This banana coffee cake is the best of both worlds! It’s banana bread meets classic coffee cake, with a delicious, fluffy crumb and a sweet cinnamon streusel on top that everyone fights over. This is one of those reliable, crowd-pleasing recipes you’ll find yourself making again and again, whether it’s for a cozy weekend breakfast, an easy brunch, or a simple dessert that feels a little extra. Easy to make, impossible to resist, and perfect with a cup of coffee!
Be sure to try my applesauce coffee cake and sourdough discard coffee cake too! It's perfect all year round!
We LOVE coffee cake in my house! I love making coffee cakes like Bisquick blueberry coffee cake or apple pie coffee cake with cake mix too! But this coffee cake is made entirely from scratch and so easy to make! It's great with a cup of coffee or as a quick dessert for the family.
When it comes to bananas, we either love them or don't want to eat them, and then we end up with brown spotty bananas hanging out on the counter. This is a great place to use those overripe bananas if you aren't in the mood for banana bread. Though I do love making a self rising flour banana bread or a banana bread with Greek yogurt!
Jump to:
- What Is Banana Coffee Cake?
- Why You’ll Love This Banana Coffee Cake with Sour Cream
- Banana Cake Coffee Recipe Ingredients
- How To Make Banana Coffee Cake
- Banana Crumb Coffee Cake Variations & Substitutions
- Tips and Tricks for the Best Banana Coffee Cake
- The Perfect Bananas To Use in Baking
- Serving Suggestions for Banana Coffee Cake
- How to Store Banana Coffee Cake
- Moist Banana Coffee Cake Recipe FAQs
- More Coffee Cake Recipes
- 📖 Recipe
What Is Banana Coffee Cake?
Banana coffee cake is a soft, moist cake made with ripe bananas and a delicious crumb, typically topped with a buttery cinnamon streusel. Despite the name, it doesn’t contain coffee. It’s called “coffee cake” because it’s meant to be enjoyed with a cup of coffee or tea. This version uses sour cream to add richness and keep the cake extra moist, making it perfect for breakfast, brunch, or dessert.
Why You’ll Love This Banana Coffee Cake with Sour Cream
- Super moist and tender thanks to ripe bananas and sour cream.
- Perfect way to use up overripe bananas sitting on the counter.
- Classic cinnamon streusel topping adds just the right amount of sweetness and crunch.
- Simple pantry ingredients, no fancy steps or tools required.
- Great for any time of day! It’s a delicious breakfast, brunch, snack, or dessert
- Stays soft for days, making it perfect for make-ahead baking
Banana Cake Coffee Recipe Ingredients
You only need a few simple ingredients to make this delicious coffee cake!
- Bananas. Overripe bananas are best because they have lots of sweetness from being very ripe.
- Sour Cream. This helps keep the cake nice and moist. If you don't have sour cream, feel free to use Greek yogurt.
- Sugar. We are using both brown sugar and granulated sugar. It will be added to both the batter as well as the streusel topping.
- Melted butter. If you don't have melted butter, you can use avocado oil or coconut oil. The fat helps not dry out the batter.
Be sure to check out the printable recipe card for full recipe information on ingredients and quantities.
How To Make Banana Coffee Cake
Step 1: Preheat to 350°F and grease a 9x13 inch baking dish.
Step 2: In a large bowl, mash the bananas. Add granulated sugar, brown sugar, egg, melted butter, vanilla extract, and sour cream. Mix until smooth.
Step 3: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
Step 4: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Be careful not to overmix. There will be lumps left in the batter.
Step 5: Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and smooth the top.
Step 6: In a small bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cut in cold butter with a pastry cutter or fork until the mixture is crumbly.
Step 7: Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the batter. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool before slicing.
Banana Crumb Coffee Cake Variations & Substitutions
Add some mix ins! Add some chocolate chips into the batter, chop some nuts and add it to the streusel topping, or mix in your favorite ingredients to make this cake your own.
Lynn's Tip!
Top the banana coffee cake with powdered sugar or a simple icing by mixing together 1 cup of powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of milk. Add a splash of vanilla extract or cinnamon for extra flavor.
Tips and Tricks for the Best Banana Coffee Cake
- Make sure to cool the cake before slicing. A warm cake will be hard to keep together as you slice it. Patience is a virtue when it comes to making this cake!
- For even baking, place your cake in the center of the oven. This ensures the heat is evenly distributed and prevents the top from browning too quickly.
- A toothpick inserted into the center of the cake will tell you if the cake is done. Depending on your oven, it might take longer than 45 minutes to bake the cake fully.
The Perfect Bananas To Use in Baking
The ideal bananas for banana coffee cake and recipes like peanut butter banana oatmeal bars and 2 ingredient banana muffins are ones that are overripe, with plenty of brown spots on the skin or even brown. The more spotted and dark the bananas, the sweeter and more flavorful your coffee cake will turn out.
Bananas that are still green or firm haven’t fully developed their sweetness, and using them can lead to a less flavorful and the need for more sugar in the cake.
If your bananas aren’t ripe enough yet, you can speed up the process by placing them in a paper bag and loosely closing it. This traps the gas bananas emit, which speeds up the ripening. For an even quicker ripening process, add an apple to the bag!
Serving Suggestions for Banana Coffee Cake
- Serve slightly warm for a warm afternoon snack!
- Dust with powdered sugar or your favorite vanilla icing. Just drizzle it on top once the coffee cake cools slightly.
- Pair with hot coffee, lattes, or cappuccinos for a classic coffee cake moment
- Serve alongside fresh fruit like berries or sliced bananas for brunch or your favorite fruit salad.
- Add a dollop of whipped cream or Greek yogurt.
How to Store Banana Coffee Cake
You can store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, keep it in the fridge for up to a week.
This banana coffee cake freezes beautifully too! Wrap individual slices in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or microwave for a quick treat. Wait until the cake is thawed before icing the cake or sprinkling with powdered sugar.
Moist Banana Coffee Cake Recipe FAQs
Yes! Just defrost the bananas first and then drain any extra liquid that comes from the bananas.
There are a few reasons. Don't overmix the batter. Also, don't open the oven midway through the baking. If you do this, you might cause a dip in the middle. Also make sure to distribute the streusel on top evenly on top of the cake.
Simply add ½ cup of chopped pecans or chopped walnuts to the streusel topping.
Yes! Banana coffee cake is a great make-ahead recipe. You can bake it a day in advance and store it tightly covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate it for up to 4–5 days. For longer storage, wrap slices individually and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm slightly before serving for the best texture.
More Coffee Cake Recipes
📖 Recipe
How to Make Banana Coffee Cake
Ingredients
- 4 Bananas Very Ripe
- ½ cup Butter Melted
- ¼ cup Brown Sugar
- ¾ cup Sugar
- 1 Egg
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ¼ cup Sour Cream Full Fat
- 2 cups All Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon Salt
For the Streusel Topping
- ½ cup All Purpose Flour
- ½ cup Brown Sugar
- ½ teaspoon Cinnamon
- ¼ cup Butter Very cold
Instructions
- Preheat to 350°F and grease a 9x13 inch baking dish or line it with parchment paper. Set that aside.
- In a large bowl, mash the bananas. Add granulated sugar, brown sugar, egg, melted butter, vanilla extract, and sour cream. Mix until smooth.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Be careful not to overmix. There will be lumps left in the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish.
- In a small bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cut in cold butter with a pastry cutter or fork until the mixture is crumbly.
- Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the batter. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool before cutting into the cake.
Notes
- If it's easier, you can mix all of the ingredients together in a stand mixer to make quick work of mixing the batter.
- Line your baking pan with parchment paper to make it easier to lift the coffee cake out of the pan.
- Top the coffee cake with a sprinkle of powdered sugar or a drizzle of icing. Make a quick icing by mixing together 1 cup of powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon of milk, and a splash of vanilla extract.
Ramona says
This was a major hit with my family! They also asked for the recipe. I used Lynn's tips, the banana coffee cake recipe was easy to follow and replicate. Very delicious!