Brown Sugar Banana Sheet Cake

Brown sugar banana sheet cake topped with swirls of perfect chocolate buttercream frosting is your new favorite dessert!

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The soft and moist banana sheet cake is flavored with the caramel notes of brown sugar, a hint of cinnamon, and vanilla. Topped with silky smooth chocolate frosting, you’ll love this easy, effortless sheet cake.

The Best Brown Sugar Banana Sheet Cake

Room Temperature Ingredients – Room temperature butter, eggs, and buttermilk ensure a perfectly moist sheet cake!

Brown Sugar – Light brown sugar adds delicious caramel notes to this cake. You can also use dark brown sugar – if you opt for dark brown sugar, the cake will bake up slightly darker with a more intense flavor from the additional molasses.

Bananas – My favorite bananas for baking are ripe and speckled (not blackened). For this recipe, you’ll use 1 cup mashed ripe banana. This is usually about 2 large bananas, or 3 smaller bananas. Place the ripe bananas in a bowl and mash with the back of a fork or potato masher until completely mashed.

Bake Time – Bake cake for 28 to 30 minutes, until the top springs back to the touch, the edges are pulling away from the pan, and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached.

Perfect Chocolate Buttercream – Beat room temperature butter and salt together until softened and combined. Gradually add sifted cocoa to the mixer bowl, beating until incorporated. Mix in vanilla, then add powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, alternating with 1 tablespoon of heavy cream. Use a spatula to scrape down the bowl as needed. Add remaining 2 tablespoons of heavy cream and mix on low speed until combined, then beat on medium speed for 1 to 2 minutes, until frosting is light and airy.

Frosting Variation – This cake is also delicious with swirls of Nutella frosting!

Frost Cake – Use an offset spatula to swirl chocolate buttercream over the cake. If desired, sprinkle flaky sea salt or sprinkles over the frosting. Chill the frosted cake for 20 minutes before slicing into squares with a sharp knife.

Brown Sugar Banana Sheet Cake

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• Author: Laura Kasavan
• Prep Time: 35 minutes
• Cook Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 12 to 15 servings
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Bake
• Cuisine: American

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Description

The BEST brown sugar banana sheet cake! Flavored with brown sugar and banana, this tender sheet cake is topped with swirls of chocolate frosting.

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Ingredients

Cake

• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 10 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup mashed ripe banana
• 3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk, at room temperature

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa, sifted
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 5 Tbsp heavy cream

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 13 x 9-inch baking pan with nonstick spray. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl.
2. Beat butter and sugars in a large mixer bowl on medium speed until soft and creamy; beat in vanilla. Add eggs one at a time and beat until combined. Combine banana and buttermilk in a small bowl. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with banana mixture (begin and end with flour mixture).
3. Spoon batter into prepared baking pan and smooth with an offset spatula; tap pan sharply to reduce air bubbles.
4. Bake for 28 to 30 minutes, until cake springs back to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached. Let cake cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
5. For the frosting, beat butter and salt in a large mixer bowl on medium speed until combined. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add sifted cocoa, beating until incorporated. Mix in vanilla. Add powered sugar 1 cup at a time, alternating with 1 tablespoon of heavy cream. Scrape down the bowl as needed. Add remaining 2 tablespoons of heavy cream and mix on low speed until combined, then beat on medium speed for 1 minute, until light and airy.
6. Dollop frosting over cooled cake and swirl with an offset spatula. Chill cake for 20 minutes in the refrigerator before slicing.

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Notes

This cake is also delicious with swirls of Nutella frosting.

More sheet cake recipes to try:

Dark Chocolate Sheet Cake
Pumpkin Caramel Sheet Cake
Gingerbread Sheet Cake
Citrus Vanilla Sheet Cake