BANANA BUNDT CAKE

Looking for the ultimate way to use overripe bananas? This moist Banana Bundt Cake recipe features a soft, buttery crumb and bold banana flavor. Discover why this easy, foolproof recipe has been a Pinterest favorite for over 15 years.

Edited to add (March26, 2026): I have been making this banana bundt cake recipe for over 15 years now. While mostly the same, I have updated the recipe with some key gram measurements and also noted any other changes I have made. I have also updated the recipe with troubleshooting tips. The images have also been updated (this time the cake baked in a bundt cake) but I have kept the original images as well as the one of the 2016 ones to remind myself of my journey over the years as a food photographer.  

Update (August 8, 2016): The pictures on this post were updated on August 8, 2016. The original post went live in July 2010 and was my first post when I started blogging. When I first made the cake I made it in bundt pan but I left my bundt cake pan back in India and haven’t bought a new one yet, so baked the batter in a bread pan this time. Shaped as a bundt cake or in a loaf shape this cake is absolutely delicious and moist. The recipe has been updated with a printable version. By the way, my love for cookbooks and the hoarding illness still lives in me!

---

What others on Pinterest have been saying about this Banana Bundt Cake recipe:

“Think of an elevated banana bread. Moist and light. The bananas shine through. Loved it!!!” – Gale

“I make it often and others have said it is the best banana cake they have eaten – a good recipe for left over bananas”- Cathy

“Best banana bread recipe! I have made this quite a few times and it is always a hit!”- Emily

“A light and fluffy banana cake. It’s not called best ever banana bundt cake for nothing!” -KT

 

---

BANANA BUNDT CAKE: FAQs and Tips

• How do I stop my Bundt cake from sticking to the pan?

The secret to a perfect “Bundt flip” is in how well you (pray to the baking gods) prep the plan . Thoroughly grease the pan with softened butter, ensuring you hit every single nook, cranny, and the center tube. Dust the greased surface with all-purpose flour (in case its a chocolate bundt cake then use cocoa powder). then tap the pan upside down to shake off the excess. Some people use a high-quality baking spray with flour included but for a DIY version  a homemade “cake goop” (a mix of equal parts flour, oil, and shortening) also does the trick. Just make sure that all parts of the intricate design are covered, and you will get a smooth removal of the cake from the pan.

• What should I do if my Bundt cake cracks or breaks?

It is important to be careful not to flip the cake when it’s warm, and ensure that you have properly greased and floured the pan before pouring in the batter and baking. But sometimes things can go wrong and its okay. Small cracks can be easily put back in while the cake is warm or covered with a little cream cheese frosting or even stuck together with it. If it completely falls apart, don’t waste it—layer the pieces with whipped cream or a cream cheese frosting, to create a stunning Banana Cake Trifle. Add some toasted walnuts, or even some salted caramel to the layers to elevate the trifle.

• Can I use frozen bananas for this Bundt cake?

Yes! Frozen bananas are actually excellent for baking because the freezing process breaks down the fibers, making them extra syrupy. Thaw them completely in a bowl first. Do not discard the liquid that pools in the bottom—that’s where the concentrated banana flavor lives! Mash the liquid and fruit together before adding them to your batter.

• What if my bananas aren’t ripe enough?

I saw this tip on the TV a while back and have only tried it once but it works. If you have yellow bananas but need that deep sweetness, you can flash-ripen them. Place unpeeled bananas on a baking sheet and bake at 150°C (300°F) for 15–20 minutes until the skins turn completely black. Let them cool, then squeeze the softened, sweetened fruit out of the peels.

• How can I quickly bring butter and eggs to room temperature?

  If you forgot to take your ingredients out of the fridge, don’t worry. To soften butter quickly, grate it using a cheese grader or place it under a warm, upturned glass for 10 minutes. For room-temperature eggs, simply place them in a bowl of warm (not hot!) water for 5–7 minutes. Using room-temperature ingredients ensures a much lighter, fluffier bundt cake texture.

• Help! My cake batter looks curdled or split—did I ruin it?

  Don’t worry, a curdled cake batter is very common and in this cake its not a big deal! This often happens when you add room-temperature eggs to creamed butter and sugar and this article on  Kingarthur.com gives a good explanation of why cake batters generally curdle. Even if your batter curdles, once you fold in your  flour and sour cream, the batter will emulsify and become perfectly smooth again. Trust the process!

• How do I know when my Banana Bundt is finished baking?

  Because banana batter is heavy and moist, the “toothpick test” is essential. Insert a long skewer into the thickest part of the cake; it should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. The edges should also begin to slightly pull away from the sides of the pan. In the recipe I have suggested to keep a check on the cake after 45 minutes. Depending on your oven, your cake can be fully baked in 50 minutes. In case its browning and not yet finished baking, cover the top with aluminium foil. Avoid over baking the cake, as that results in a dry cake.

• Why is my banana cake dense instead of fluffy?

  Over-mixing the batter is usually the culprit. Once you add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, fold them in gently until just combined. Over-mixing develops the gluten, which leads to a tough, bread-like texture rather than a soft, buttery cake crumb.

• How long should I wait before flipping the Bundt pan?

  Let the cake cool in the pan for exactly 10 to 15 minutes. If you flip too soon, the cake is too fragile and can break.

  ---

  Customizations & Substitutions

  Smart Ingredient Substitutions:

  • The Flour: You can swap up to 50% of the all-purpose flour for whole wheat flour for a heartier, nuttier crumb.

  • The Dairy: If you don’t have sour cream, Greek yogurt or thick hung curd works perfectly as a 1:1 substitute to keep the cake moist.

  • The Sugar: You can reduce the sugar by up to 25% without affecting the structure, or swap white sugar for brown sugar to get a deeper, caramelized flavor. Instead of the 2 cups sugar the original recipe calls for, I add 1.5 cups now.

  Delicious Additions & Variations:

  • Fold in ½ cup of toasted walnuts or pecans for a classic texture.

  • Add a handful of dark chocolate chips or a swirl of Nutella into the batter before baking.

  • While this cake is great plain, it’s elevated with a simple cinnamon glaze or a thick, tangy cream cheese frosting drizzled over the top once it’s completely cool.

 

---

 

Original Post:

For the past few months I have been on a cookbook collecting spree! For days, I researched on what books should be must-haves for any baker, made a list, logged into my Amazon account, checked the reviews of those books, added them to my cart, realized the list had become too long, decided to save the books for later, narrowed the list down, and then finally giving a sheepish grin to my DH (luckily, he is the kind who thinks spending on books is an investment :)), I ordered the books. One of the books I ordered, was “Baking- from my home to yours” by Dorie Greenspan. The book is a lovely treasure and so is Dorie. Her instructions are beautiful. I read the book like a kid reading a story book, flipping through the pages, marvelling at all the pictures (sheesh I’m such a baking nerd!), wishing I could be transported into a world filled with all the goodies in the book.

Now once you have a cookbook, it’s only fair to make something from it. My first attempt from the book was the Lemon Poppy Seed muffins. This was also my first attempt at baking in my new oven!  It was also the first time I was calling my girlfriends at home – actually the first time I was calling anybody to MY home (recently married you see, new house , new life! Exciting!) While I got rave reviews for the muffins, I was not too happy with the results – the oven temperature listed was a little too high for my oven and I personally felt that the muffins could have been more moist.

Not giving up on the book yet, though, since I had read a lot of great reviews for it, and well this is Dorie Greenspan I’m talking about- she taught Julia Child how to bake (well kind of!). So I decided to try another recipe.  For long I always wanted to bake a Bundt cake and now being the proud owner of a bundt pan, that’s where I thought I should head next. So, I checked the index and there it was the Classic Banana Bundt Cake recipe! Bananas- cool DH loves them- finally he will see that all that spending was worth it =)!  And it truly was! Moist with a nice flavour of banana, everybody loved the cake!

From the original post posted in 2010

CLASSIC BANANA BUNDT CAKE RECIPE

Kitchen Note: To get that perfect bundt shape, I recommend using a high-quality non-stick pan. You can find the exact Bundt cake pan I use here—it makes releasing these delicate cakes so much easier! I have also used this pan in the past with great results.

Tip: In his book “Classic Home Desserts” by Richard Sax, he mentions that in case one forgets to take the butter out of the fridge in advance, grating the cold butter into the mixing bowl will help it warm more quickly. Another trick that French pastry chefs use is to cut the butter into pieces and place it in a heatproof bowl. Then place the bowl on a stovetop burner over low heat, breaking it with a wooden spoon till it becomes warm, soft and creamy–but not melted. You will still see some solid pieces. When mixed with an electric mixer, it should soon become fluffy!