Banana Crumb Cake
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
This banana crumb cake includes a moist and tender banana cake made from scratch and topped with a buttery brown sugar crumb topping that will have you coming back for more.
There’s nothing quite like the aroma of freshly baked Banana Crumb Cake wafting through your kitchen. This cake is the perfect blend of soft, moist banana flavor with a buttery, crumbly topping that adds just the right amount of sweetness and texture. Whether you’re looking for a cozy treat with your morning coffee or a dessert to impress friends and family, this recipe is sure to deliver.
Made with ripe bananas, this cake boasts a naturally sweet flavor, perfectly complemented by layers of rich brown sugar crumb topping. The use of self-rising flour gives the cake a lighter texture, and if you don’t have any on hand, don’t worry—I’ve got an easy guide in the notes for making your own with pantry staples. Paired with the creaminess of unsalted butter and the warmth of vanilla extract, each bite melts in your mouth.
Best of all, this Banana Crumb Cake is incredibly simple to whip up. With just a few basic ingredients—bananas, butter, sugar, and eggs—you’ll have a bakery-quality treat in no time. Whether you opt for light or dark brown sugar in your crumb topping, both will create a rich caramelized flavor that complements the banana base perfectly. Enjoy it warm from the oven, and it’s bound to become a household favorite!
What You’ll Need to make Banana Crumb Cake
Ingredients
- sugar
- ripe bananas
- milk
- self-rising flour
- light or dark brown sugar
- unsalted butter
- eggs
- vanilla extract
How to Make Banana Crumb Cake
To start this unbelievable Banana Crumb Cake, peel the bananas and add them to a mixing bowl.
Mash bananas slightly and add granulated sugar to the mixing bowl and blend with an electric mixer until the bananas are liquified.
Add softened butter to the banana mixture and beat well.
Add flour, eggs, milk, and vanilla extract and blend well.
Spray two 8 x 8 pans with cooking spray.
Make the crumb topping by adding a cup of flour, a stick of butter, and a cup of brown sugar to a separate medium bowl.
Cut in the butter using a long-tined fork or a
Add chopped walnuts and stir together with a fork.
Pour 1/4 of the batter into each prepared pan to create each bottom cake layer.
Top each batter layer with 1/4 of the crumb mixture.
Divide the remaining batter and crumb topping in half and top each cake with a batter layer and a crumb layer.
Bake at 350 for about 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
Store leftover Banana Crumb Cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. You can also freeze leftovers for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Notes for making Banana Crumb Cake
- Whenever you have bananas going brown, place in a plastic baggie and mash. Write on the baggie how many bananas are in each bag. If you want to simplify baking Banana Crumb Cake – add three to a bag! When you are ready to bake, thaw before using.
- For an even more indulgent cake, top your banana crumb cake with a simple vanilla glaze. Make by combining 1 cup of powdered sugar with 1–2 tablespoons of milk and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and drizzling it over the cooled cake.
- Adding spices create a further dimension and depth of flavor: add 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon and/or 1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg to the streusel topping.
- For an extra moist cake, use buttermilk instead of whole milk.
- To make your own self-rising flour, simply add 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt for EACH cup of all-purpose flour.
- To soften cold butter, microwave one cube of butter in wrapper for approx 1 minute 30 seconds at 20% power. You may need more or less time depending on your microwave. It can take up to 4 minutes to soften. Be careful not to melt the butter! Microwaving at such low power gives you the best control.
More Recipes You’ll Love Using Bananas:
- Healthy Banana Pancakes
- How To Make Banana Bread
- Gluten-Free Banana Nut Muffins
- Bananas in Red Stuff (a.k.a Strawberry Glaze)
- Caramel Banana Pie (a.k.a Easy Banoffee Pie)
- How To Make Homemade Banana Pudding From Scratch
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup chopped nuts, optional
- 2 cups self-rising flour
- 1 stick butter
- 2 eggs
- 3 bananas
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Crumb Topping
- 1 stick butter
- 1 cup dark or light brown sugar
- 1 cup flour
Instructions
- Spray two loaf pans or 8×8 pans with cooking spray.
- Place peeled bananas in a mixing bowl and add sugar. Mix until bananas are liquefied.3 bananas, 2 cups granulated sugar
- Add butter and mix until creamed together with the banana mixture.1 stick butter
- Add all other ingredients and blend well.1 cup milk, 1 cup chopped nuts, optional, 2 cups self-rising flour, 2 eggs, 1 tsp vanilla extract
- In a medium bowl, place all of the topping ingredients. Cut together with a long-tined fork until well blended.1 stick butter, 1 cup dark or light brown sugar, 1 cup flour
- Pour 1/4 of the cake batter into each pan and top with 1/4 of the crumb mixture.
- Pour in the remaining batter and top with the remaining crumb mixture.
- Bake for 45 minutes to an hour at 350. The cake is done when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
I found your blog on google and read a few of your other posts. I just added you to my Google News Reader. Keep up the good work Look forward to reading more from you in the future.
Good Day — I am still hooked on your site. You offer so much of your sweetness and kindness — thanks so much — o how I would love to be your helper. I love the name “bountiful” and no wonder I live an hour away from the city of “Bountiful, Utah.” O one more thing my grandkids loved the Valentines video and we did the project to. Of you have time drop on in and read the post I left a link to you too! Kristeen from The Gouh Inn. You are super woman!
Hi Christy,
I would like to bake this lovely looking banana crumb cake. Could you please tell me how many cups the 3 bananas give?
This recipe looks like a winner! Can’t wait to try it!
Hi, Christy! I just made this Banana Crumb Cake this morning. Perhaps it it too hot & humid here in “ol’ Virginny” today ’cause I could not get my crumb topping to “crumb”!! I finally gave up (it was sticky & in a “blob”), so I had to pinch it off in little “globs” & drop onto the batter. I used two loaf pans & they just came out of the oven, looking BEAUTIFUL!! Smells divine, too!! Also, I realized when I was gathering up the ingredients that I had very little milk, BUT I did have some leftover fat-free HALF & HALF so used that instead! Can hardly wait to sneak a bite before hubby comes in!!!
Does it freeze well? I would like to keep the 2nd one for guests who will be coming in this weekend. Thanks so much!!
I made this and it is wonderful!!!! My only question would be how do i store this without the crumb topping becoming mushy. I made this is in a 9 by 13 pan yesterday and today the topping is not crunchy like it was yesterday- not that it makes it taste bad, just i prefer the crunchy way, any storage suggestions?
In a 9 by 13 i cooked for 1 hours (in reply to the poster a few posts above me) … but it can cook for maybe 1 hour and 10 min also, just depends on the consistency you want. Mine is really soft and moist.
Christy, my mother made this cake for my husband’s birthday last weekend and it was phenomenal!! Actually, she made one for herself first and knew he would love it so she then made it for his birthday (at the same time she made another one for her and my brother). We all love it so much and are already asking her when she’s going to make another one. I’m suggesting once a month, lol.
Christy
I made the Banana Crumb Cake this week, it was a hit! Thanks for a great recipe.