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Banana Coffee Cake

Banana Coffee Cake

This banana coffee cake proves that a few overripe bananas and a buttery streusel can turn into a genuinely impressive breakfast bake with almost no effort. This banana coffee cake recipe layers a cinnamon pecan streusel over a tender, buttermilk-enriched crumb, delivering everything a proper banana crumb cake should taste like. Whether served at Sunday brunch or sliced for a quiet weekday morning, this moist banana coffee cake earns a permanent spot in the regular rotation.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Servings: 9 servings
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 552
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar (firmly packed)
  • ⅓ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • ⅓ cup chopped pecans or walnuts (optional)
  • 6 Tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)
  • ⅓ cup mini chocolate chips (optional )
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened)
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup light brown sugar (firmly packed )
  • 2 large eggs (lightly beaten (room temperature preferred))
  • 1 cup mashed overripe banana ((about 2-3 bananas for me))
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup buttermilk

Equipment

  • 9x9 baking pan
  • Mixing bowls
  • A sturdy fork

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350F and lightly grease a 9x9 baking pan with baking spray (or grease and flour, or line with parchment paper). Set aside and prepare streusel.
  2. Whisk together flour, sugars, cinnamon, salt, and nuts.
  3. Drizzle melted butter over mixture and use a fork to claw together until you have a clumpy streusel. Measure out chocolate chips and set aside along with streusel for later.
  4. Combine butter and sugars in a large mixing bowl and use an electric mixer or stand mixer to beat until well creamed.
  5. Add eggs and beat until well-combined. Stir in mashed banana and vanilla extract.
  6. In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
  7. Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet and use a spatula to gently fold together until nearly combined. Add buttermilk, stir until nearly combined, then add remaining flour mixture and stir until just combined.
  8. Spread the batter evenly into prepared pan. Top batter with the streusel mixture in an even layer and sprinkle mini chocolate chips overtop, if using.
  9. Transfer to center rack of oven and bake for 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool before slicing and serving.

Recipe Notes

Bananas: I only use overripe, very black bananas.
Buttermilk: I use real buttermilk or a vinegar and milk substitute.
Butter: I keep this cold for the streusel, softened for the batter.
Cooling: I let the cake cool a full hour before slicing.
Storage: I keep this in an airtight container to protect the streusel topping.