Readers agree this Banana Coffee Cake with cream cheese swirl will be the best coffee cake of your life. Hundreds of reviews call it “HUGE hit!,” “Phenomenal.” “5 stars,” and “AMAZING!” I’ve also included how to make the cream cheese banana bread gluten free, dairy free, egg free and how to ripen bananas quickly!
You will love this Banana Bread with Cream Cheese
- IT’S FLAVOR TEXTURE HEAVEN. This coffee cake tastes like sweet banana bread with bursts of chocolate, slight crunch of walnuts with a mega creamy cheesecake-like layer of cream cheese all topped with Cinnamon Walnut Streusel and a kiss of Vanilla Glaze.
- EVERYONE LOVES IT: This deliciously moist Banana Bread Coffee Cake is a banana bread lover’s dream! Actually, it is everyone’s dream because my husband was going crazy for this coffee cake, and he doesn’t even like banana bread! One reader said:
“This cake is to die for. The term “coffee cake” is almost an insult!! It is so much more than that. It is decadent, rich, creamy and absolutely delicious and full of flavor!!”
- THICK AND CREAMY CREAM CHEESE LAYER. I played off of my Cream Cheese Stuffed Carrot Cake, but I used a little different technique so this filling is even creamier! It borders more cheesecake than just cream cheese due to my special technique.
- STRAIGHTFORWARD. This Banana Coffee Cake requires a few extra steps, but each is simple and easy and it’s totally worth it.
- VERSATILE. Omit the chocolate chips or walnuts, use gluten free flour, dairy free ingredients, etc. Substitutions included!
Cream Cheese Banana Bread Recipe ingredients
This Banana Coffee Cake uses mostly pantry friendly ingredients – just grab some bananas and you’re all set. Here’s what you need: (measurements in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post):
- Cream Cheese Filling: Use full fat cream cheese for the most creamy, dreamy results. It is combined with some reserved batter, sugar and vanilla extract for a decadently creamy filling that takes minutes to whip together.
- Bananas: You’ll need one cup mashed bananas which is about 2 ripe bananas.
- Butter: You can taste the butter in this coffee cake recipe, and it is sublime! Use unsalted butter so we can control the salt in the recipe.
- Sour Cream: I LOVE using sour cream in my baked goods for extra moisture. It eliminates part of the butter and creates an extra tender texture. Use full fat for best results. You may substitute with Greek yogurt.
- Eggs: You will need 2 large eggs at room temperature. They provide structure and binding properties. Take care they are at room temperature along with your sour cream and butter so everything mixes together easily for fluffier results.
- All-purpose flour: I use all purpose flour, but readers have commented that Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour works great.
- Sugar: Use granulated sugar only to let the banana flavor shine.
- Baking powder and baking soda: Make sure they are fresh, so they work, usually 6-12 months is best.
- Salt: Good ol’ table salt here.
- Cinnamon: A MUST to flavor the entire banana coffee cake.
- Vanilla extract: Use quality vanilla for best results.
- Walnuts and chocolate chips: Optional, but highly recommended for additional flavor and texture.
- Cinnamon Walnut Streusel: Walnuts, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and cold butter are combined in a food processor for an easy shortcut.
How to make Cream Cheese Banana Bread
Let’s take a closer look with step-by-step photos (full recipe in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post):
- Flour Pan: Spray all inside surfaces of your pan with nonstick cooking spray WITH FLOUR. This is my favorite easy method of greasing a pan but you may also grease and flour the inside of your pan.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
- Cream Wet Ingredients: Beat softened butter and sugar at least 3 minutes at medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
- Add Eggs: Add the eggs, one at a time, beating just until the yellow disappears after each egg. Mix in the bananas and vanilla just until combined – again, don’t overmix, a few lumps are fine.
- Mix Together: Gradually add flour mixture to banana/butter mixture in thirds, alternately with sour cream in between each third – the thirds don’t need to be perfect, just eyeball-it. Beat until just combined. Measure out ¼ cup batter and set aside for cream cheese filling. Stir chocolate chips and walnuts into remaining batter until just until combined. Measure out 1 cup batter (to top cream cheese layer) and spoon the rest of the batter into the prepared pan.
- Cream Cheese Layer: To your now empty mixing bowl, add ¼ cup reserved batter, cream cheese, 1 teaspoon vanilla and ¼ cup sugar. Beat on medium high speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Spoon Cream Cheese Filling over batter and gently smooth, but do not touch the sides of the pan. Spread reserved 1 cup batter evenly over filling (it will be very thin).
- Add Streusel: (Full instructions below). Sprinkle evenly over the cake.
- Bake: Bake for 55-60 minutes at 350 degrees F or until toothpick inserted comes out clean (without inserting in cream cheese). Some readers have stated their cake was not done in 60 minutes, so if it’s not done, bake on!
How to ripen bananas in the oven for this Banana Coffee Cake
To make this breakfast, brunch, or dessert dream, you need ripe bananas, and I, for one, hardly ever plan ahead enough to have perfectly ripe bananas when I want them. So here is a little magic trick to transform your bananas into perfectly ripe bananas in just 25 minutes! Simply line your bananas on a baking sheet (the bananas leak a little so you might want to line your sheet with foil) and bake at 325 F degrees for approximately 25-30 minutes or until your bananas are dark brown/black on the outside and slightly soft to the touch.
How long to bake Banana Coffee Cake Bread
Bake Coffee Cake for 55-60 minutes at 350 degrees F or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Oven temperatures and pans can affect cooking time. Some readers have commented that their cake was not baked in this amount of time. If your cake is not baked in 60 minutes – BAKE ON. Also, don’t be tempted to slice your cake while it is still warm. The Coffee Cake is continuing to cook while it cools down.
How to make streusel for Banana Cream Cheese Bread
Making streusel is very simple with the help of your food processor. Alternatively, you can chop your ingredients or smash them in a plastic bag then combine them with flour and cut butter in by hand.
To make streusel: Add walnuts to your food processor and pulse 3 times. Add flour, brown sugar and cinnamon and pulse a few times to combine. Sprinkle cold butter over top and pulse until the walnuts are chopped and the mixture resembles small pebbles.
You can make your streusel up to 3 days in advance and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
HOW DO I REMOVE MY COFFEE CAKE FROM THE PAN?
1. Let Coffee Cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for one hour.
2. After 60 minutes, firmly tap the outside of the pan a few times to loosen the cake.
3. Place a baking sheet over the open side of the cake pan and hold the sides so you are holding both the edges of the cake pan and the baking sheet. Carefully and quickly flip the baking sheet and cake over to invert the cake, then remove the cake pan.
4. Invert the Coffee Cake back onto a cooling rack.
5. Let the Coffee Cake cool completely on the wire cooling rack.
cream cheese banana bread Tips
banana coffee cake Variations
The following variations are a huge thanks to reader Jam who commented
“I’ve made this recipe many times and each time it has been a HUGE hit! Along the way, I’ve experimented with it a bit to accommodate friends with allergies and intolerances.” Here are Jam’s successes:
How to store Banana Coffee Cake Bread
This Coffee Cake can be refrigerated for up to 7 days but it is best (more moist) the first couple of days.
DOES COFFEE CAKE NEED TO BE REFRIGERATED?
Freshly baked coffee cake without a cream cheese center can remain at room temperature but THIS coffee cake needs to be refrigerated. Make sure you tightly wrap your Coffee Cake in plastic wrap before placing in the refrigerator to prevent it from drying out.
Can I freeze Banana Coffee Cake?
Yes! Coffee Cakes makes a fabulous make ahead breakfast for stress free mornings or special occasions.
TO FREEZE COFFEE CAKE
1. Turn out baked coffee cake onto a freezer safe plate/platter before topping with streusel. I recommend holding the glaze and instead drizzling it right before serving.
2. Let Coffee Cake cool completely.
3. Wrap cake tightly in plastic wrap then repeat with a second layer of plastic wrap. Next wrap tightly in 1-2 layers of foil until completely sealed.
If you are freezing individual slices, then place these plastic/foil wrapped slices in a freezer bag. If you are freezing your entire Coffee Cake for an extended period of time, then secure the aluminum foil with freezer tape to prevent freezer burn.
4. You can store your Coffee Cake for up to 3 months.
5. When ready to eat, thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Cream Cheese Banana Bread Recipe FAQs
When I first posted my Strawberry Cream Cheese Coffee Cake, I received comment from a reader that they were confused – nowhere in the recipe did it call for coffee?! I guess the term “coffee cake” is a widely popular American, but not world-wide used. So, I hope I don’t disappoint some of my readers when I tell you that this Coffee Cake does not have coffee – but it does have bananas, cream cheese, walnuts and chocolate chips!
If Coffee Cake doesn’t have coffee, then why is it called Coffee Cake? Coffee Cake is a term used for cake-like sweet breads commonly served alongside coffee or tea at breakfast or brunch. I guess because Coffee Cake is not frosted, they are acceptable for a morning indulgence. Bring on the cake for breakfast!
The primary difference between coffee cake and regular cake is in their intended consumption and topping. Coffee cake is characterized by a crumbly streusel topping and may include ingredients like cinnamon or nuts. As the name suggests, coffee cake is designed to pair well with coffee or tea and tends to be less sweet and is suitable for breakfast or as a casual snack. In contrast, regular cake can encompass a wide range of flavors, textures, and sweetness levels, and it is typically served as a dessert for special occasions.
1. Using underripe bananas can result in a drier texture, so ensure they are fully ripe with brown spots.
2. Packing the flour instead of measuring it by spooning it into the measuring cup, will yield too much create a dense and dry cake.
3. Overmixing the batter can overdevelop the gluten and impact the cake’s moistness. Take care to use room temperature ingredients for easy mixing and stop as soon as the ingredients are combined.
Banana bread can become mushy for various reasons:
1.Underbaking: Ensure that the banana bread is baked for the recommended time. Underbaking can leave the center mushy.
2. Excessive Moisture from Bananas: If the bananas used are overly ripe, they can contribute excess moisture to the batter.
3. Overmixing the Batter: Overmixing the batter can break down the gluten structure, resulting in a mushy consistency. Mix the ingredients until just combined.
4. Improper Cooling: Allow the banana bread to cool properly before slicing. Slicing too soon can cause the interior to appear mushy.
Adjusting these factors should help improve the texture of your banana bread.
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Banana Coffee Cake Bread
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Ingredients
Special Equipment
Cinnamon Walnut Streusel
- 1/2 cup walnuts
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons cold butter, cubed
Banana Cake
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 cup mashed bananas (about 2 large ripe bananas)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups sour ream (not nonfat) at room temperature
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)
- 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup Reserved Batter (see instructions)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Vanilla Glaze
- 1 cup Powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons milk
Garnish (optional)
- Garnish (optional)
- mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and spray all inside surfaces of a 16 cup nonstick angel food cake pan with nonstick cooking spray WITH FLOUR or grease and flour the inside of your pan. Set aside.*
- Cinnamon Walnut Streusel: Add walnuts to your food processor and pulse 3 times. Add flour, brown sugar and cinnamon and pulse a few times to combine. Sprinkle cold butter over top and pulse until the walnuts are chopped and the mixture resembles small pebbles. (You may also combine in a bowl and cut butter in by hand). Set aside in the refrigerator.
- Cake: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
- Using a stand or hand mixer, beat butter and sugar until fluffy on medium high speed, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until the yellow disappears after each egg. Mix in vanilla and bananas until just until combined.
- Gradually add flour mixture to banana/butter mixture in thirds, alternately with sour cream in between each third. Beat until just combined. Measure out ¼ cup batter and set aside for cream cheese filling. Stir chocolate chips and walnuts into remaining batter until just until combined.
- Measure out 1 cup batter (to top cream cheese layer) and spoon the rest of the batter into the prepared pan.
- To your now empty mixing bowl, add ¼ cup reserved batter, cream cheese, 1 teaspoon vanilla and ¼ cup sugar. Beat on medium high speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Spoon Cream Cheese Filling over batter and gently smooth, but do not touch the sides of the pan. Spread reserved 1 cup batter evenly over filling (it will be very thin).
- Tap pan on counter a few times to get rid of any air bubbles then sprinkle evenly with Cinnamon Walnut Streusel.
- Bake for 55-60 minutes at 350 degrees F or until toothpick inserted comes out clean (without inserting in cream cheese). Some readers have stated their cake was not done in 60 minutes, so if it’s not done, bake on! Let baked cake cool on wire rack for 1 hour. Gently invert cake onto a baking sheet, remove pan, and invert back onto cooling rack streusel side up. Let cool to room temperature.
- When ready to serve, whisk Vanilla Glaze ingredients together in a medium bowl and drizzle over cake. Sprinkle cake with mini chocolate chips (optional)
- Store in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
Notes
Variations
The following variations are a huge thanks to reader Jam who commented: “I’ve made this recipe many times and each time it has been a HUGE hit! Along the way, I’ve experimented with it a bit to accommodate friends with allergies and intolerances.” Here are Jam’s successes:- Gluten free:Use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 flour.
- Dairy free: Use dairy free sour cream (Follow Your Heart) and dairy free butter (Earth Balance STICKS).
- Egg free: Use flax eggs.
- Bake in a cast iron pan: The baking time is approximately the same, but as always, check early!
- Banana bread muffins: Bake in muffin tins for 20-25 minutes.
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Leave a Review, I Always Love Hearing From You!
Dorothy Dunton says
Hi Jen! This is coffee cake heaven! I can’t wait to make (okay, eat!) this delicious creation! 🙂
Jen says
Thanks Dorothy! I am excited FOR you, it is so good! Have a great weekend!
Christina Griffith says
I don’t unstand why this coffee cake can’t be done in a bundt pan, the picture shows the cake round form like bundt cake pan.
Jen says
Hi christina! The pic is of a tube pan which holds 16 cups volume and the bottom lifts out – a bundt cake pan is too small.
Alexandra says
A bundt pan hold about 12 cups of batter, while this recipe is designed for a pan that holds 16 cups. You can still bake it in a bundt pan, but you will have some leftover batter that you can either bake in a 6 inch pan or make muffins out of it. I usually make muffins if I have any leftover batter.
Jen says
I love the muffin idea for extra batter!
Stacey @ Stacey Homemaker says
Oh my, I need some of this banana coffee cake in my life ASAP. I didn’t know you could pop the bananas into the oven to brown them, I thought you had to wait for them to brown naturally, great tip!
Jen says
I didn’t know that oven ripening trick for the longest time either and now I use it all the time! Love it! Thanks Stacey, I hope you can make and eat this cake ASAP 🙂
Teri Giese says
Looks delectable Jen! Wanted to let you know, that in total, have made 13 of your recipes and all were fantastic hits!! We must have “sister” taste buds,as I love using a lots of thee spices,like in EVERYTHING! Thanks for yet another, undoubtedly hit for us to enjoy.
Jen says
13 recipes?! that is awesome, you totally made my day, my week! I am so happy we have “sister” taste buds – that makes it so fun! I hope you continue to find more recipes to love – a couple of my all time favorites are my Mongolian Beef, Sweet and Spicy Pineapple Salsa Chicken and my Buffalo Chicken Burritos if you haven’t tried them – just to name a few 🙂 Thanks again Teri!!!
Jen says
Wow! This is over the top! Very recently (as in last week) both of my kids decided that they were going to start hating bananas. Not stuff with bananas in it, just bananas themselves. It’s ridiculous. Anyway, long story short, I now have 6 very ripe bananas sitting on my counter, two of which have this recipe written all over them.
Jen says
HI Jen! That is so funny about your kids new distaste for bananas or sad but either way I am happy to help you use up some of your very ripe bananas! I am sure your kids will love them in this recipes! Too bad it doesn’t require 6 bananas 🙂
Haley says
I made this for brunch last weekend and it was a show stopper! Absolutely delicious! Thanks for so many wonderful recipes!
Jen says
You are so welcome Hayley, thank you so much! I am thrilled to hear it was “show stopper” – the ultimate compliment!
Andrea says
Jen!! My mom and I had a great time making this recipe, and I have to say it was absolutly delicious! Thanks for sharing
Andrea.
Jen says
you are so welcome! I am so happy you had fun making it and more importantly enjoyed eating it! Thanks Andrea!!!
Melissa says
I made this today, followed all the directions, layered everything as directed, and the streusel topping got swallowed up in the cake, and therefore, the cake never got done on the bottom. I cooked it for 1 hour and fifteen minutes, but when I cooled it enough to take it out of the pan, it was not done all the way through. It tastes great, but unfortunately not something I would share with others as it isn’t totally the right texture. I am not a novice baker, I have a degree as a pastry chef from the CIA, so I don’t think it is a lack of skill set. I think I will try it again with a couple of modifications: do not reserve the extra cup of finished batter to go over the cream cheese part, and do not add the streusel till the top is partially set, like maybe the last 15 minutes of baking time. I want to try your strawberry version of this cake too.
Jen says
Hi Melissa, I am sorry this didn’t work for you but I ‘m glad it still tasted good 🙂 I am not sure what to tell you though as I have made this cake several times without any problems and the baking method of reserving the batter is from Cooks Illustrated, and they know their stuff! If you don’t reserve any of the batter to add to the cream cheese then it would sink completely unless you add some flour and egg but that produces a less desirable texture. Your idea of reserving the streusel sounds like a simple solution to your problem – hope it works for you!
ANGELA says
I have a carrot cake I make in a 9 x 13 pan and put a cream cheese layer in the middle of the batter and it comes out well. Here is the recipe so you can modify this one if you would like: CARROT FILLED CAKE (OPTIONAL DAIRY FREE)
3 eggs 2 Cups flour
1 ¾ Cup sugar 2 tsp. baking soda
2 Cups shredded carrots 2 tsp. cinnamon
1 Cup Zucchini ½ Cup pecans, chopped (optional) (I omitted)
1 Cup vegetable oil
FILLING:
1 (8oz.) cream cheese, softened ¼ Cup sugar
1 egg
FROSTING:
1 (8oz.) cream cheese, softened 2 tsp. vanilla
¼ Cup butter OR Earth Balance Vegan 4 Cups powdered sugar
Beat eggs and sugar, adding carrots, zucchini, and oil. Beat well. Combine flour, baking soda, and cinnamon and mix together well. Add to carrot mixture. Mix in pecans. Pour 3 cups of batter into a greased and floured 9”x13” pan. To make filling, beat cream cheese and add egg and sugar in mixing bowl. Spoon cream cheese mixture and carefully spread evenly over carrot batter and top with remaining carrot batter. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes. Cool completely.
VARIATION: Instead of the 2 cups carrots and 1 cup zucchini, use 3 cups carrots.
To make frosting, beat cream cheese and add butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar and beat together well.
This works very well with replacing the cream cheese with the dairy free Tofutti Cream Cheese.
Many cannot tell the difference when serving.
Jen says
Awesome, thank you so much!
Leanna says
This recipe looks delicious!! I can’t wait to try it and hopefully do it justice. I was actually wondering if I could omit the walnuts?? I’m allergic to nuts and wondered if I had to replace them with something to keep the streusel the right consistency or if i can just leave them out completely and keep the rest the same??
Thanks!
Leanna
Jen says
Hi Leanna, you can just leave them out completely – should be just fine. Enjoy!!
Letizia says
Hello,
I was wondering if I could halve this recipe and make into muffins? It’s just my husband and I and we could never finish the whole cake, although it looks delicious!!! If I made muffins how long and at what temperature would u bake them? Thank you so much.
Jen says
Hi Letizia, I have never tried making them into muffins, but it should work just fine. I would start checking them for doneness around 18 minutes but they could take up to 25. Hope it works out!
Suzette says
I made this last night and we had it for breakfast this morning. OMG, sooooo yummy!!! I was surprised at how filling it is as well….I couldn’t even finish my slice!! Thanks for a great recipe that has found a place in my “keeper” file!! 🙂
Jen says
Hi Suzette, thanks for the ultimate compliment of adding this to your “keeper file”! I am so happy you loved this bread so much! and yes, it is super filling but somehow I just keep eating more and more 🙂 Thanks!
Natalia says
it does look yummy – i went and got all ingirdients and then realised i dont have the tint to bake it in!!!!
what size of tin did you use?
ps.
just off to make you sticky honey lemon chicken receipie
Jen says
Hi Natalia, I hope you enjoyed the sticky honey lemon chicken! I used a 3.5 quart tube pan.
Cindy says
I cannot wait to make these
Jen says
Awesome Cindy, hope you love it!
Barb says
Hi Jen… Just wanted to comment on this cake. I made it yesterday and it was very straight forward, easy to follow and I might say VERY DELICIOUS! All my husband said was, “Put this in your make again recipes file!” Thanks so much for sharing such great recipes on your site. Since this was such a hit I won’t hesitate to try some more.
Thanks again. Have a great and wonderful day and keep up the good work. Your site ,or should I say YOU, is very inspiring!
Barb
Jen says
Thank you so much Barb, I really appreciate your kind words! I am so happy you both loved this cake and it made it into the “make again recipe file” – the ultimate compliment! 🙂 All the best to you and yours!
Diane Hart says
I would like to know the nitrition information for this recipe if available.
Jen says
Hi Diane, you can calculate it here: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/recipe/calculator thanks!
Sarah says
Could I use a bunds pan instead?
Jen says
Hi Sarah, unfortunately, a bundt can isn’t tall enough/doesn’t hold the volume of this cake. Sorry!
Alyssa says
I’m curious as to whether a bundt pan can be used also. Though the streusel has to go on last, so that wouldn’t really work with a bundt pan I don’t think. Mine has a decorative top so it can’t really be flipped upside down. I’m going to try this in a regular loaf pan though!
Cindy Shoaf says
I started reading this post and had a good laugh…mising coffee!?! lol My husband said your first ingredient should be a cup of coffee and in the instructions say “while enjoying your cup of coffee please mix the following ingredients “. Of course I know what the term “coffee cake” refers to, I grew up in a time where my mother attended and held “koffee klatches” and often had a coffee cake made for my father on his days off. I can’t wait to try this recipe. Thank you!
Jen says
LOL, I’m glad you enjoyed that Cindy! I am loving your addition of “while enjoying your cup of coffee” – haha – perfect! How fun your mom used to make coffee cake for your dad – so sweet! I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as hers!
Gloria says
I am not a fan of chocolate (I know, I’m strange). Would this recipe work without the chocolate chips?
Jen says
Absolutely Gloria! Enjoy!
carrie says
maybe use carmel chips. hershey’s makes them now
Lisa F says
I just made these as cupcakes. Oh My!!! Awesome! Altered baking time to 25 minutes and cooling time to 30 minutes. Thank you so much. This will be repeated.
Jen says
Oh. my. yum! LOVING the idea of making these into cupcakes – can’t wait to try it myself – thank you! And thank you for commenting!
Cat says
I accidentally used a bundt pan. I hope it turns out at least semi-ok. It’s deep so it might work.
Beck says
Should this be stored in the fridge and served cold? Or is it ok to leave it on the counter and serve room temp?
Jen says
Hi Beck! This is cake is typically served room temperature and is totally safe because the cream cheese is baked – enjoy!
Khadija is in the Kitchen says
It’s the beautiful pictures who brought me to your blog! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
I made this cake and it was so good! I have a pan similar to yours but smaller so I baked the cake in a bigger round one. For the cream cheese filling, by mistake I added 1/4 cup butter! When I realized that, the cake was in the oven so I thought it won’t be good but it was still good!! I intend to do it again the same way I did it.
You can see it here: http://khadijaisinthekitchen.blogspot.ca/2016/04/gateau-la-banane-aux-pepites-de.html
All the best,
Khadija
Julie Meyers says
I would love to make this but it would have to be gluten free. Any suggestions on how to do that? Also I will be leaving out the nuts (two in family are allergic). Looks so incredible. Thank you for any help in this.
Jen says
Hi Julie, I don’t cook anything gluten free so I am not an expert but my mother in law uses Rob Mill’s gluten free flour. I would try using that one and following the same directions. Good luck!
Tamela says
Can I make this recipe without sour cream? If not what can I substitute for it?
Thanks
Tamela
Jen says
Hi Tamela, I have only tried this recipe as written so I cannot guarantee an the substitution will come out the same but a standard substation would be 3/4 cup buttermilk plus 1/3 cup butter. Hope this helps!
Jess says
You can also use plain Greek yogurt. I did that and it tasted just fine!
Jen says
Great! I’m so happy that worked! I would suggest adding more vanilla extract if using plain Greek yogurt.
Teanna says
I am in the process of baking this wonderful cream cheese stuffed banana coffee cake…. Oh my goodness the batter and the filling are awesome…I had to cheat and taste them as I was mixing…yummy yummy yummy!!! It is the perfect combination of everything I love..cream cheese, bananas and chocolate…..My compliments for this wonderful recipe..
Jen says
Thank you so much Teanna for the compliments! I hope you loved the baked cake just as much as the batter 🙂
Teanna says
Omg…the cake is so moist and flavorful ….my brother who is a cake fiend ..asked me what all was in the cake…he is like me banana, chocolate and what more could you ask for….he looked at me and said are you kidding heaven in one cake… he ate his piece of cake and looked at me and said if I found dead in the kitchen in the morning just know it was death by cake and it was absolute heaven….I can’t wait to make your carrot cake recipe…
Jen says
YAY! oh my goodness, I LOVE your comment – it is so cute, funny and makes me so happy! I hope you brother is alive and well and able to enjoy many many more Cream Cheese Stuffed Chocolate chip Banana Bread Coffee Cakes :)! xo
Sheryl says
I used a bunt pan and it still came out amazing! I took it out at about 40-45 mins.
Jen says
So good to know Sheryl, thank you! Did you put the streuesel on top or in the bottom of the pan so – so I can share with others? Also, do you know what size/volume pan you used. Thank you!!
Morgan says
DELICIOUS!
This coffee cake was amazing. Cream cheese, bananas, and chocolate chips. A few of my favorite things.
I actually halved the recipe and used a loaf pan. It was the perfect size for the amount of people I was feeding. I couldn’t wait the full hour to let it cool and it was a bit messy!
Jen says
Yay! thank you so much Morgan! I love that you adapted it for a loaf pan and totally understand the not being able to wait the full hour part! sometimes warm and messy is the very best!
Caroline says
How amazing does this look?! Could I portion of the baked cake be frozen for a few days? Hoping to bake it this weekend but want to save some for others on Tuesday!
Jen says
Hi Caroline! I know the cake would successfully freeze but I am not sure of the texture of the frozen cream cheese filling after being thawed. It would probably still be good but not exactly the same. Sorry I can’t be of more help!
Fabian says
I am so not smart. I just made it in a bundt cake pan and than saw the notes section clearly states “this will not work in a bundt cake pan” my lord what a waste it looks super delicious too
Jen says
So Sad! Sorry Fabian!
Fabian says
No worries the recipe was perfect It was me not paying attention. The cake still came out delicious the only problem was having the cinnamon on the bottom but the cake is good either way I baked two of them one the right way and one the bundt cake pan way. No complaints
Jen says
Thanks Fabian! Happy to hear the cake still was delicious!
Naoma says
Made this today! So great! I also accidentally used a bundt pan. I guess I will learn to read recipes through to the end. Came out great tho. I inverted it on the sheet pan and trimmed the very bottom of the rounded part and flipped it back over. Looks fantastic and mistake was well hidden. Oh and the taste!
Jen says
Hi Naoma, I am so relieved this worked for you in a bundt pan (didn’t think the batter would fit) – great idea to invert and trim the bottom! So happy you enjoyed it, thank you!
annette david says
I have not tried the recipes yet, just found your site. The photography is wonderful, I can taste what I see. To two beautiful people
Jen says
Hi Annette, welcome to my site and thank you for your kind words! I hope you have fun exploring and trying my recipes!
Lisa says
Love this! I want to try!
Jen says
Thank you Lisa, I hope you can too!
plasterer bristol says
Yummy this sounds awesome. Gonna give this ok. Thanks for sharing this.
Simon
Jen says
You are so welcome, hope you love it Simon!
Amber says
Bundt cake pan won’t work…. challenged accepted! Lol…. honestly I didn’t read all the way thru. Oops. We shall see. HA!
Jen says
Hi Amber, hope it works for you, let me know!
Katsu says
Disappointed I can’t use my bundt tin, I thought that’s what it was from the picture…. I don’t have a tube tin can I used a regular round cake pan?? I’d like to make this for my fiancé, I have a big heart tin would that work? Thanks.
Jen says
Hi Katsu, it just depends on how much volume your cake pans and heart tin hold, you could fill them like regular and just use as many pans as needed. Just be aware that the crumb topping will have to be inverted then flipped over again.
cecile says
I just found this fabulous recipe – and your equally fabulous blog – on Pinterest. I can’t wait to make this coffee cake! And I just signed up to receive each and every new recipe of yours – can’t wait!
I have a small recipe blog of my own and I’m soo impressed by people like yourself who are so good at banging out consistently wonderful recipes, accompanied by equally wonderful photos. I ended up not posting all summer… I feel like such a slug ; o )
Jen says
Hi Cecile, welcome to my site, I hope you find many new favorite recipes here! Thank you so much for your kind words about my recipes! Its definitely a lot of work to post consistently and its totally okay to take the summer off and rejuvenate – that’s the beauty of blogging :)!
Neha shah says
Hey,
How do we make this without egg? All your cake recipes are so brilliant.. but most of it have egg
.. can you please mention substitute for it ?
Thanks
Jen says
Hi Neha, I’m sorry I would have to experiment in order to give you a proper substitution for eggs. Sorry!
Vickie says
This is absolutely delish! I used a bundt pan too and it came out perfectly. I cooked it for the full 60 mins. I followed your flipping and cooling instructions and it all turned out okay. Some of the struesel soaked into the cake but that’s a good thing for me. More crunchy crumbs this way. One thing I would do differently is that I’d reserve half of the batter, add the cream cheese mixture, then pour the other half on top. This puts the cream cheese more in the middle of the cake (in my bundt pan, anyway). I love how the cream cheese mixture is neither too cream cheesey nor too sweet. Love this and will definitely make again!
Jen says
Hi Vickie, I am so happy you loved this so much and that it worked in your bundt pan. What size do you have? Thanks!
Erin says
Brought this cake to a family dinner last night. Everyone loved it!!! And people were even fighting to bring pieces of the leftovers home. It was delicious. I will definitely make it again!
Jen says
Sorry to cause a fight 🙂 but so happy everyone loved it so much! Thanks Erin!!!
Leslie says
As an alternative for oven ripening bananas……For some reason bananas just seem to ripen faster the older I get. Our family just doesn’t take to bananas unless they are all yellow, showing no signs of aging……Thus the alternative to ripening bananas and NOT wasting the cost of bananas was born in our house…….I take the still lovely bananas that no one will eat and place directly in the freezer. I ALWAYS have frozen bananas for banana bread, banana chocolates chip brownies, banana chocolates chip bread pudding, etc., etc.,……Merely pull desired amount of bananas needed for your recipe out of the freezer and defrost (lay them in a bowl or on a plate during defrost period to avoid a little puddle of leaky banana juice). When thawed, break outside banana skin, the banana inside slides right out. I think the freezing of the banana deepens and enriches the banana flavor, sort of like a banana licqor….Just my thoughts. This recipe looks like a great one to use some of my frozen bananas on…….Looking forward to trying this one.
Jen says
Hi Leslie, thank you so much for such a useful tip! I have frozen bananas in my freezer right now for smoothies and definitely am going to pull them out and use for banana bread now. Thank you! And I hope you love this recipe!
Jessica says
I just made this for tomorrow morning’s get together. I simply could not wait and tried a piece. It tastes absolutely fabulous! I can’t wait to share it in the morning!
Jen says
YAY! I am so happy you loved this coffee cake so much Jessica and what a fun treat so share! I am sure everyone was loving you for it 🙂
PS says
Made this divine cake yesterday after having it for 6 months on my must-try list…it was worth every minute of effort ! Oh, the amazing melding of all my favourite flavours…everyone of my friends and family were swooning! Thank you Jen for this wonderful recipe. God bless!
One problem though: my streusel topping was crumbly and chunks of it were coming off the cake making quite a mess. What did I do wrong? I used an angel cake pan baking for 60 + 10 minutes. But gawd, was it super soft , moist and delish…
Jen says
I am so happy this coffee cake was worth “every minute of effort!” As far as the crumb topping, a messy streusel topping is part of the nature of a coffee cake- not sure if it was messier than normal? If so, my only though is that maybe the streusel needed to be chopped finer, but that’s all I can think of, sorry!
Debbie Mastin says
This coffee cake was phenomenal!! It is a definite keeper!!
Jen says
Awesome Debbie, so happy it was such a hit! Thank you so much!!
Alexa says
Hey Jen,
Thank you for this wonderful recipe. It wasn’t until I was already making the batter that I too noticed it was not for a bundt pan, but since I only had a mini tube pan tin, I went with the bundt. I’m not sure how many cups mine holds. But for all those who are curious I put the streusel on the bottom and then poured the batter on top. It wasn’t crumbly like a true streusel but it didn’t get mixed in with the batter, but instead formed a top layer which my husband loved. It wasn’t completely successful. Even though I cooled it for over an hour, when I inverted it the cream cheese layer kind of oozed out but I don’t know if the structural integrity was affected by the bundt or if it just needed to be cooled longer. Thanks for a great recipe and I can’t wait to make it again!
Ps. Your million dollar mac and cheese is a family favorite!!!
Jen says
Hi Alexa, sorry for the delay as I had surgery the week you left this comment and it got lost in cyberspace 🙂 anywhoo, I am so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thanks for sharing your tips for putting the streusel on the bottom of a bundt pan – the melding of the streusel with the cake sounds delicious! And I’m so glad you love the Million Dollar Mac and Cheese – you have great taste in recipes 🙂
Laura says
I’ve made this gluten free a couple of times using Steve’s GF Cake Flour by Authentic Foods in the coffee cake and Bob’s Red Mill GF Oat Flour in the streusel and for coating the pan. I always have amazing results. Steve’s GF Cake Flour contains no xanthan gum nor does any need to be added. Highly recommend for one to one replacements if you can find it! I promise that I am not a paid advertiser I just love the product!
Jen says
HI Laura, I am so happy you are able to make this gluten free with great results! Thank you so much for the awesome product tips!
Rita says
Do you think if this was made over night and cooked in the morning it would turn out (I’d throw it in the fridge) never did this before with a cake but going to a “sleep over” and thought this might be a great addition if cooked in the A.M
Jen says
Hi Rita, sorry but you can’t refrigerate the cake batter and bake it the next day or you will end up with a flat cake. It will still taste delicious if baked the night before – or even better!
Rachel says
I baked the night before, iced it the AM, and served at work. It was delightful!
Jen says
So happy you love it Rachel, thank you! and what a great way to make ahead for a stress free morning!
Jeri says
Love your recipes but no PRINT buttons
Jen says
Thank you! Yes, there are two print buttons – one at the top of the post underneath the title and a print icon to the top right of the small thumbnail on the actual recipe itself.
Kelli says
What brand of tube pan do you use? I don’t own one and want to buy a good one for this recipe.
Jen says
Hi Kelli! I use Chicago Metallic and I believe I got it off of Amazon – I highly recommend it!
Sarah says
I made this cake followed the recipe exactly cooked it for 55 min then thought it needed more so did another 5 min let it sit for an hour turned it out and it fell apart as it wasn’t cooked all the way through… so disappointed as it looked amazing! I was making it for mother’s day brunch for tomorrow, but I will try it again, another time. I put it back in the pan to cook it again some more and will serve it as a pintrest fail lol
Jen says
Hi Sarah, I’m sorry this cake didn’t work for you but the directions were not followed exactly. All ovens and pans are different and that is why I say to cook 55 minutes “OR until a toothpick comes out clean.” Following this instructions ensures your cake cooks all the way and would have been a success.
Rachel says
I tried it (minus the chocolate chips) and it was AMAZING.
It turned out very impressive looking, much more than a mere coffee cake!
Thank you so much.
Jen says
You are so welcome! I’m so happy it turned out both beautiful looking and tasting :)!
Judy says
Hi Jen,
So happy to find your site! I can’t wait to try this recipe. I’m so glad I still have my grandmother’s “Angel food” pan, circa 1930. I’ve only used it so far to make my hubby’s favorite chocolate mashed potato cake. Now I have another reason to use it. I’m looking forward to trying some of your other recipe ‘s too. They all sound scrumptious!
Jen says
Welcome to my site Judy! That is so cool you still have your grandmother’s pan, how special! I hope you love this recipe and find many new favorites here!
Marybeth says
Tried this recipe and absolutely loved it.. I’m kinda skeptical when it comes to trying new recipes but this one is super easy to follow and the results are amazing and tasty!!! My hubby doesn’t really care for cream cheese but he sure liked this cake!!!
Jen says
Hi Marybeth, I am sorry for the delay as I am way behind after recovering from pneumonia, but I so appreciate your comment and am thrilled you and your husband loved this cake! Thank you so much!
Salwa says
Dear Jen,
You must be some kind of wizard, how do you come up with these combinations? I tweeked a little to appease my conscience…so I used half whole wheat flour , used brown sugar (only 1/2 cup) and sunstitited half the butter with canola oil)…and it still came out fabulous. It was wiped clean in less than 24 hours!
Jen says
What a kind comment, thank you Salwa! I am thrilled everyone loved this recipe and that it turned out amazing with your healthier substitutions – you are the true wizarad!
Hannah says
Just wanted everyone to know that I made this tonight using a bundt pan (10×3.5 inches) and it turned out perfectly! It was done at 40 minutes on the dot-obviously the crumble is on the bottom but it was just as pretty on top with the icing and mini chocolate chips, and the flavor didn’t suffer one bit! Awesome recipe, will definitely be keeping it for future use.
Jen says
Hi Hannah, thank you so so much for the bundt pan tip – I’m so happy it turned out!
Elizabeth says
Same here. Used a 10×3.5 bundt pan, for 50 minutes and it turned out perfectly. Still had an inch left between the cake and top of the pan after baking.
Big Jim says
Here is a trick I found years ago, as your bananas start to get too ripe to eat, freeze them for later use in recipes like this one . When you thaw them out they will turn black, but the banana will become a liquid, no mashing needed. for easier use in a recipe.
Jen says
Thank you so much for that trick Jim, I am definitely going to try it with my bananas I have right now!
Laurie says
***WARNING*** The cream cheese filling is very soupy when the cake comes out of the oven, I bumped the counter top with the edge of the pan and filling and maybe one third of struesel and very hot melted chocolate chips slouched over my wrist and onto the floor…I was devastated…HOWEVER, once cooled this cake was AWESOME…mine, was beautiful in the oven, not so pretty when I lost part of it to the floor!
Great Recipe THANK YOU!!!
Jen says
Hi Laurie, I’m so sorry the pan got bumped and you lost some of it on the floor – bummer! At least the whole thing didn’t go on the ground! Thank goodness you loved the cooled cake – otherwise that would have been salt in the wound! I hope you can make it again and devour the whole thing!
NickiDE says
This one is going on our Easter brunch table. The only change I will make is to use my own favorite glaze (as if the cake is not already rich enough!! But hey, it’s a holiday!) In case anyone would like to try it, just combine 3 TBSP melted butter, 3 tsp milk or half and half, 1 tsp vanilla and 1 cup powdered sugar. Whisk until smooth. First day of Spring in DE and we are expecting a foot of snow – wish I were in Carlsbad 🙂
Jen says
Thanks for the glaze recipe, sounds fantastic!
Jessica says
Hi! I am wanting to make this, but was thinking of putting the crumble on the bottom of a bundt pan so that when you flip it the crumble is on top. Do you think that would work?
Jen says
Hi Jessica, the crumble definitely would not have the same consistency if baked on the bottom, so no I don’t recommend it. I simply flip mine then flip it back over and it works fine. Enjoy!
Sandra says
Does this have to be kept in the fridge because of the cream cheese? I’m looking for something that can survive a very long car ride and prefer cakes at room temp. I can’t wait to try it for at-home eating though! Thanks,
Jen says
Hi Sandra, because the cream cheese is baked it does not technically have to be refrigerated so you are good to go!
Sue says
Anyone try this in a 9×13 pan? Don’t really want to buy a tube pan, but the recipe sounds great!!
Stephanie says
I didn’t see the bundt pan note until I already started so I ended up using 3 bread pans. About the same cook time, came out delicious but I was able to share a loaf with friends!
Jen says
Awesome Stephanie! Thanks for letting me know it works well in loaf pans! I am going to have to try that!
Michelle says
Do you think I could try this in a 9×13 pan?
Jen says
Hi Michelle, I haven’t personally tried it but I believe others have and it has worked. Best of luck!
Shushila says
How did you get the banana bread out of your bundt cake pan?
Jen says
Hi Shushila, it is a tube pan as instructed so the bottom removes. Enjoy!
Kenzie says
If you don’t have a tube pan is there a way to make this in a normal cake pan?
Jen says
Others have commented that they made it in a 9×13 and that worked!
Alexandria Cottrell says
I have done this numerous times and it is amazing!
Jen says
I’m so glad it’s been tried and true!
Jason says
Hey there your recipes are just the best. Literally make your recipes 90% of the time lol. Any chance to make this without the cream cheese filling as my mother in law can’t have that. Thanks
Jen says
That’s awesome Jason, thank you for making my recipes! Yes, you can certainly make this without the cream cheese center. Enjoy!
NANCY mcguinness says
Love your site
Jen says
Thank you so much Nancy!
Lauren says
Mmmm can’t wait to bake this!!! Have you ever tried freezing it?
Jen says
Hi Lauren, the cream cheese filling doesn’t freeze well but it freezes well if you skip the filling. Enjoy!
Melissa says
This was amazing!! Made them in muffin tins instead since I didn’t have the right pan so I only cooked them for 20-25 mins & they turned out perfectly. Will for sure make this again!!
Jen says
Thank you for the awesome review Melissa! I’m so pleased your muffin version were such a hit – yum!
Amelia Boone says
This cake is fabulous, a five star recipe. Look no further for that morning coffee cake.
Jen says
Thank you so much Amelia, I’m so happy you loved it!
Debra King says
Love your recipes. I can always count on them to be perfect.
Has something happened to the “jump to recipe” feature? Lately, it has been missing. I use that feature all the time!
Jen says
It is the oddest thing – it is working on my end but not on some readers. I wonder if it’s working in some browsers and not others – what browser are you using? Maybe try clearing your cache?
Stephanie says
Made it in a bundt pan because that’s all i had on hand (got ahead of myself and started making the cake batter before it clicked that it was a different pan specified in the recipe). Had to cook longer in a bundt pan than specifed. Turned out great, would probably prefer a bigger pan next time though just to make the layering easier. Ended up with the streusel on the bottom(of the cake) but meant to try it in the pan first before the batter. Its delicious.. Wasnt sure about a whole cake but I’m sure it’ll get eaten quick!! Thank you can’t wait to try more of your recipes
Jen says
Welcome to my site Stephanie! I’m so pleased you loved this recipe and that it still worked in your pan – phew! I hope you enjoy exploring my site and hopefully discover many new favorites!
Kim says
I have a pointer…freeze bananas. I make banana bread a lot and when I buy bananas and do not eat them all I put them in the freezer when they start turning. When I need to make banana bread I thaw 2 of them out. Since I have been freezing them I learned that my banana bread tastes better with the bananas I have frozen and thawed rather than mashing up fresh ones.
Jen says
Thanks so much for this awesome tip Kim! So easy and your bananas will never go to waste!
Natalie says
I didn’t have the correct tin so decided to halve the recipe (in case it didn’t work) and make muffins. They have just come out of the oven and I couldn’t wait and have eaten one already and they are so so good. Now wishing I had made the full recipe.
Jen says
What a fun idea to make this recipe into muffins, I’m so glad you love them!
vkunke says
Can anyone advise how long to bake if using a 9X13 pan?
Jen says
Try 45-55 minutes at 350 degrees F. Good luck!
Alejandra says
This is a labor-intensive recipe, but so well worth it. Thank you for sharing your recipe! It looks and tastes amazing. My family will never want any other coffee cake after eating this one.
PS: mine cooked in 60 minutes.
Jen says
Thank you so much Alejandra, I’m so pleased to hear it’s a new family favorite!
Nadine says
OMG!! This cake is to die for. The term “coffee cake” is almost an insult!! It is so much more than that. It is decadent, rich, creamy and absolutely delicious and full of flavor!! Thank you so much. Your recipes are THE best.
Jen says
YAY! Thank you so much Nadine, I’m thrilled this was a huge hit!
Jeannie says
Can this be frozen after baking and cooling? It is AMAZING but we can’t eat it all this week.
Jen says
I’m so pleased you enjoyed it! Yes, this cake can be cooled, tightly wrapped and frozen.
Juanita says
I am not following, is this a layer with wet mixture and dry alternating not mixed together? A video would be most helpful with this recipe. As I am sitting in my kitchen late, and ready to put in the oven, debating what to do?
Jen says
Hi Juanita, sorry for the delay, I don’t check my comments on Sundays. Hopefully you saw the photos in the post illustrating the assembly – the batter, the cream cheese layer, the batter and then the crumble. Good luck!
ANGELA says
Would it taste as good if I used pecans instead of walnuts. My daughter is severely allergic to walnuts.
Jen says
Absolutely!
Jam says
I’ve made this recipe many times and each time it has been a HUGE hit! Along the way, I’ve experimented with it a bit to accommodate friends with allergies and intolerances. It makes great cupcakes (muffins?) For single serving cakes, works great in a cast iron pan, 9×13, or really any dish (aka the tube pan isn’t super necessary unless you want a fairly tall cake). I’ve used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 flour as a successful replacement, dairy free cream cheese (Tofutti and Violife are the only ones I tested), dairy free sour cream (I used Follow Your Heart), dairy free butter (I’ve used Earth Balance STICKS to a success), and even replaced the eggs with flax eggs. This recipe is a real winner!
Jen says
Wow! I am so glad it has worked great with your substitutions! Thanks so much!
Joanne says
Best coffee cake ever! Will be making again, very fluffy and flavorful!
Jen says
Yay! Thank you so much, Joanne! I am absolutely delighted you love this coffee cake!
Holly says
Well I did not see that a Budnt cake pan would NOT work until the last step. Wish it luck in the oven. The batter was delicious! I can’t wait to try my volcano cake.
Jen says
Oh no! Best of luck! I hope your volcano is absolutely delicious!
Leigh Kottwitz says
I love this recipe! The second time making it I accidentally used a Bundt pan and it turned out great! I got lots of compliments. Definitely on my make again list.
Jen says
Thank you! I’m so happy to hear it made the list!