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Banana Pound Cake

Banana pound cake with a dense, velvety crumb and a golden caramelized crust. Made in a loaf or bundt pan and finished with a simple vanilla glaze that drips down the sides.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Servings: 12 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Banana pound cake
  • 3 bananas Ripe bananas, mashed until mostly smooth with a few soft flecks for texture.
  • 1 cup butter Softened to room temperature so the creaming step turns light and fluffy.
  • 2 cup sugar Granulated sugar for classic pound-cake sweetness and browning.
  • 4 large eggs Room temperature helps the batter stay silky after adding one at a time.
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract Use for both the cake and the glaze (measure separately when making each).
  • 3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.5 cup sour cream Adds tenderness and moisture; fold gently to keep the crumb tight.
Vanilla glaze
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tbsp milk Add more milk as needed to make a thick but pourable drizzle.
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract For the glaze only; keep cake-vanilla and glaze-vanilla separate.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Prepare and preheat
  1. Preheat the oven to 325°F, then grease and flour a large loaf pan or bundt pan so the cake releases cleanly.
Cream the base
  1. Beat the butter and sugar together for 5 minutes until very light and fluffy, scraping the sides once if needed for even aeration.
Add eggs, vanilla, and bananas
  1. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then mix in the vanilla extract and mashed bananas.
Finish the batter
  1. Alternate folding in the flour mixture (all-purpose flour mixed with baking soda, baking powder, and salt) and the sour cream in three additions until just combined.
Bake
  1. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 65–75 minutes at 325°F until a toothpick comes out clean and the top is deeply golden.
Cool and glaze
  1. Cool the cake for 20 minutes in the pan before unmolding so it holds its dense crumb.
  2. Drizzle the vanilla glaze over the cooled cake so it runs slightly down the sides and sets on the golden crust.
Make the vanilla glaze
  1. Whisk powdered sugar with 2–3 tablespoons milk and vanilla extract until smooth and thick enough to drizzle.

Notes

Pro tip: for the tight, velvety crumb, mash bananas thoroughly but don’t overmix once the flour is added—fold just until no dry streaks remain. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerated for up to 5 days; freeze slices for up to 2 months, thaw overnight in the fridge. For a dairy-reduced swap, use plain Greek yogurt in place of sour cream for a similar tang and moisture (texture stays close).