Dreamy Banana Streusel Cake Recipe: A Sweet Slice of Heaven

Decadent banana streusel cake upgrades ordinary fruit into an extraordinary culinary experience.

Ripe, fragrant bananas blend seamlessly with warm spices and buttery layers of delightful texture.

Sweet aromas will drift through your kitchen, promising something truly memorable.

Soft, tender crumbs contrast beautifully against the crisp, crumbly streusel topping.

Each slice offers a perfect balance of comfort and indulgence.

Home bakers appreciate how simple ingredients can create such a remarkable dessert.

The magic happens when humble bananas meet a sprinkle of cinnamon-kissed streusel.

Why Banana Streusel Cake Is a Cozy Classic

• Savor Layered Deliciousness: This banana streusel cake offers incredible depth with its ingenious two-layer technique, creating a stunning mix of batter and streusel that guarantees rich flavor in every single bite.
• Celebrate Texture Harmony: Enjoy the remarkable contrast between soft, moist banana cake and crunchy streusel topping, with chocolate chips adding delightful little bursts of sweetness that dance across your palate.
• Master Easy Baking Magic: Designed for both novice and experienced bakers, this recipe requires simple mixing techniques and standard kitchen tools, making it approachable yet impressive enough to wow family and friends during casual gatherings or weekend brunches.

Ingredients That Make This Cake Moist and Crumbly

• All-Purpose Flour: A key foundation for the cakes structure with soft, tender texture.
• Baking Soda, Baking Powder: Essential leavening agents that help the cake rise and become fluffy.
• Salt: Enhances overall flavor and balances sweetness of the cake.

• Butter: Provides rich, creamy moisture and helps create a tender crumb.
• Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps with cakes caramelization and golden color.
• Egg: Binds ingredients together and adds structural stability to the cake.
• Mashed Banana: Natural sweetener that brings moisture and subtle fruity flavor.
• Buttermilk: Adds tanginess and helps create a soft, tender cake texture.
• Vanilla Extract: Provides warm, sweet background flavor to complement other ingredients.

• Chocolate Chips, Walnuts: Adds delightful crunch, texture, and rich nutty flavor to the cake.
• Brown Sugar: Creates a caramel-like sweetness in the streusel topping.
• Cinnamon: Offers warm, aromatic spice that complements chocolate and banana flavors.

How to Bake Banana Cake with a Crispy Streusel Top

Step 1: Preheat and Prepare

Heat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8×8-inch baking dish with butter and flour, or line with parchment paper.

Step 2: Create Streusel Topping

• Chocolate chips
• Brown sugar
• Walnuts
• Cinnamon

Blend until ingredients are well combined.

Step 3: Combine Dry Ingredients

• Flour
• Baking soda
• Baking powder
• Salt

Ensure all dry ingredients are thoroughly mixed.

Step 4: Cream Butter and Sugar

In a large mixing bowl, beat sugar, butter, and egg at medium speed for about 3 minutes until the mixture becomes light and fluffy.

Step 5: Add Wet Ingredients

• Mashed banana
• Buttermilk
• Vanilla extract

Mix until well blended.

Step 6: Combine Batter

Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined.

Step 7: Layer the Cake

Pour slightly more than half the batter into the prepared pan. Spread evenly and sprinkle half the streusel topping.

Step 8: Final Layer

Add remaining batter and top with the rest of the streusel mixture.

Step 9: Bake to Perfection

Bake for 45 minutes. Check doneness by inserting a toothpick – melted chocolate is okay, but wet batter means more baking time is needed.

Step 10: Cool and Serve

Allow cake to cool completely on a wire rack before cutting into squares.

Tips to Get That Golden Crumble Without Overbaking

• Mash Bananas Perfectly: Use overripe bananas with dark spots for maximum sweetness and moisture, which enhances the cake's rich flavor.
• Control Streusel Texture: Mix streusel ingredients until they form small, crumbly clusters that will create delightful crunchy layers throughout the cake.
• Prevent Ingredient Sinking: Lightly coat chocolate chips and walnuts in a tablespoon of flour before adding to prevent them from dropping to the bottom during baking.
• Check Moisture Balance: Buttermilk helps create a tender crumb, so measure it precisely to maintain the cake's soft, delicate texture.
• Toothpick Testing Technique: Insert the toothpick at an angle and slightly off-center to accurately determine if the cake's center is fully baked without creating unnecessary holes.

Best Ways to Store This Cake and Keep It Soft

• Refrigerate Leftovers: Store cooled banana streusel cake in an airtight container or tightly wrapped with plastic wrap. Keep refrigerated for up to 5 days to maintain freshness and prevent staleness. Moisture and texture will remain delicious when properly sealed.
• Freeze Method: Wrap individual cake slices or whole cake in plastic wrap, then place inside a freezer-safe container or ziplock bag. Freeze for maximum 3 months. Thaw overnight in refrigerator before enjoying to preserve original taste and consistency.
• Reheating Technique: Warm refrigerated or thawed cake slices in microwave for 15-20 seconds on medium power. Alternatively, reheat in oven at 300 degrees F for 5-7 minutes. Sprinkle fresh streusel topping after warming to restore crispy texture and enhance flavor profile.

What Goes Great with a Slice of Banana Streusel

• Pair with Rich Mocha Coffee: The deep, robust flavors of mocha coffee complement the sweet banana and chocolate notes in the cake, creating a harmonious taste experience that elevates both the dessert and drink.
• Match with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream: A scoop of creamy vanilla bean ice cream provides a cool, smooth contrast to the warm, crumbly streusel topping, balancing the cake's richness with its refreshing temperature and subtle sweetness.
• Serve alongside Caramel Cream Liqueur: A small glass of caramel cream liqueur enhances the cake's nutty and brown sugar undertones, offering a luxurious adult twist that brings out the dessert's complex flavor profile.
• Complement with Spiced Chai Tea: The warm, aromatic spices in chai tea mirror the cinnamon in the streusel, creating a cozy and inviting pairing that makes each bite of cake feel like a comforting embrace.

Tasty Add-Ins to Reinvent Banana Streusel Cake

• Tropical Paradise Banana Cake: Swap walnuts for toasted coconut and add diced pineapple to the streusel mixture for a Hawaiian-inspired flavor profile.
• Chocolate Chip Banana Bliss: Increase chocolate chips in the streusel and fold extra dark chocolate chunks directly into the cake batter for intense chocolate lovers.
• Nutty Maple Banana Sensation: Replace brown sugar with maple syrup in the streusel and sprinkle chopped pecans on top for a rich, deep nutty essence.
• Spiced Autumn Banana Treat: Mix ground nutmeg and ginger into the streusel, and add a pinch of cardamom to the cake batter for a warm, seasonal touch.

Banana Streusel Cake Recipe

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4.8 from 24 reviews

• Total Time: 1 hour
• Yield: 10 1x

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Description

Banana streusel cake delivers a symphony of comforting flavors from classic German baking traditions. Crumbly streusel topping and moist banana-rich base create a delightful dessert that invites you to savor each memorable bite.

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Ingredients

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Main Ingredients:

• 1 ¼ cups (8 ounces) mini chocolate chips
• ¾ cup sugar
• ⅔ cup packed light brown sugar
• ½ cup chopped walnuts
• ½ cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter (at room temperature)

Wet Ingredients:

• 1 large egg
• 3 tablespoons buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Dry and Spice Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius) and prepare an 8×8-inch (20×20 centimeters) baking dish by greasing with butter and dusting with flour, or lining with parchment paper.
2. Create the streusel topping by mixing chocolate chips, brown sugar, chopped walnuts, and ground cinnamon in a medium bowl until well combined.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until thoroughly blended.
4. Using an electric mixer, cream granulated sugar with softened butter and egg at medium speed until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes.
5. Reduce mixer speed and gently fold in mashed ripe bananas, buttermilk, and vanilla extract until smoothly incorporated.
6. Slowly add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
7. Transfer approximately 55% of the batter into the prepared baking dish, spreading it evenly across the bottom.
8. Sprinkle half of the streusel mixture over the first layer of batter.
9. Carefully pour the remaining batter on top, ensuring even coverage.
10. Distribute the remaining streusel topping generously over the second batter layer.
11. Bake for 45-50 minutes, testing doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center. Some melted chocolate is acceptable, but wet batter indicates more baking time is needed.
12. Remove from oven and allow the cake to cool completely on a wire rack before slicing into squares.

Notes

• Elevate your baking game with this crowd-pleasing banana streusel cake that transforms ordinary ingredients into an extraordinary dessert.
• Chocolate chips hidden within the streusel create unexpected pockets of melty goodness that make each bite a delightful surprise.
• Preparing ingredients beforehand ensures a smooth baking process and helps prevent last-minute kitchen chaos.
• Buttermilk works magic by keeping the cake incredibly moist and tender, while adding a subtle tangy undertone.
• Toasting walnuts briefly before mixing into the streusel intensifies their nutty flavor and adds a delightful crunch.

• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 35 minutes
• Category: Desserts, Breakfast
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 10
• Calories: 320 kcal
• Sugar: 22g
• Sodium: 150mg
• Fat: 15g
• Saturated Fat: 9g
• Unsaturated Fat: 5g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 45g
• Fiber: 2g
• Protein: 3.5g
• Cholesterol: 30mg