This Banana Poppy Seed Cake with Vanilla Bean Frosting is a moist one bowl banana snack cake that pleases everybody, from the pretty crunch of the poppy seeds to the creamy vanilla buttercream, it’s a joy to make, and eat!
That handful of everyday ingredients pulls together to make a really special cake…I’m not sure if it’s the extra ripe bananas, the poppy seeds, the sour cream in the batter, or that frosting with a virtual galaxy of vanilla bean specs. But in the end, does it really matter? This cake is perfect, that’s all we need to care about, right?
Vanilla beans are expensive, but you can also use vanilla bean paste, which is one of my favorite new discoveries. It gives you that same flavor and beautiful specs at a much lower cost. The heavy vanilla presence in this frosting really makes a difference, and extract just doesn’t cut it.
Of course you could double the recipe and made a grand layer cake, but I like it this way, it’s more approachable, more snackable. And I could never eat a layer cake for breakfast 😉
I know this is going to become your favorite…
‘Nuf said.
In case you haven’t noticed, I’ve got more great banana cakes on the blog~
-
BANANA CAKE WITH SPICED VANILLA BUTTERCREAM
-
BANANA CAKE WITH NUTELLA BUTTERCREAM
-
BANANA WALNUT CAKE WITH MOCHA BUTTERCREAM
-
BANANA WALNUT CAKE WITH CARAMEL FROSTING
Banana Poppy Seed Cake with Vanilla Bean Frosting
Ingredients
the cake
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 large egg
- 2 ripe bananas, mashed
- 1/2 cup poppy seeds
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
the vanilla bean frosting
- 3 to 4 ounces of cream cheese, at room temperature (about half the 8 oz package)
- 2 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
- the seeds from 1 vanilla bean
- 2 cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
- milk or cream for thinning the icing
- a squeeze of fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Set oven to 350F
- Cream the butter, sugar and sour cream together. Beat in the egg, bananas and vanilla. (Make sure the bananas are completely mashed smooth first)
- Sift the flour, salt and baking soda into the wet mixture. Mix together just until thoroughly combined. Fold in the poppy seeds.
- Spread the batter into a greased 8x8 square baking pan. I lined mine parchment paper (or foil) so I could remove it easily for a neater presentation and cutting.
- Bake for about 25 minutes until a toothpick just comes out clean.
- Cool before frosting.
- To make the frosting--- mix everything together until you have a thick, creamy, spreadable consistency. Taste to adjust your lemon juice.
- Heap onto the completely cooled banana cake and swirl it around thickly.
Don’t forget to pin this Banana Poppy Seed Cake with Vanilla Buttercream
First it was your chewy ginger cookies, now it’s your banana poppy seed cake. We love the View from Great Island!
PS. Made a double batch of the cake for tomorrow’s Super Bowl party. I’m sure it will be a great hit.
Haha, I’m grinning! Thanks Edith <3
I paleo-fied this and it is so good. I just love the banana poppy seed combo. I posted about it on my blog, if you have a chance to check it out. I would appreciate it!
Thanks Joanna, I will. I agree the combo is such a good one 🙂
Can you bake this in a loaf pan? And if so would it be the same temp and time?
You can convert it to a loaf pan, baking at the same temperature, but the loaf pan should take a little longer because it will be deeper.
I have never used vanilla bean paste, about how much would you use in this recipe?
I use it interchangeably with the extract, so in the same amount. If you love vanilla you will go crazy for the paste, Terry!
Hi Sue ! I made muffins today and my husband said they are delicious ! I am wondering what the best way is to store muffins and all baked goods. I am not a fan of plastic. Have a beautiful Sunday !
That’s a great question and one I’m always struggling with ~ I hate it when my baked goods get soggy or lose their beautiful texture after being stored. I usually loosely cover them in foil. If you have a glass cake dome that can work too.
Delicious cake! I only used half the amount of poppy seeds (1/4 cup) which was plenty! And I had a ton of icing leftover so now o need to make another cake!
Everybody has their own special poppy seed limit, I love to go overboard with them, but 1/4 cup is plenty to get the effect, for sure! Glad you liked it Lisa.
Hi! I made these as muffins and they were awesome. I cut the sugar in half, and no frosting. And I was out of eggs so used applesauce. What a great recipe, thanks!
That’s great to know Michelle, I didn’t realize this recipe was so versatile, love the appleasuce idea! I think I’d keep the frosting, though 😉
Can’t make this anymore! So horrible for my diet! Ate the entire thing 🙂
5 stars in my eyes. So moist n yummy. Really glad i tried this recipe. TY
🙂 I was just thinking about doing this recipe again and re-posting it as part of my Vintage View series ~
This is delectable Sue. I like old fashioned cakes – i find them homely and wonderful!
Me too, Tina!