Banana Crumb Cake
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.
This banana crumb cake recipe is one I just randomly threw together and has since become all the rage at my house. I love crumb cakes, as they’re not too sweet, more filling than regular cake, and come with that delicious crumbly topping (you just can’t go wrong). Here are some more crumb cake recipes to check out after you fall in love with this banana crumb cake: cherry crumb cake from cake mix, apple crumble cake, and pumpkin crumb cake.
In my eternal quest to not waste food, I did this one up as a twist on the old tried and true banana bread as a way to use up those almost-too-ripe bananas. It has been a huge hit at my house and just about flies out of the pan the moment I remove it from the oven. My husband is completely over the moon when I make it now and Bradybug drives me bat-crazy wanting to know when it is going to be done baking. I’ve made it twice this week and it’s only Wednesday!
Fortunately, this banana bread crumb cake is so simple to make using baking essentials, like sugar, milk, self-rising flour, brown sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla. I bet you have most of these ingredients already at home, right? We’re just going to slowly combine the ingredients to make the cake batter, make the buttery crumb topping using brown sugar, butter, and flour, and add a layer of between the cake batter before baking. Oh yes, this banana crumb cake recipe features double the crumble because why not?
The combination of the crumble texture with the moist and tender banana-flavored cake is going to make you come back for more… and more, just like my family. Let’s get baking!
Recipe Ingredients
- Sugar
- Ripe bananas
- Milk
- Self-rising flour (see my FAQs on how to make your own)
- Light or dark brown sugar
- Unsalted butter
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
How to Make Banana Crumb Cake
Peel the bananas and add them to a mixing bowl.
I am using four bananas but you can use just three if you like. Now, most people mash their bananas up with a fork for this but we want our crumb cake to be positively infused with banana flavor so we’re gonna liquify these puppies!
Add granulated sugar to the mixing bowl and turn on the electric mixer for a few minutes, until the bananas turn to liquid.
It will look like this.
Place your softened butter in with the banana mixture and beat that up really well.
It’s important that your butter be softened at room temp for a bit before making this.
Now we’re going to toss everything else in there. This includes the flour and eggs…
Milk…
And vanilla.
Mix all of that up until well blended.
Spray two pans with cooking spray.
I am using square cake pans but you can use two loaf pans, a 9×13 baking dish to make a banana sheet cake, or whatever cranks your tractor.
Make the crumb topping
Back at the Duke’s place, Daisy was busy mixing up the crumb topping ingredients…
Place a cup of flour, a stick of butter, and a cup of brown sugar in a separate medium bowl.
You just take a long-tined fork or a and mix it all up together.
Here is your finished product.
Now at this point, it would be awesome if you added in some chopped pecans or walnuts.
I very seldom include nuts in my recipes because it adds a lot of expense and around these here parts, the sheriff (that’d be me) is a cheapskate.
Pour about 1/4 of your batter into each of your pans and top with 1/4 of your crumb mixture.
Top with the rest of your batter.
Then cover that with the rest of your crumbs.
Bake this at 350 until done.
How long it takes will depend on the type of pan you use but to check for doneness just insert a toothpick. If it comes out clean, you’re good to go. If it comes out covered in cake batter, let it cook a bit longer.
I baked my 8×8 cake pans for 45 minutes.
My son just about drove me crazy. “Mama, is the banana cake thing done yet? Can we eat it yet?”
“I’m starving having to smell it!”
It is awfully good.
Storage
- Store leftover banana coffee 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.
Recipe Notes
- If you have bananas going bad and don’t want to make banana bread right away, just peel them, smoosh them up with a fork, and freeze them in sealed baggies. Be sure you write on the bag how many smooshed bananas are inside. When you’re ready to make banana bread, let them thaw a bit and toss them in!
- If you like, top your banana crumb cake with a simple vanilla glaze. You can make this 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.
- If you’re a fellow fan of cinnamon, add 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the streusel topping. You can also add 1/2 teaspoon of ground nutmeg.
- For an extra moist cake, use buttermilk instead of whole milk.
- As mentioned, you can add nuts to the cake. I’d go for chopped walnuts or chopped pecans.
Check out these other recipes using flavorful fresh bananas:
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.
Nutrition
Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor in the morning the devil says “Oh crap, she’s up again”
Today’s quote was submitted just yesterday by Mary Jo. I’d just love for you to submit your motivational or uplifting quotes by clicking here. Thank you!
It’s in the oven right now. And I used a bundt cake pan. We’ll see how it turns out – but it’s already making the house smell delicious! Thank you for your recipes.
Thank you Ann!!! I hope you enjoy the cake!!!!
Hi I wanted something banana with a brown sugar topping. My daughter and and I loved it! Thanks so much!
I am so glad y’all liked it!!!
Thanks for such a great recipe. I made this yesterday and gave one loaf tom my daughter. I froze the other one for another time. Well, I should have given both loaves to her. It was gone in no time at all. This recipe is definitely a keeper.
I am so glad to hear it was a hit Ann!!
Thank you for this recipe! I usually hate anything with bananas baked in it. But love this cake…. it is so delicious! The banana flavor is very mild. I have made this cake multiple times with very ripe and not so ripe bananas and it always turns out delicious and moist. My son who will not eat bananas in any form loves this cake and asked me to make it. I have also frozen one of the 8×8 baked pan and it thaws out wonderfully. I also love the soft crumb topping, they are a perfect combination with the cake. Thank you for the perfect coffee cake recipe!
I am so glad to hear that it was a hit in your home Charlotte!!