Banana Delight Cake
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links.If you make a purchase through links on our site, we may earn a commission.
Banana Delight Cake is a delicious banana layer cake that is topped with a rich banana nut frosting. Yes, there are real bananas in both the cake and the frosting. You are going to love this fluffy banana cake and the unique frosting.
Banana Delight Cake is surprisingly light and fluffy.
And this banana nut frosting is out of this world.
It’s a fantastic departure from the traditional cream cheese frosting that people often put on banana nut cake.
This recipe is from my grandmother Evelyn’s recipe drawer and it is so good.
I’m sharing all the keys to success so that you can make this fantastic Banana Delight Cake for your family.
Key to Success #1 – Use Very Ripe Bananas
One of the key ingredients of a banana cake is plenty of bananas. RIPE bananas.
This Banana Delight Cake recipe calls for 1 1/4 cups of ripe bananas for the cake and a 1/2 cup of bananas for the banana nut frosting.
You will need about 3-5 bananas for the cake and 1-2 bananas for the frosting.
Mash the bananas right when you need them and not before.
When you’re mixing up the cake batter, mash the bananas for the cake.
Do not mash up the bananas for the frosting until you are ready to make the frosting.
This will ensure that your bananas don’t turn black.
Your bananas should be very, very ripe.
The riper your bananas, the more flavorful your cake will be.
I like to use bananas that are heavily spotted and starting to get soft.
Mash up three bananas then put the mash into a glass measuring cup.
If it’s not 1 1/4 cups of bananas then mash up another banana and add it.
Measure the bananas carefully.
You don’t want to add more than 1 1/4 cups of bananas or your cake will not turn out as tender.
If your bananas are not ripe yet, you can speed up the ripening process by placing your bananas into a paper bag overnight.
This will help the bananas soften and sweeten up a bit.
Be sure to mash your bananas well before incorporating them into your batter.
Key to Success #2 – Use Shortening, Not Butter
One of the secrets to making soft and light cakes is using shortening instead of butter in the recipe for the cake batter.
The shortening traps more air bubbles and has a higher melting point than butter.
This results in a cake that rises a little higher and results in a light and fluffy cake.
I use the Crisco sticks that you can find in many grocery stores because it is easy to measure.
You can also use the solid Crisco shortening that comes in a can.
Shortening can often be found in the baking aisle of your grocery store.
For the cake batter, you will need 2/3 cup of shortening.
For the frosting, you will use real butter and not shortening.
Key to Success #3 – Make the Banana Nut Frosting
Many people traditionally go for a thick and tangy cream cheese frosting to top a banana cake.
And we have a recipe for a delicious Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting.
But today we’re sharing a banana cake that is topped with a thick banana nut frosting.
We’re adding real mashed banana right into the frosting.
We’ll put a little lemon juice on the bananas to keep them from turning brown.
Even though this frosting contains real bananas, it lasts for up to a week without the bananas turning brown.
When your banana frosting is a spreadable consistency, stir in the toasted coconut and chopped pecans.
To toast the coconut, spread the coconut on a baking sheet then bake in a 350 degree F oven for about 10 minutes.
You can also toast the coconut in a skillet on the stovetop.
Either way, be sure to stir the coconut often then allow it to cool completely before adding it to the frosting.
Save this Banana Delight Cake recipe to your favorite Banana Recipes board or your Cakes board.
Banana Delight Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake
- ⅔ cup shortening
- 1 ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup buttermilk
- 1 ¼ cup ripe bananas, mashed
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ¼ tsp baking powder
- 1 ¼ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 2 eggs
For the Banana Nut Frosting
- ⅓ cup butter
- ½ cup mashed banana
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 2 lbs powdered sugar
- 1 cup toasted coconut
- ⅔ cup chopped pecans
- 1-2 Tbsp milk
- pinch salt
- yellow food coloring, optional
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round cake pans. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together shortening and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add in buttermilk and mashed bananas. Beat at low speed for 1 minute.
- Add salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon. Add flour a cup at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Add in eggs and beat at low speed for 1 minute.
- Divide cake batter between prepared pans.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool cake completely.
- To make the Banana Nut Frosting, cream the butter well. Add sugar, bananas, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Blend well. Mix in powdered sugar a little at a time. Add milk as needed to get a spreadable consistency. Add a couple drops of yellow food coloring to make the icing more attractive, if desired. Mix well. Fold in toasted coconut and pecans.
Notes
- 2 cups milk + 2 Tbsp white vinegar + Let sit for 5 minutes
- 2 cups milk + 2 Tbsp lemon juice + Let sit for 5 minutes
- 2 cups water + 6 Tbsp dry buttermilk mix (add buttermilk mix with dry ingredients instead of mixing with water separately)
Equipment
Nutrition Facts
⭐ Leave a comment and rating below — it helps other readers!
👩🍳 Did you make any changes or substitutions?
I’d love to hear how it turned out in your kitchen.
📌 Save this recipe so you can make it again.
📧 Want more easy family dinners like this in your inbox?
Join my free Dinner Idea Box newsletter for simple family dinners every week.
Handpicked Recipe Favorites From My Kitchen, Just For You!
Handpicked Recipe Favorites from My Kitchen, Just for You!
Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Paula Deen’s Loaded Banana Bread
Creamy Dreamy Banana Cream Pie
Banana Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Hi
Where is this recipe from? It looks really good.. did you get from a book?
Thanks!
Beth
Hi, my grandmother had a recipe drawer and this was one of the hundreds of recipes shoved in there on newspaper clippings and scraps of paper. That’s where it came from!
I followed this recipe exact- except for i made 24 cupcakes! They turned out absolutely delicious & fluffy! Wonderful banana recipe, thanku!!