Why You’ll Love This Banana Sour Cream Coffee Cake

This banana sour cream coffee cake isn’t just a recipe; it’s an experience. Here’s why it’s destined to become a staple in your baking repertoire:

• Effortlessly Easy: This is a classic, straightforward recipe designed for bakers of all skill levels. With simple ingredients and clear instructions, you can achieve professional-tasting results in your home kitchen. It’s perfect for a weekend baking project or a quick sweet treat.
• Unforgettable Sweetness and Moisture: The combination of perfectly mashed ripe bananas, premium Zulka® Pure Cane Sugar, and creamy sour cream creates a cake that is exceptionally moist, tender, and bursting with natural sweetness. The sour cream also adds a subtle tang that perfectly balances the sweetness, making each bite incredibly satisfying.
• Versatile for Any Occasion: While traditionally served at breakfast or brunch with a hot cup of coffee, this rich and flavorful banana coffee cake is equally delightful as a dessert. Its comforting warmth and inviting aroma make it suitable for family gatherings, holiday tables, or simply a cozy evening treat.
• The Perfect Use for Overripe Bananas: Say goodbye to throwing away those forgotten brown bananas! This recipe is specifically formulated to make the most of very ripe or even overripe bananas, transforming them into a delicious cake that highlights their intense, sweet flavor. It’s a fantastic way to reduce food waste and create something truly special.
• Irresistible Cinnamon Crumb Topping: The star of any good coffee cake is its crumble, and this one does not disappoint. Made with a blend of Zulka® Morena Pure Cane Sugar and Zulka® Pure Cane Brown Sugar, plus a generous dash of cinnamon, it bakes into a golden, buttery, and perfectly crunchy layer that provides a delightful contrast to the soft cake below.

Ingredients Breakdown

Crafting the perfect banana sour cream coffee cake starts with understanding the role of each ingredient. Here’s a detailed look at what you’ll need and why it matters:

Cake Ingredients:

• Unsalted Butter (softened): Crucial for a tender cake. Softened butter creams beautifully with sugar, incorporating air for a light texture. Unsalted butter gives you control over the overall saltiness of the recipe.
• Sugar: We use Zulka® Morena Pure Cane Sugar for its pure, less-processed sweetness and subtle depth of flavor, which complements the bananas beautifully.
• Ripe Bananas (peeled and mashed): The star of the show! Very ripe bananas (with brown spots) are essential. They are sweeter, easier to mash, and contribute significantly to the cake’s moistness and intense banana flavor.
• Large Egg: Acts as a binder, providing structure to the cake while adding richness and moisture, helping to create a cohesive batter.
• Sour Cream: This is a game-changer for moisture and tenderness. Its acidity helps activate the baking soda, promoting a good rise, and its fat content contributes to a wonderfully tender crumb.
• Vanilla Extract: A touch of vanilla enhances all the other flavors, adding warmth and depth to the cake.
• All-Purpose Flour: Forms the structural base of the cake. Proper measurement (spooned and leveled) is key to preventing a dense cake.
• Baking Powder & Baking Soda: These are our leavening agents. Baking powder provides initial lift, while baking soda reacts with the acidic sour cream and brown sugar to give the cake an extra boost and a soft, fluffy texture.
• Ground Cinnamon: A classic pairing with banana, cinnamon adds a warm, inviting spice that makes this coffee cake feel incredibly comforting.
• Salt: Essential for balancing the sweetness and enhancing all the other flavors in the cake, preventing it from tasting flat.

Crumble Topping Ingredients:

• All-Purpose Flour: Provides the structure for the crumb, creating that lovely textured topping.
• Light Brown Sugar (packed): Offers a deep, caramel-like sweetness and helps create larger, chewier crumbs due to its molasses content. We recommend Zulka® Pure Cane Brown Sugar.
• Sugar: Zulka® Morena Pure Cane Sugar contributes to the topping’s overall sweetness and provides a slight crispness to the crumbs.
• Ground Cinnamon: Adds that signature warm spice that makes the crumble so enticing.
• Salt: A pinch of salt enhances the sweetness and complexity of the crumble topping.
• Unsalted Butter (melted): The key to binding the dry ingredients into those perfect, varied-sized crumbs – from fine sprinkles to delightful large chunks.

For precise measurements, refer to the detailed recipe card below.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened butter and Zulka® Morena Pure Cane Sugar.

Using a hand mixer (or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment), cream the softened butter and sugar together until the mixture becomes notably pale in color and fluffy in texture. This step incorporates air, which is vital for a light and tender cake.

To the creamed butter and sugar, add the mashed ripe bananas, a large egg, sour cream, and vanilla extract. Mix these wet ingredients on medium speed until they are thoroughly combined and smooth. Set this mixture aside.

In a separate medium mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and salt. Whisking ensures these dry ingredients, especially the leavening agents, are evenly distributed.

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Mix on low speed, just until everything is combined and no streaks of flour remain. Be careful not to overmix, as this can lead to a tough cake.

Carefully pour the finished cake batter into your prepared baking dish. Use a silicone spatula to spread it into an even layer, ensuring consistent baking. Set the dish aside as you prepare the topping.

In a small mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients for the crumble topping: flour, light brown sugar (packed), Zulka® Morena Pure Cane Sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Stir them together thoroughly to ensure even distribution of flavors.

Pour the melted butter into the dry crumble mixture. Using a fork, gently fold and toss the butter into the dry ingredients. Continue until the mixture transforms into a beautiful crumble with a mix of small and large, irregular crumbs. Avoid overmixing, as you want distinct pieces.

Generously sprinkle the prepared crumb topping evenly over the entire surface of the cake batter in the baking dish. Ensure good coverage for that delicious crunchy layer in every bite.

Bake the coffee cake for 30-35 minutes. To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake; it should come out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it, but no wet batter. If the crumble topping begins to brown too quickly before the cake is fully cooked, loosely tent the dish with aluminum foil and continue baking until done. Remove from oven.

Expert Baking Tips for Success

Achieve coffee cake perfection every time with these essential tips:

• Embrace Very Ripe Bananas: This is arguably the most crucial tip! Look for bananas with plenty of brown spots, or even almost entirely brown. These bananas are not only sweeter but also softer and easier to mash, resulting in a more intensely flavored and naturally moist cake. Green or slightly yellow bananas won’t deliver the same depth of flavor or tender texture.
• Separate Wet and Dry Ingredients: While it might seem like an extra step, mixing your wet and dry ingredients separately is vital for a uniformly risen and perfectly baked cake. This ensures that leavening agents (baking powder and soda) are evenly distributed throughout the flour mixture, allowing them to activate properly when combined with the wet ingredients. Skipping this can lead to uneven rising or dense spots.
• Master the Toothpick Test: When checking for doneness, don’t just rely on visual cues. Insert a clean toothpick into the very center of the cake. It should come out with a few moist crumbs clinging to it, but *not* liquid batter. If it comes out completely clean, your cake might be slightly overbaked. If it has wet batter, it needs more time. The edges will typically be golden brown, but the crumble topping can hide this, making the toothpick test indispensable.
• Avoid Overmixing the Batter: Once you combine the wet and dry ingredients, mix only until just incorporated. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, which can lead to a tough, chewy, and dry coffee cake. A few small lumps of flour are perfectly acceptable.
• Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure your butter, egg, and sour cream are at room temperature. This allows them to emulsify better, creating a smoother, more uniform batter that traps air efficiently, contributing to a lighter cake texture.
• Proper Pan Size Matters: Using the recommended 8×8-inch baking dish is important. A larger pan might result in a thinner cake that bakes too quickly and dries out, while a smaller pan could lead to a very thick cake that doesn’t cook through evenly in the center.

Essential Baking Equipment

Having the right tools can make your baking experience smoother and more enjoyable. Here’s a rundown of the equipment you’ll need for this banana coffee cake:

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• 8×8 Baking Dish: A glass or ceramic baking dish is ideal for even heat distribution, which helps prevent overbrowning and ensures a perfectly cooked interior. If you opt for a metal pan, be aware that baking times might differ slightly, so keep a close eye on your cake. If using a 9×9-inch dish, the cake will be thinner and may require a shorter baking time.
• Mixing Bowls: You’ll need three: a large bowl for the wet cake batter, a medium bowl for the dry cake ingredients, and a smaller bowl dedicated to preparing the streusel crumble topping. This organization is key for proper mixing and ingredient distribution.
• Hand Mixer: A hand mixer makes creaming butter and sugar a breeze, ensuring a light and fluffy base. Alternatively, you can use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment for hands-free mixing, or simply a sturdy whisk and a bit of elbow grease if mixing by hand.
• Silicone Spatula: Perfect for scraping down the sides of the mixing bowl and smoothly transferring the banana cake batter into the baking dish, ensuring no delicious batter is left behind.

Storing Your Delicious Coffee Cake

To ensure your banana sour cream coffee cake stays fresh and delicious for as long as possible, proper storage is key:

• Room Temperature Storage: Once the coffee cake has completely cooled to room temperature, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container. It will stay fresh and moist for up to 2 days on your countertop. This is usually sufficient for enjoying it over a weekend.
• Refrigeration: For longer freshness, store the cooled and tightly wrapped cake in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days. The cooler temperature helps to maintain its moisture and prevent spoilage, especially if your kitchen tends to be warm.
• Freezing for Extended Freshness: Coffee cake freezes beautifully! For best results, allow the cake to cool completely. You can freeze it whole, in halves, or individual slices.
  • For whole or half cakes: Double wrap tightly, first in plastic wrap, then in aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn.
  • For individual slices: Wrap each slice individually in plastic wrap, then again in aluminum foil. This makes it easy to thaw just one portion at a time.

  Frozen coffee cake can be stored for up to 2-3 months. To thaw, simply transfer it from the freezer to the refrigerator overnight, or for individual slices, let them come to room temperature on the counter for a few hours. You can even gently warm thawed slices in the microwave for a few seconds for that freshly baked feel.

Absolutely, coffee cake freezes exceptionally well! Once your cake has fully cooled to room temperature, double wrap it. First, use a layer of plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil. This dual wrapping is crucial for preventing freezer burn and preserving its fresh taste and texture. Alternatively, you can wrap it in plastic wrap and then place it in a resealable freezer bag or an airtight freezer-safe container. Properly frozen coffee cake can last for 2-3 months. To enjoy, simply thaw it in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for a few hours.

Zulka® Pure Cane Sugar is considered minimally processed. It’s produced by a straightforward method: squeezing the juice from freshly harvested sugarcane, then evaporating the liquid to create natural crystals. This method ensures that more of the sugarcane’s natural flavor and characteristics are retained compared to highly refined white sugars. Their sugar mills have been operated by the same family for over 100 years, highlighting a long-standing tradition of natural sugar production.

For the best flavor and moisture in your banana coffee cake, you want very ripe bananas. Look for bananas that have developed numerous brown or black spots on their skins. They should feel soft to the touch, and you’ll often notice a strong, sweet banana aroma. If your bananas are still mostly yellow or firm, they are not quite ready and won’t contribute as much sweetness or moisture to the cake.

Yes, this banana sour cream coffee cake is an excellent make-ahead option. You can bake it the day before you plan to serve it and store it at room temperature, tightly covered, for up to 2 days. The flavors often deepen overnight! For longer storage, you can refrigerate it for up to 4 days or freeze it for several months, as detailed in the storage section above.

The term “coffee cake” refers to a cake that is typically served alongside coffee, often for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon snack. It’s designed to complement the flavor of coffee, not necessarily contain it. These cakes are often single-layered, contain fruit or nuts, and are characterized by a streusel or crumb topping, just like this delicious banana coffee cake.

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Banana Sour Cream Coffee Cake