Banana-Coconut Layer Cake
Updated Sept. 30, 2022
- Total Time
- 2 hours, plus cooling
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray, for pans
- 6ripe bananas, unpeeled
- 2½cups/213 grams shredded sweetened coconut
- 4cups/512 grams all-purpose flour
- 2teaspoons baking soda
- 1teaspoon kosher salt
- 1cup/201 grams granulated sugar
- ¾cup/150 grams light brown sugar, lightly packed
- 6eggs
- 1cup/227 grams unsalted butter (2 sticks), melted
- 1cup sour cream or crème fraîche
- 1tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2teaspoons fresh lime juice
- ½cup unsweetened coconut cream (see Note)
- ½cup/114 grams unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into 1-inch cubes, softened
- 8ounces/1 cup/225 grams cream cheese, cut into 8 chunks and softened
- 1½cups/185 grams confectioners’ sugar
- 1teaspoon coconut extract, dark rum or vanilla
- Pinch of fine sea salt
For the Cake
For the Frosting
Nutritional analysis per serving (14 servings)
747 calories; 41 grams fat; 25 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 10 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 88 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams dietary fiber; 52 grams sugars; 9 grams protein; 457 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray two 9-inch cake pans with nonstick spray, and line bottoms with parchment paper.
- Step 2
Place unpeeled bananas on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until blackened and juices have begun to seep out, about 30 minutes. Set aside to cool, then peel and set aside in a bowl. Discard peels, but add any pan juices to the bowl.
- Step 3
While bananas are roasting, spread coconut out on another rimmed baking sheet and toast in the same oven until golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes, stirring once. Set aside and let cool.
- Step 4
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Step 5
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix bananas (with juices) until mashed.
- Step 6
At low speed, add sugars and mix to combine. Mix in eggs, one at a time, then add butter, sour cream, vanilla extract, and lime juice. Mix in flour and 1 cup toasted coconut, mixing only until just combined. (Save remaining coconut for topping cake.)
- Step 7
Divide batter between prepared pans and bake, rotating halfway through, until top is golden and springs back, 40 to 55 minutes. Cool in pans for 10 minutes, then unmold and transfer to a wire rack. Let cool completely.
- Step 8
To prepare frosting, open can of coconut cream and scoop ½ cup of the solid cream off the top into a measuring cup. Remaining cream can be frozen for up to 6 months.
- Step 9
In an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter until soft and fluffy. Beat in softened cream cheese, one chunk at a time, until mixture is very smooth. Beat in coconut cream and sugar until smooth. Beat in extract and salt. If frosting seems too soft, refrigerate 15 to 30 minutes to help it set (not longer, or it may become too firm to spread).
- Step 10
Spread a little less than half the frosting over one cake layer and sprinkle with half the reserved toasted coconut. Top with second layer, spread remaining frosting on top, and sprinkle with remaining toasted coconut, leaving sides of cake bare.
- Make sure you use unsweetened coconut cream for the frosting, and not cream of coconut, which has added sugar. If you can’t find coconut cream, you can use substitute full-fat coconut milk. To do so, chill a can of coconut milk, then open and measure out ½ cup of the solid creamy top and use that as called for in the recipe.
Private Notes
Comments
Freezing ripe/overripe bananas is a great way to have very sweet bananas for baking on hand. I made a banana cake just yesterday and thawed some of my frozen stash and they were so much sweeter and syrup-y than my counter-ripened bananas. The expanding frozen water content ruptures cell walls and when the fruit is thawing, pulp oozes more freely and with it, amalyse. No longer confined by cell walls, amalyse can freely convert remaining starches into sugars. Result is a mushy, sweeter banana.
um , two people can eat a cake in 2 days ;) eerrr even one.
Is roasting bananas a good "kitchen hack" for all baked goods containing banana?
This cake is excellent, and it's not very sweet. It is perfect for coffee or a digestif. My only remark is that it is huge and serves many guests. You can cut the measurements in half if you make it for a smaller circle.
This is just banana bread in cake form with a hint of coconut and cream cheese frosting. Personally, it was too sweet for me without much depth of flavor and, honestly, not worth the ingredients.
I made this cake gluten-free, recipe as written, It turned out delicious. As other reviews have stated this is a dense cake, do not let that deter you from making It was delicious! Made the frosting using coconut cream and vanilla extract. The cake and the frosting complement each other beautifully.
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