Banana Bundt Cake with Vanilla Glaze

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Banana Bundt Cake is what happens when banana bread puts on real clothes and shows up to the party. Same cozy banana flavor, but softer, richer, and finished with a simple vanilla glaze that makes it look like you really had your life together that day.

I have made a lot of bundt cakes over the years. Snickerdoodle, chocolate, vanilla, lemon, red velvet, chocolate chip. Bundt cakes are basically my love language. This moist banana bundt cake follows the same formula that makes all of them work: good ingredients, a properly greased pan, and not overmixing the batter. If you can do those three things, you are going to end up with a beautiful cake.

Sour cream keeps the crumb tender without making it heavy, and the mix of white sugar and brown sugar gives it a little depth that plain banana cake recipes sometimes miss. It is simple enough for every day, but pretty enough for a potluck. This banana cake with glaze is the kind of recipe you make once and then just keep making.

Step-by-step photos and instructions are below. Jump to the recipe card if you wish!

A sliced bundt cake with white icing sits on a plate, with bananas and a decorative plant in the background.

Why you’ll love this

This Banana Bundt Cake is the cozy middle ground between banana bread and dessert cake. It has plenty of banana flavor, a soft crumb, and a simple glaze that makes it feel a little fancy without needing a layer cake skill set. It is the kind of cake that works for brunch, dessert, or that very valid 3 p.m. coffee situation.

Soft. Sour cream and mashed banana keep the cake tender.
Simple. No layering, filling, or fussy decorating.
Great for sharing. A bundt cake slices beautifully and looks like you put in way more effort than you actually did. That is always a win.

How ripe should the bananas be?

Soft, brown-spotted, and a little past the point where you would eat them as a snack. Those are the ones with the best flavor for baking.

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Step-by-step photos and tips and tricks are below. Jump to the full recipe card instead

A slice of banana bundt cake with white icing on a plate, with a fork holding a piece, and the rest of the cake and bananas in the background.

Key Recipe Ingredients

Note: This highlights some ingredients. Full list is in the recipe card.

Flour. Regular all-purpose flour gives the cake structure and keeps this recipe simple. Spoon and level it so the cake stays soft instead of dry.
Baking powder and baking soda. You need both here. The baking powder gives the cake lift, and the baking soda works with the sour cream and banana to help it rise. Make sure neither one is expired or the cake won’t rise properly.
Butter. I use salted butter. Make sure it is room temperature so it creams smoothly with the sugars. If you use unsalted butter, add an extra pinch of salt.
Sugar and brown sugar. The white sugar sweetens the cake and helps create a soft crumb. The brown sugar adds a little moisture and a light caramel flavor that works really well with banana.
Eggs. Always use large eggs for baking. Pull them out of the fridge ahead of time so they come to room temperature before using — they mix into the batter more smoothly.
Bananas. You will need about 3 ripe bananas to get 1 cup mashed banana. Use bananas that are soft and speckled for the best flavor.
Sour cream. Use full fat or reduced fat for moisture and a tender crumb. Plain Greek yogurt can be used as a swap if that is what you have.
Powdered sugar. Makes the base of the glaze. Sift it first if it has lumps.

Various baking ingredients including flour, brown sugar, white sugar, butter, sour cream, mashed bananas, eggs, milk, vanilla, powdered sugar, and a bowl of baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

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How to make this recipe

This is a step-by-step photo guide. Full ingredients and instructions are in the printable recipe card below.

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Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 10 to 12 cup bundt pan very well. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.

Beat the butter, granulated white sugar, and brown sugar together until smooth and lighter in color. Mix in the eggs, mashed bananas, plain Greek yogurt, and vanilla extract. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low just until combined.

A mixing bowl with creamed butter, white sugar, brown sugar, and three eggs, with a hand mixer and various baking ingredients nearby on a white countertop.

A glass bowl with light-colored batter sits on a white surface next to a black baking pan, a white and yellow towel, and a cup. Text instructions are overlaid at the top.

Spoon the batter into the prepared bundt pan and smooth the top. Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

Cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then carefully turn the cake out onto a plate or cake stand.

Bundt pan filled with batter, ready to bake. A bowl of flour, cup of liquid, and a yellow-checkered towel are nearby on a marble surface.

A baked bundt cake in a pan cooling on a wire rack, with text above that says, "Bake for 40-50 minutes.

Let the cake cool completely, then whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth, then drizzle over the cooled cake.

A close-up of icing being poured from a bowl onto a cooled Bundt cake, with text instructions for making the icing visible at the top.

A bundt cake with white icing on a white plate, with bananas and stacked plates in the background; text reads, "Allow to set, then cut and serve!.

Kylee’s Notes

Bundt pans are pretty, but they are also dramatic. Grease every little groove really well so the cake does not cling to the pan like it pays rent.
Room temperature butter matters here. It creams better with the sugars, which gives the cake a softer, lighter texture.
Use ripe bananas for the best flavor. They should be soft and speckled, not green and bossy.
Mash the bananas well before adding them to the batter. A few tiny lumps are fine, but big chunks can leave wet pockets in the cake.
Once the dry ingredients are added, mix only until the flour disappears. Overmixing can make the cake heavy instead of soft and tender.
Spoon the batter evenly into the bundt pan and smooth the top before baking. This helps the cake rise evenly.
Let the cake sit in the pan for about 10 minutes before flipping. Too soon and it can break. Too long and it may stick.
Cool the cake completely before glazing. If the cake is warm, the glaze will melt right off and make a puddle. Delicious, but not the goal.
Start with less milk in the glaze. You can always thin it out.

How to store leftovers

Refrigerator

Store leftover cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Freezing instructions

Freeze slices or the whole unglazed cake tightly wrapped for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before glazing or serving.

Troubleshooting

The cake stuck to the pan. Bundt pans are unforgiving if you skimp on the greasing. Make sure you get into every ridge and corner, and turn the cake out after about 10 minutes. Too soon and it can break. Too long and it decides it lives there now.
The cake is dense. This usually means the batter was overmixed after the flour went in. Mix on low and stop as soon as you stop seeing streaks of flour. The mixer does not need to keep going after that.
The cake is dry. Two likely culprits: overbaking or packed flour. Spoon and level the flour instead of scooping, and start checking for doneness at the 40-minute mark rather than waiting for the timer.
The cake cracked on top. Totally normal with bundt cakes and nothing to stress about. The cracked side becomes the bottom once you flip it, so nobody will ever know.
The glaze is too thin. Add more powdered sugar a spoonful at a time until it thickens up. It comes together fast.
The glaze is too thick. Add a tiny splash of milk and whisk again. Just a little, it thins out quickly.
The top browned too quickly. Tent the cake loosely with foil during the last stretch of baking if it is getting too dark before the center is done.

FAQs

How many bananas do I need for 1 cup mashed?

About 3 medium ripe bananas. If yours are on the smaller side, grab 4 just to be safe.

Can I add nuts or chocolate chips?

Yes to both. Fold in about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of chopped walnuts, pecans, or chocolate chips before spooning the batter into the pan.

Can I use a different pan?

This recipe is written for a 10 to 12 cup bundt pan. A different pan will change the bake time, so keep an eye on it and test with a toothpick rather than going strictly by time.

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About Kylee Ayotte

I am a born and raised New Zealander (a Kiwi), now living in Phoenix, Arizona. I’m happily married to the love of my life – a hot American boy I met while traveling the world. I’m a mama to 2 awesome little boys and love red things, rugby, cheesecake, and bacon. Mmmmm. Bacon. Meet Kylee