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walnut streusel banana coffee cake swirled with cream cheese. top down, close up view of a square slice of cake turned on its side so you can see the inner crumb and cream cheese layer.
Heather Wolf

Banana Coffee Cake with Cream Cheese

5 from 1 vote
Banana Coffee Cake transforms your favorite quick bread into a super moist breakfast cake swirled with sweetened cream cheese. Topped with a crunchy walnut streusel and a simple vanilla glaze, a slice of this cake tastes amazing with a cup of coffee.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 35 minutes
Servings: 10
Course: Cakes and Cupcakes
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method

Ingredients
  

Walnut Streusel
  • 2/3 cup dark brown sugar packed
  • 2/3 cup all-purpose flour unbleached
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Banana Coffee Cake
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour unbleached
  • 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt fine
  • 6 tbsp unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup dark brown sugar packed
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 1/2 cup overripe bananas mashed
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract pure
  • 1/3 cup full fat sour cream room temperature
  • 1/4 cup whole milk room temperature
Cream Cheese Swirl
  • 8 ounces full-fat cream cheese room temperature
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup overripe bananas mashed
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract pure
Cinnamon Sugar
  • 2 tbsp dark brown sugar
  • 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Vanilla Glaze
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar sifted
  • 1 tbsp whole milk
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract pure

Equipment

  • 9-inch springform pan

Method
 

Walnut Streusel
  1. Combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, melted butter and walnuts in a large bowl. Using your fingers, mix ingredients until small clumps begin to form.
  2. Cover and chill in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Banana Coffee Cake
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 9-inch springform pan then line with parchment paper. Set aside.
  2. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda and sea salt to a large bowl. Whisk until combined.
  3. In a separate bowl, cream butter and both sugars with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
  4. Beat in egg and 1/2 cup of mashed banana until incorporated.
  5. Beat in vanilla then set aside.
  6. In a small bowl, whisk sour cream and milk until smooth and lump free.
  7. Turn the electric mixer speed on low then, 1 cupful at a time, alternate between adding the flour mixture and the sour cream/milk mixture to the cake batter. Gently beat until just barely combined. Avoid overmixing.
  8. Spread 1/2 of batter into the springform pan. Level the top with a spatula. Set aside while you prepare the cream cheese.
Cream Cheese Swirl
  1. In a separate bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, 1/4 cup of mashed banana and vanilla until smooth and lump free.
  2. Spoon cream cheese atop cake batter in the baking pan then level with a spatula.
Cinnamon Sugar
  1. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl then sprinkle atop cream cheese.
  2. Spoon remaining cake batter into baking pan and gently level with a spatula.
  3. Remove walnut streusel from the refrigerator. If needed, use a fork to break streusel into small clumps then sprinkle atop cake batter in an even layer.
Bake
  1. Bake for 60 - 65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Cool
  1. Place cake pan on a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes before removing the springform ring.
Vanilla Glaze
  1. Once cake has cooled completely, whisk powdered sugar, milk and vanilla in a small bowl until smooth and lump free. Drizzle glaze on cake.
    Note, if you prefer a thinner glaze add more milk, for a thicker glaze add more powdered sugar.
Store
  1. Cover and store coffee cake in the refrigerator up to 3 days.