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!
My 10 year old son and I made this today and it was delicious! Thanks!
Hello from GA
Got a little question here.
Why margarine instead of butter?
I don’t know when I last had margarine in the house.
Use butter for everything.
BTW LOVE LOVE to read you posts and your recipes are so easy and GOOD!
Stay cool.
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.
LOL, I am so glad to hear it has been such a hit!!!
Hey Christy! I have this in the oven right now and my kitchen smells wonderful! Will let you know how it turns out. The only thing I changed was to use buttermilk instead of milk so hope that doesn’t mess it up. I love baking with buttermilk. I know there was some talk of not having enough topping mix for a 9×13 so I used 1 1/2 times the mix and it was plenty. Mine was really easy to more or less sprinkle it all over the top. I think a key is to make sure your butter is not to soft when you mix it with the flour and sugar. Thanks for all your encouraging posts, your positive attitude AND your fabulous recipes! I am making the apple dapple cake tomorrow.
I hope you liked it UmMa!!
It got a thumbs up from every one in Sunday School! It is a keeper and a repeat I am sure! Thanks!
So glad to hear it was a hit Chris!!!
This here recipe sounds and looks like a keeper! Thank you and be blessed in your new home. Did ya move closer to the Zaycon Foods puck up sight? Lol
Christy, I’d like to share my banana nut recipe with you to try. How can I send it to you?
Sonya in NWFLA. I always thought that if you used self rising flour, you didn’t need baking powder..maybe Christy will respond to your question or comment. I’d like to know too if my assumption is incorrect.
When my bananas start getting overripe, I throw them in a ziploc freezer bag and save them to make banana nut bread which I need to be doing today. I do not peel the bananas before putting them in the ziploc freezer bag..I freeze them in the peeling. When I got to use them, I peel them and it’s a messy experience but it works for me. Everybody loves my banana nut bread recipe. It is very moist because I use plain yogurt in it. I also wrap it in foil within 5 min. from removing it from the oven. It will stay moist till the last piece is eaten and you can’t just eat one slice of mine..it is addictive! Cut the recipe out of the Phoenix, Az newspaper about 20 years ago.