Description
This Banana Bread Coffee Cake combines the moist, fruity flavors of ripe bananas with a crumbly cinnamon streusel topping. Finished with an optional sweet vanilla glaze, it’s a perfect treat for breakfast, brunch, or dessert. Easy to make and full of comforting flavors, it’s an American classic that brings the best of banana bread and coffee cake together in one delightful dish.
Ingredients
Scale
Batter
- 3 ripe bananas, mashed
- 1/3 cup melted butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Streusel Topping
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup cold butter, cubed
Optional Glaze
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1–2 tablespoons milk or cream
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat and prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease an 8×8-inch baking dish or line it with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the mashed ripe bananas with the melted butter until smooth and well blended.
- Add sugars and egg: Stir in granulated sugar, brown sugar, the egg, and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
- Add dry ingredients: Sprinkle baking soda and salt over the mixture, stirring gently to combine. Then fold in the all-purpose flour and ground cinnamon just until incorporated to avoid overmixing.
- Prepare the batter in pan: Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish and spread it out evenly with a spatula.
- Make streusel topping: In a separate bowl, mix brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon for the streusel topping. Cut in the cold cubed butter using a fork or fingers until the mixture becomes crumbly.
- Top the batter: Evenly sprinkle the crumbly streusel topping over the banana batter in the pan.
- Bake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool and glaze: Allow the coffee cake to cool slightly in the pan. If desired, prepare the glaze by mixing powdered sugar, milk or cream, and vanilla extract until smooth, then drizzle over the cake before serving.
Notes
- For best flavor and texture, use very ripe bananas that are spotted or mostly brown.
- The recipe can be doubled and baked in a 9×13-inch pan for a larger crowd or thicker cake.
- For extra texture and crunch, add chopped walnuts or pecans to the streusel topping mixture before baking.
