Sourdough Banana Cake

Sourdough banana bread is good, but have you ever had sourdough banana cake? It’s fluffy, moist, filled with banana goodness, and topped with a velvety cream cheese frosting.

I do like banana bread, but I will always be team banana cake. This sourdough banana cake is moist, tender, and filled with flavor from the overly ripe bananas. It has everything you love about sourdough banana bread, yet it has the light tender crumb of cake. It is also topped with a rich and creamy frosting that will keep you coming back for more!

This recipe is perfect for using up extra sourdough discard. If you’re not sure what sourdough discard is, check out my How to Make a Sourdough Starter post to learn all about sourdough starter and sourdough discard. If you are already familiar with sourdough and just starting your fermented journey, take a look at my Beginners Sourdough: A Guide and Recipe.

Ingredients

The Cake:

Butter – Butter is needed in cake recipes to give it its light tender crumb.

Sugar – Sugar adds some sweetness to the cake. I like to use raw organic cane sugar when baking.

Vanilla – Choose real vanilla over imitation to ensure the best flavor and cleanest ingredients.

Eggs – Eggs give moist cakes like this one body and structure.

Sourdough Starter – Sourdough discard in this recipe adds a touch of fermented goodness.

Milk – I like to use whole fat raw milk when baking, but any milk will work in this recipe.

Bananas – Use extra ripe bananas in this cake to give it the most flavor!

Salt – Using salt in cake helps to enhance the flavor. I like to use sea salt and celtic salt in most of my baking.

Baking Powder – Baking powder is the leavening agent in this recipe. It is what makes your cake rise during bake.

Flour – Flour is the heart and soul of any great cake! I used unbleached organic all-purpose flour to make this sourdough banana cake.

The Frosting

Butter – When making frosting, use room temperature butter. To check if your butter is soft enough press your finger into it. If you can push through it without resistance it is ready.

Cream Cheese – Cream cheese frosting pairs nicely with this sourdough banana cake.

Powdered Sugar – Powdered sugar is necessary for any frosting recipe. Sift the powdered sugar to ensure your frosting is lump free.

Vanilla – Vanilla adds a nice depth to the flavor of the cream cheese frosting.

How to Make Sourdough Banana Cake

Step 1: Mix the Banana Cake Batter

Add the milk and banana to a blender. Use the pulse setting until it is smooth, then set aside. Blending the banana will ensure it is evenly distributed throughout the batter and give your final cake a very consistent texture.

In a mixing bowl, cream together the room temperature butter and sugar with an electric mixer. The butter is soft enough when you can push your finger through it without any resistance.

Mix the sourdough starter and eggs into your creamed butter mixture. Then add the banana milk mixture and stir until fully combined.

In a separate bowl whisk together the salt, baking powder, and flour. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until you have a smooth lump free batter.

Step 2: Bake the Cake

Preheat your oven to 350°F(180°C) and lightly grease a 9″x13″ cake pan. Pour the prepared batter into the pan and spread it evenly.

Bake the cake on the center rack of your oven for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Step 3: Frost and Serve

After baking cover the cake and allow it to cool until it is no longer warm to the touch.

While the cake cools make the frosting. Combine the room temperature butter, softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a mixing bowl until your frosting is smooth and lump free.

When the cake is fully cooled frost it, top with banana slices, and serve!

How to Store Sourdough Banana Cake

Since this sourdough banana cake has cream cheese frosting any leftovers should be refrigerated. Place your leftover cake in an air tight container and keep it in the refrigerator for up to a week. When you plan to eat the leftovers you can remove the cake from the fridge two hours before serving and let it come back to room temperature.

More Sourdough Discard Recipes

• Sourdough Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Sourdough Banana Pancakes
• Sourdough Irish Apple Cake
• Sourdough Sugar Cookies