Paula Deen Banana Nut Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

Paula Deen banana nut cake with cream cheese frosting is a three-layer Southern dessert made with ripe bananas, pecans and cream cheese, ready in 1 hour 50 minutes. It's an easy banana cake for potlucks, church suppers or holiday tables, and it comes together in one bowl with no mixer for the batter.

Stir the batter just until the dry ingredients are moistened, because beating it develops the flour and turns the layers tough. Overmix and you lose the soft, tender crumb that makes banana cake worth baking.

Paula bakes the batter in three 9-inch pans instead of one tall cake, so the layers cook through in under 30 minutes. The frosting recipe makes just enough for a naked cake, and she says to multiply it by 1.5 if you want the sides covered.

Paula Deen Banana Nut Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: DessertCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Easy

Servings

15

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

28

minutes

Calories

520

kcal

Mashed bananas and pecans make a moist, tender crumb that bakes up in three thin layers. Fluffy cream cheese frosting between them keeps every slice tangy and soft.

Ingredients

• 3 cups all purpose flour , plus more for pans
  

• 2 cups sugar
  

• 1 teaspoon baking soda
  

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  

• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  

• 3 beaten eggs
  

• 3/4 cup Vegetable oil
  

• 4 large ripe bananas , mashed
  

• 1 cup pecans , chopped
  

• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  

• Butter for greasing pan, at room temperature
  

• Frosting:
  

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  

• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese , at room temperature
  

• 1 cup Butter , at room temperature
  

• 1 pound confectioner's sugar , sifted
  

• 1/2 cup pecans , chopped
  

Directions

• Prep the pans: Butter and flour 3 (9-inch) round cake pans, then set them aside. Preheat the oven to 350°F so it is ready when the batter is.
• Mix the dry ingredients: Stir together 3 cups all purpose flour, 2 cups sugar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a mixing bowl. Make sure the soda and cinnamon are spread evenly, since they won't get another mix later.
• Add the wet ingredients: Add the 3 beaten eggs and 3/4 cup vegetable oil, then stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened. Do not beat it, because overworking the batter makes the cake tough.
• Fold in bananas and pecans: Stir in the 4 mashed bananas, 1 cup chopped pecans and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract. The batter will be thick and chunky, which is exactly how it should look.
• Bake the layers: Divide the batter among the prepared pans and bake for 23 to 28 minutes. The layers are done when a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Cool the cakes: Cool the layers in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a rack to cool completely. While they cool, make the frosting.
• Make the frosting: Blend 1 package cream cheese and 1 cup butter in a bowl, then gradually add 1 pound sifted confectioner's sugar. Beat until light and fluffy, then beat in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
• Add the pecans: Stir in 1/2 cup chopped pecans, or save them to sprinkle over the finished cake. Either way works, though the sprinkled version looks nicer on a cake stand.
• Fill and frost: Fill and frost the cake only when the layers are completely cool. Warm cake melts the frosting and slides right off.

Tools for this recipe

• Fat Daddio's 9-inch round cake pans, set of 2, KitchenAid 5-speed hand mixer, Checkered Chef cooling racks, Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon vanilla extract, 8 oz. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use frozen bananas for this cake?

Yes, as long as they are fully thawed first. Drain off any extra liquid before mashing, because too much water can make the layers gummy.

How do I store banana nut cake with cream cheese frosting?

Because of the cream cheese, keep the frosted cake covered in the fridge. Let slices sit out for a bit before serving so the frosting softens and the cake tastes its best.

Can I bake this in a 9x13 pan instead of three round pans?

The recipe is written for three 9-inch rounds, so a 9x13 would need a different baking time that I wouldn't guess at. Watch it closely and use the wooden pick test to know when it's done.

Can I make the layers ahead of time?

You can bake and cool the layers a day ahead and wrap them well. Frost them once they're completely cool, since the frosting is what needs the cool cake.

What's the most common mistake with this cake?

Overmixing the batter is the big one, since the recipe says to stir just until moistened and not to beat it. The second is frosting a cake that is still warm.