Banana crumb cake is a deliciously tender banana cake with a crumble topping. Think of it as a banana bread coffee cake. It’s a huge crowd pleaser and one of my new favorite things to make when I have overripe bananas sitting out on my kitchen counter. I love any excuse to have cake for breakfast and in my mind, this is a delicious way to do so with a nice hot cup of coffee to accompany it!
Why you should make this banana crumb cake recipe:
Not only is this recipe the best way to use up ripe bananas, it’s also really easy to throw together. You only need one bowl and it makes enough to feed a crowd! The crumbly topping practically melts in your mouth and the moist banana cake is like banana bread on steroids! It has a hint of banana flavor and is one of the best breakfasts if you’re a banana fan like me!
What you’ll need for this perfect crumb cake:
For the banana cake:
- Melted butter: I use salted butter for most of my baking.
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Milk: I like using whole milk for cakes because it adds richness but any kind will work.
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
For the crumb mixture:
- Cold butter
- Brown sugar
- All-purpose flour
- Ground cinnamon
How to make this banana coffee cake recipe:
- Preheat your oven.
- Make the cake batter.
- Make the crumb topping.
- Prepare the baking pan and pour the cake batter in.
- Evenly top with the streusel topping.
- Bake according to instructions in the recipe card!
FAQ:
Sure! I love turning cake a ‘quick bread’ recipes into muffins. The only alternation that needs to be made is the bake time. For standard sized muffins, I would start checking them after 20 minutes in the oven. They shouldn’t take longer than 25 minutes to be fully cooked through.
Definitely! I like making this banana crumb cake for brunches and larger gatherings so the 9×13 pan size is great but you can also cut this recipe in half and bake in a 9×9 pan for the same results!
I leave my leftover crumb cake in the pan and cover tightly with foil. You can leave it at room temperature like this for 3-4 days.
I haven’t made a dairy free version of this recipe but I’m sure you could! I would just use dairy free butter or coconut oil in place of the butter in the cake and soy milk or another non-dairy milk as well. Instead of eggs, you can try making flax eggs or adding extra mashed banana in their place. For the crumb topping I would only use dairy free butter in place of the regular butter.
Top tips for baking banana crumb cake:
- Use ripe bananas! They add moisture and sweetness to the cake.
- Don’t over-mix the batter! If you do, it will be dense and dry!
- Use cold butter for the crumb layer. Using melted butter would make the topping spread out and flatten as it bakes.
- Spray or grease your pan! It’s not worth making a cake if you can’t get it out of the pan!
Banana Crumb Cake
Equipment
- 1 whisk
Ingredients
For the banana cake:
- 1/2 cup butter melted (1 stick)
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup whole milk
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tsp baking powder
- 4 overripe bananas peeled and mashed
For the crumb topping:
- 1/2 cup butter cold and cubed (1 stick)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
For the banana cake:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- Combine the wet ingredients for the banana cake batter in a large bowl.
- Add the flour and baking powder to the wet ingredients and mix to combine.
- Peel and mash the bananas. You can use the back of a fork or a potato masher to do this. Once mashed, add them to the cake batter. Mix until it reaches a smooth consistency.
For the crumb topping:
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, brown sugar and cinnamon. Mix to incorporate everything together.
- Cut the cold butter into cubes and add it to the dry mixture.
- Using your fingers, or a pastry cutter, mash and break apart the butter pieces. Work them into the sugar/flour mixture until the butter pieces are very small and the mixture almost resembles wet sand or moist crumbs.
To bake:
- Spray a 9×13 baking pan with non-stick cooking spray. Then pour the cake batter into the prepared pan.
- Sprinkle the crumb mixture on top of the cake batter. You want an even layer of crumbs over the cake.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes. Or until the center feels firm to touch and a toothpick or cake tester come out clean when inserted into the center.
- Let cool for at least 20 minutes before slicing.
Nutrition
**I am not a dietitian and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. The information in the nutrition box are calculated through a program and there is room for error. If you need an accurate count, I recommend running the ingredients through your favorite nutrition calculator.**
Pretty sure this will be my new favourite banana recipe! The best….
Thanks Elaine! It might be mine too!
Question bc this looks fabulous. Have you measured your 4 ripe bananas? Size is subjective 😊. sometimes I have medium sometimes a mix. sometimes I pull them from the freezer… Thanks in advance! Liz ~
Hi Liz! This recipe is super forgiving so as long as there’s around 2 cups of ripe mashed bananas in the batter, you’ll be good to go! I hope you try this recipe, it’s one of my favorites! 🙂
I cut the recipe in half and made in 9×9 pan. I used unsalted butter since the recipe didn’t specify salted or unsalted. The recipe definitely needs salt if using unsalted butter.