This Moist Banana Caramel Cake (banoffee) is one of those cakes I make whenever I have ripe bananas that I don’t want to go to waste. The banana cake is super moist and soft, and the salted caramel cream cheese frosting is beyond creamy. 100% made from scratch!
If you love Banoffee flavors, this cake is going to become a favorite. By the way, if you enjoy caramel desserts, you should also try my Apple Cake with Salted Caramel Frosting.
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Try This Moist Banana Caramel Cake
If you're looking for a banana cake recipe that uses all your ripe bananas, this is the one. The banana and caramel are not overly sweet, and the frosting is so creamy that I could honestly eat it straight from the bowl.
It's a wonderful caramel banana cake for birthdays, family gatherings, or whenever you're craving something fruity and delicious.
Why You'll Love It
- Incredible flavor: The banana and caramel combination is just irresistible.
- Moist banana cake layers: I love how the banana cake stays soft for days.
- Made completely from scratch: Even the caramel sauce is homemade.
- Great for sharing: This cake makes enough servings for family, kids, and friends.
Ingredients
- Bananas: I always use ripe bananas with plenty of brown spots because they add natural sweetness, moisture, and decent banana flavor. Very ripe bananas work best, while overly black bananas can sometimes add a slightly fermented flavor.
- Brown Sugar: Brown sugar adds a deeper, richer sweetness than white sugar.
- Vegetable Oil: I prefer oil over butter in this recipe because it makes a softer crumb and keeps the cake moist for days.
- Cream Cheese & Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce: The cream cheese adds a slightly tangy taste, and the homemade caramel sauce adds additional sweetness, but not too much.
How to Make Moist Banana Caramel Cake
1. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine butter, heavy cream, brown sugar, salt, and honey. Bring to a simmer over medium heat while whisking continuously.
2. Cook the mixture for 5–10 minutes until thickened and able to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat.
3. Transfer ½ cup of the caramel sauce to a small bowl for the frosting and allow all the caramel to cool completely. The rest of the caramel is for drizzling over the cake before serving.
Note: If the caramel sauce is too liquid after it has cooled down to room temperature, you can reheat it for a couple of minutes.
4. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9x13-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
5. For the cake, start by mixing eggs, brown sugar, oil, and mashed bananas in a large bowl just until combined. Use a large mixing bowl and a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment.
6. Then add dry ingredients, flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon, and stir to combine. The batter will be very creamy.
7. Transfer to a parchment paper-lined 9x13" baking pan. Spread batter evenly and top with halved bananas if desired.
8. Bake for about 40-50 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cover loosely with parchment paper or aluminum foil after 25-30 minutes if the top browns too much. Let it cool completely on a wire rack before you top it with frosting.
9. For the salted caramel cream cheese frosting, start by mixing the butter until it's smooth and creamy. Use room temperature butter for the best mixing results. Mix for about 1-2 minutes.
10. Then add the cream cheese and mix until evenly combined.
11. Add sifted powdered sugar and vanilla and stir until smooth and creamy.
12. Then add homemade salted caramel sauce. In the picture below, you can see what consistency the caramel sauce should have when it's cooled.
13. Stir until creamy and combined.
14. Then spread salted caramel cream cheese frosting on top of the cooled banana cake and let it cool for 1 hour before serving. Top with fresh banana slices and drizzle with the remaining caramel sauce.
Recipe Tips
- I always use ripe yellow bananas with brown spots because they give the best flavor without tasting fermented.
- You can use brick-style or spreadable Philadelphia cream cheese. The recipe works either way. If using brick-style cream cheese, I recommend letting it come to room temperature before combining it with the butter. Spreadable cream cheese can be used straight out of the fridge because it's already soft out of the container.
- If your caramel separates, don't panic. I have had it happen before. Usually, whisking vigorously fixes it, but adding a tablespoon or two of hot water can also help bring it back together.
- Make sure the cake is completely cool before frosting, otherwise the frosting can become too soft and difficult to spread.
What Can You Serve With This?
- Fresh banana slices
- Vanilla ice cream
- Hot coffee
- Cold milk
- Caramel latte
- Espresso
- Fresh berries
- Lightly sweetened whipped cream
FAQs
I usually whisk it vigorously first. If that doesn't work, add 1–2 tablespoons of boiling water and whisk until smooth again.
I store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. If I add fresh banana slices on top, I try to enjoy it within 2 days.
Yes. I like freezing individual slices after the frosting has set. They keep well for up to 2 months.
Recipe
Moist Banana Caramel Cake (Banoffee)
Ingredients
Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon honey
Banana Cake
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 cup canola or mild vegetable oil
- 1 ¾ cups mashed bananas (about 4-6 bananas)
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- Optional 4 large bananas, halved
Salted Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup homemade salted caramel sauce
Instructions
Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine butter, heavy cream, brown sugar, salt, and honey and bring over medium heat to a simmer. Whisking continuously, cook for about 5-10 minutes until it has thickened up and coats the back of a spoon but is still liquid. Remove saucepan from the heat. The caramel will thicken as it cools.
- With a heatproof cup scoop out ½ cup (160g) of caramel sauce and transfer to a small bowl and let cool to room temperature (you need this for the cream cheese frosting later). Let the rest of the caramel sauce cool to room temperature until your cake is ready for serving.
Banana Cake
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 9x13" (23x33cm) baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, stir eggs, brown sugar, oil, and mashed bananas on medium speed until smooth and well combined for about 1-2 minutes.
- Stir in flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon just to combine. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Top with halved banana slices if desired. Bake for about 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick centered in the middle comes out clean. Cover after 25-30 minutes with parchment paper or aluminum foil if the top browns too quickly. Remove from oven and let cool to room temperature.
Salted Caramel Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a large mixing bowl, using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, whisk butter until very creamy, for about 1-2 minutes.
- Add cream cheese and mix until well combined and smooth. 1-2 minutes.
- Stir in powdered sugar and vanilla and mix until creamy about 1-2 minutes.
- Add ½ cup of the homemade salted caramel sauce and mix until creamy and smooth for another 1-2 minutes.
Assemble the cake
- Spread salted cream cheese frosting on top of the cooled banana cake. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Top with additional fresh banana slices (if desired) and drizzle with remaining caramel sauce before serving. Store in an airtight container in the fridge up to 3 days.
Notes
Cooking Time and Temperature
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 40–50 minutes. Chill the frosted cake for 1 hour before serving.Taste & Texture
Ultra-moist banana cake topped with silky salted caramel cream cheese frosting and rich caramel flavor in every bite.Storage, Freezing & Reheating
- Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Freezer: Freeze individual slices for up to 2 months.
- Reheat: No reheating required. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.
Serving Recommendations
I love serving this cake chilled with coffee or tea. It also makes an incredible dessert topped with vanilla ice cream or a spoonful of whipped cream.Recipe Variations and Substitutions
- Use dark brown sugar for a deeper caramel flavor.
- Add chopped pecans or walnuts.
- Replace cinnamon with pumpkin pie spice.
- Add extra banana slices between the cake and frosting.
- Use store-bought caramel if you're short on time.
Proper Storage Tips
- Store covered to keep the cake moist.
- Refrigerate if using fresh banana slices.
- Freeze individual slices for easy serving later.
- Allow frozen slices to thaw overnight before serving.
Pro Tips
- Use ripe bananas with brown spots for the best flavor.
- Don't overmix the batter.
- Let the caramel cool before adding it to the frosting.
- Cool the cake completely before frosting.
- Chill before slicing for cleaner cuts.
Video
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Ralph
Super yummy and very easy to make - even for a beginner like me!
Lori Setzer
Love the cake. The salted caramel sauce was a hit. ( it would be great on ice cream. I probably used 7 bananas total. Love the detailed recipe notes. This was very easy to make.
Sabine
Thank you so much for your feedback, Lori! I'm happy that you like it. And I agree with the caramel sauce as an ice cream topping.