoiling and keeps the cake moist. It will remain delicious for 3-5 days in the fridge. If you prefer to store the unfrosted cake, you can keep it in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days. If storing separately, frost individual slices just before serving.

Freezing: This cake freezes beautifully without the frosting! To freeze, ensure the completely cooled cake is tightly wrapped first in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil, or placed in a freezer-safe bag. It can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to enjoy it, thaw the cake overnight in the refrigerator, then bring it to room temperature before frosting and serving. For more detailed instructions on freezing baked goods, check out my comprehensive guide on How to Store and Freeze Cakes.

Frequently Asked Questions About Banana Bundt Cake

Explore More Delicious Bundt Cake Recipes

If you’ve fallen in love with the ease and elegance of bundt cakes, there are many more exciting flavors to discover. Here are some other fantastic bundt cake recipes you might enjoy baking:

• Pumpkin Bundt Cake
• Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake
• Red Velvet Bundt Cake
• Blood Orange Bundt Cake
• White Chocolate Raspberry Bundt Cake