Banana Cake Recipe That's Better Than Sara Lee's - Glen And Friends Cooking

Banana Cake Recipe That's Better Than Sara Lee's - Glen And Friends Cooking
A childhood favourite of Glen's was the Sara Lee Banana Cake... Then they stopped selling it in Canada, and that set him off on a lifelong journey to replicate the Sara Lee Banana Cake Recipe from scratch. Trying to come up with a copycat Sara Lee Banana Cake recipe took some time, but the real secret is in the banana cream cheese frosting. Get ready for one of the best banana cake with cream cheese frosting recipes you've ever made.
Ingredients
625 mL (2 ½ cups) flour
10 mL (2 tsp) baking soda
1 mL (¼ tsp) coarse salt
125 mL (½ cup) butter
250 mL (1 cup) sugar
175 mL (¾ cup) packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
5 mL (1 tsp) vanilla extract
150 mL (⅔ cup) buttermilk
4 medium-size ripe bananas, peeled and mashed
Fresh juice from ½ lemon
Frosting
60 mL (¼ cup) butter, softened
60 mL (¼ cup) cream cheese, softened
1 mashed banana
45 mL (3 Tbsp) banana saccharum
Fresh juice from ½ lemon
2 mL (½ tsp) vanilla extract
875 mL (3 ½ cups) +/- icing sugar
Method
Preheat oven to 180ºC (350°F.)
Line a 13x9” baking pan with a parchment sling
Using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream butter, sugar, flour, baking soda and salt.
Beat together eggs, brown sugar, vanilla extract, buttermilk, and bananas.
Stir this mixture into the flour mixture along with the lemon juice.
Transfer into a prepared baking pan and bake 35-40, minutes.
Allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes, before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Frosting:
In an electric mixer, whip butter, cream cheese, banana, banana saccharum and lemon juice on medium speed until well combined.
Slowly add icing sugar until a smooth consistency is reached.
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[@GlenAndFriendsCooking]

Thanks for watching Everyone! If you liked this video; please leave a comment, give a thumbs up, and share it with friends and family.

[@sageslarres]

Hey glen what happened with the dry ager? I've noticed that it's been missing

[@jannyleigh4669]

How long do banana skins need to soak in the sugar?

[@luciamazzatenta2060]

Cake is in the oven 😁

[@jannyleigh4669]

I made it too. Very good. But the icing is the best part!

[@trex70]

We made the cake yesterday and its truly delicious. Thx for sharing.

[@brendamarks1985]

The single best thing I have learned from Glen: “It’ll be fine.” I used to overthink processes and techniques when I cooked, but I am much more relaxed about things since I discovered Glen and Friends. Things I cook now turn out just as good, if not better, and I enjoy cooking so much more than ever before!!

[@cmonkey63]

Another YT cooking channel likes to use the phrase, "Don't worry about it!" Don't have ingredient X, "don't worry about it". Just saying that puts people at ease when their pantry isn't stocked with every single ingredient. The important thing is to try it and find out for yourself.

[@twiztedsynz]

I like Chef John's "That's just you cookin'" about any oops or forgotten or over-compensated stuff.

[@thecrazything95]

Same, it's why I actually tried to make sourdough bread. Other channels made just a big deal out of every step, as if streching it 11 times isntead of 12 would turn it into a gremlin. Glenn's just here like "throw it in a pile, stretch it a bunch, it'll be fine, you'll have perfectly decent tasty bread".

[@Nathan-wk9dd]

I'd buy the Glen and Friends "it'll be fine" t-shirt.

[@mattsnyder4754]

Absolutely. I remember hearing once that basically every significant recipe and cooking technique came about by someone messing something else up and finding out it still worked.

[@cmonkey63]

As someone who watched The Galloping Gourmet as a kid, I never thought I'd see the equivalent of "and here's one I prepared earlier" at the beginning of an episode.

[@MeMe-Moi]

I didn't think I liked banana cake until watching the old cookbook show banana cake recipe. Thanks to Glen I tried it and I now know I like it.

[@juliemeanor6531]

Delicious, needs a sprinkle of mini chocolate chips and a peanut butter drizzle to make the angels sing.😘

[@fatladyfarmer2025]

You make me wish I liked bananas. And my favorite phrase is "you cannot over mix that".

[@SuHu62]

I still don't wish I liked banana 🤢 but I enjoyed watching 😄

[@davidkahnt2632]

Bananas are evil... but I enjoyed this video

[@rocketcaver]

My wife doesn't like bananas but she liked this.

[@walterco7701]

Oh man, I rarely buy bananas as they're not my favorite, but the bargain bin deal at the grocery store (a big bunch for about 1/3 the price) I can't resist and I JUST finished up the last one. I did make banana muffins with cream cheese and orange curd filling and they were amazing, but this looks so good.

[@renorebe.]

Thank you for this recipe/method. I often have ripe bananas and I'm always on the lookout for recipes for baked goods. One tip I learned from Emma Fontanella of Emma's Goodies, is to puree the bananas--that prevents the cake from having brown spots the next day. I keep ripe bananas in the freezer until I'm ready to bake, and when they thaw, they are very soft and the immersion blender makes a quick job of pureeing them. Now I have learned to use the peels for syrup. Thanks again. P.S. I love your channel. 😃

[@Gardeninginpearls]

I loved the Sarah Lee cake as a kid! This is going to be what the ripe bananas in the kitchen turn into tomorrow. Great videos, always. ♥️

[@janem3575]

I haven't had their banana cake, but I had a lot of their pound cake. The one in the freezer section now is not what I remember 🤔

[@kenmore01]

"This is where I tell you I forgot the cream cheese" I LOLed at that. Sorry. :-D

[@kenmore01]

@@judithburke1539 Sadly it's often not at a place you can recover. I tend to remember as I'm digesting my food.

[@chrisperry7963]

That banana sacchurum step was super interesting, first time seeing that option! Thanks, Glen!

[@lizsteilkie]

Oh sooo great 👍Glad we got you there. Love your gentle Canadian phosophy-the world needs more of it!

[@richardheinen1126]

How long will that banana syrup keep?

[@erinchamberlain1315]

Odd comment here but it makes me happy to watch your relationship with each other. Julie, you seem so supportive and positive and vice versa. It's just really lovely. Glen, I can't tell you how many times I've heard the old 'it's a science' thing and, to be honest, it's held me back from baking. I'm a really good cook, so I always figured I'd be a not-so-good baker. Going to give this one a try! Thanks again friends!

[@julieschneider5973]

Looks amazing!! The banana peel syrup reminds me of the recipe I use for banana bread, out of the Cook’s Illustrated cookbook. To get more intense banana flavor, you get the bananas to release liquid (either by freezing then thawing, or microwaving), then you cook it down to a quarter cup and add it to the batter. This sounds like a similar concept but might require adjusting the sugar in the recipe a bit. Definitely going to try this cake recipe!! 🤤

[@isabelledrolet4297]

Glen, can the technique for the sacchrum be applied to most fruits? Are there any to avoid trying this with?

[@yellodragon]

Banana cake is my absolute favorite! I had a bunch of bananas one day that was just about to turn and I was sick of banana bread! So I dug around online to find something to make with them, that I had the ingredients for...and lo and behold...I discovered that banana cake was a thing and it is delicious. Such a simple recipe so I think all the joy is really in the frosting. I love your twist on the frosting and think I will give it a shot. I typically stick with a basic cream cheese frosting.

[@ubombogirl]

"it'll be fine"...lol...and the look on glen's face to go with it...love it!

[@ajfurnari2448]

Jules always has impeccable timing when it comes to helping with your recipes! 🤣

[@SpuddySpud]

Right, I'll be making that for Easter tea 😋. I might try making it with nuts / peanut butter in the icing to give it the flavour of chunky monkey ice cream.

[@SpuddySpud]

@@judithburke1539 put a sign on your door saying "free cake" and see if anyone shows up!

[@EastSider48215]

Great idea!

[@Tala_Masca]

You can see how soft the cake is when Glen puts the icing on! Looks delicious!

[@TheBeetrootman]

It looks superb.

[@isabelledrolet4297]

Looks like a great cake! I'm partial to the one found in "La Cuisine Raisonnée" as it's the one from my childhood and I still make it to this day, but I'll pair it with this icing next time. Should be delicious!!

[@Momster1000]

Speaking of Sara Lee cakes, would you happen to have the recipe for the Sara Lee orange cake? I have been looking for it for a long time..... Thanks ! Btw the banana cake looks amazing .

[@dalleeftz]

Really great idea using the peels! Also, thank you so much for speaking so clearly and not so fast! Even without captions I can understand everything you say. I can't say that about some of the other chefs'cooking shows!

[@coreymcdonald7745]

I think that’s the single best tip in the kitchen… “it’ll be fine.”

[@lilacblumen]

Thanks for this, Glen! I love banana and I’m going to give the syrup thing a whirl. BTW, I’ve made your Nutella brownies several times now and they’re amazing. I get requests for them. They’re truly the best brownies I’ve ever had, store-bought or home-made. 😊

[@daveb-d4t]

love to rewatch this method for the banana cake ... and Glen's happy dance.

[@sharons6290]

Funny that you forgot the cream cheese. I had just sat down from mixing up some English muffin bread and waiting for it to rise. When you said you forgot the cream cheese It suddenly dawned on me I never put the yeast in the bread dough, hit the pause button and sure enough my bread wasn't rising. I then put the yeast in a bowl added a lil warm water, while I was putting the dough back into the mixer. I then added the yeast and a tad more flour. Put them back in the pans to rise , came back after I finished your video and buzzer went off . beautiful rise and now baking. Goes with what you said just back up ! Going to try this cake for sure. Thank you

[@gailjordan9250]

Yum, yum, yum. The banana flavored icing takes it over the top.

[@EastSider48215]

This is just me going off on a tangent: “Banana oil!” was a slang term for “bullshit” back in the day; that day being just about a century ago. I think it’s time to bring it back.

[@markwebster8770]

Was looking up banana cake recipes last night. Was greeted this morning with a great cake and a remarkable tip to "amp up the flavour" . Thanks, Glen.

[@randyh6198]

Sara Lee Banana Cake was always my favourite as a kid and I was devastated when they stopped selling it in Canada! 😅 Thanks for sharing this recipe I will have to try this!

[@loam6740]

Wow I get the citrus peel but I wouldn't have expected it to work well with banana great idea

[@0703la]

I do not like banana bread but love banana cake. Every summer I search again for a good recipe. This may be the one. As soon as I can get some bananas I’m going to try it with the reverse creaming method.

[@marionhatcher1416]

I loved the Sara Lee banana cakes best store bought cake , ive had

[@johnsemcheski6498]

My Mom always made this as a layer cake. Try using chocolate icing. Outstanding.

[@jamesellsworth9673]

I LEARNED SOMETHING NEW from THIS adventure with banana and peel!

[@bluesman99999]

I love bananas, so this is a definite "must try!" Thanks for the recipe Glen!

[@ronaldcovert5951]

Good show as always thank you

[@alexhurst3986]

I love that you don't edit your mistakes. That stuff happens all the time in the kitchen. Content like this may give some more timid people the courage they need to start cooking at home.

[@--Zenwebgoddess--]

When I was little, I used to peel the icing off the Sara Lee banana cake straight out of the freezer. 🤤

[@rocketcaver]

We made this today, even with the banana saccharum, though we halved the recipe. Holy cow this is good stuff! Another keeper!

[@elizabethriesche3120]

Gotta try this - love the peel liquid in the Frosting. I loved Sara Lee banana cake growing up - this should replicate it!

[@ABWSKITCHEN]

Thank you for sharing this information!!!!!!!

[@robviousobviously5757]

My late mother made a "banana cake" when the bananas got a little dark... One of my brother's friends asked what the black spots were? And without skipping a beat, my mother said fruit flies.. From that day forward.. it was a "rotten banana fruit fly cake."

[@Your.Uncle.AngMoh]

"Some people don't like some things, but nobody doesn't like Sara Lee" was an ad mantra from the 1970s and 80s in Australia. One of my aunts even worked at their production facility on the New South Wales Central Coast.

[@nkb1]

There's a restaurant chain in FL called Toojays. Their most popular cake is a Banana Dream cake. Basically a banana cake with a banana butter cream between the layers and a chocolate ganache on top with walnuts pressed on to the side.

[@anthonydolio8118]

I just love the conversations you two have while eating the end product. Thanks.

[@holdyerblobsaloft]

Just made your 1930 banana cake yesterday! 😁

[@staceyn2541]

Just an fyi, eating bananas is not supposed to make your mouth go numb. You might laugh, but I was 40 when I found this out. Yeah, turns out I am allergic. :). Wishing I could try this!

[@pamhouglan4710]

Never heard of the banana peel mixture but it sounds pretty good. Loving your videos!

[@LyleKN]

Banana syrup made from the skins, and it's so very simple! Definitely going to try it and if it works as well as you say it does, this will be a staple in my kitchen from now on. I make a lot of banana cakes for friends.

[@waltimedes]

Don't care much for bananas and pretty much hate cake, but as always I enjoy watching your show. Good advice to not panic when you forget something, just take a deep breath and roll with it.

[@saraatppkdotpt8140]

Great video from you!

[@452steve452]

Sounds very good.

[@demetriusoconnor8149]

Thank you so much 😺Glen you are awesome ! this cake is the same recipe that my friends mom used to make and sadly would not share because “it was a family recipe “ but she never added banana liquid I can’t wait to try yours 🥳 it will blow hers of water. I am so happy that you shared this recipe . I miss my friends mom and her cake very much , thank you for sharing yours!

[@codymaltzman945]

Trying this recipe right now for other half’s bday cake. Added a little walnut on his half!! Frosting a bit on the thin side so far even after I added an extra cup. High elevation or very squishy banana. Either way it has a great flavor. Loving the acidic lemon against the banana

[@HansMaximum]

Well, I'll tell you one thing. I am definitely trying that banana syrup.

[@ptjzmemory]

Thank you for reminding us to relax in the kitchen. It really will be fine, unless it isn't. Then it is a learning experience.

[@Thrash44041]

This has become my go to wake up channel. I absolutely love it. So much interesting recipes and info. Thanks Glen.

[@marilyn1228]

This looks GREAT!!!!

[@xmozzazx]

I think I enjoy when you forget something or make an error in a recipe. It's then, that I learn to cook better. Love your stuff! Can't wait for meat outside this summer!

[@majoyap3403]

It looks yummy

[@originalhazelgreene]

Finally got around to making this today. Forgot to reserve 1 banana for the frosting, so i added extra banana sacr. and the frosting tastes noticeably lemony. It really brings out the tang of the cream cheese. The cake itself is delicious!! Very banana! With the texture of a cake. Love it. A pain, but awesome result.

[@timinsd]

Glen, this looks amazing. First question is whether or not you ship 😂 Have you tried making a banana ice cream? I’ve tried many methods and I think I have it down really well (making a French vanilla custard as the base). But I am going to try your banana syrup next time when I make it. That was a really good idea.

[@missmusicmom1970]

Sounds good

[@catherinewhite2943]

I made this, and it was fabulous. Intensely banana-y. I made extra banana saccharum and froze it and will add it to the next banana bread that I make. It is most decidedly disquieting to watch the brown sugar gloop turn into liquid over the course of a day.

[@michaelstevens1027]

Sounds so good!

[@TMITNA]

Banana saccharum, looks like my banana bread is gonna get an upgrade.

[@amyeagleton697]

That is a good looking cake!

[@moniquehebert178]

I can’t wait to try this recipe

[@dreyer83]

I too sadly miss Sara Lee banana cake and I too have tried for years to duplicate it. The cake I use faithfully is Banana Cake Cockaigne from The Joy of Cooking, but the challenge has ALWAYS been the frosting! This syrup is surely what has been missing and even though there isn't a birthday coming up (our family tradition for birthday cake), I will be trying this as soon as my bananas get ripe enough. THANK YOU Glen!

[@dreyer83]

I made this yesterday and all I have to say is "You nailed it"! Immediately brought me back to 1975 and the rare times my mother would buy us such a treat. The banana syrup is the magic ingredient! Thank you so much. This recipe will replace TJOC recipe for all future birthday cakes. On the other hand, the metric measurement for the flour is incorrect, way too much! I weighed 2.5 cups and I think it was closer to 425 gm (ml). While I prefer to weigh, my US cups came in handy!

[@GlenAndFriendsCooking]

@@dreyer83 Glad you enjoyed the recipe; but I have to tell you: NONE of the measurements are by weight in this recipe - why were you weighing anything? The measurements are in Volume mL! Volume is mL, weight is g - this was all by volume. So the measurement is correct.

[@dreyer83]

@@GlenAndFriendsCooking Hi Glen! I was weighing it because mL is equivalent to grams and my scale does grams... 625.0 Milliliters (ml) = 625.0 Grams (g) 1 ml = 1.0 g So your system is like US cups, but uses mL? Interesting, I had no idea. Good to know! Thanks again for the recipe in any case, it's a keeper here!

[@GlenAndFriendsCooking]

@@dreyer83 NO No Nope... The ONLY thing that 1 mL weighs 1g is distilled water at 25ºC - that is the only thing where 1 mL = 1g. You can't weigh flour like that because it has a different density. You can't weigh sugar like that because it has a different density. The mL on a scale is only for water.

[@johnverville3205]

Hi Glen. I made the banana cake yesterday and it came out great. Everyone one loved it. I did not get quite the rise in the cake that you did but it was excellent none the less. Thanks for sharing the recipe!

[@m.m.3479]

Glen! Thank you for this! I followed your recipe exactly even the banana peel part. Wow, this turned out great. My little one said she wants it as her birthday cake. Great job on this 👏🏼

[@uhm6577]

I picked up bananas tonight because I saw this recipe :) All cut and waiting until tomorrow... it's actually really neat to go and check the peels to see the flavor coming out of the peels.

[@jackieaubrey4599]

The cake looks delicious! I LOVE Jules' sweater even more though

[@shambu8758]

This was delicious yet I tweaked it by adding cinnamon and nutmeg ✌🏽🌺🙋🏽‍♀️

[@jacquespoulemer3577]

Glen & Julie, Greetings from Mexico. I love finding new ways to use ingredients. The banana peel 'ferment' was great. I saw Brazilia n cooks cook the peel in sugar. But this new trick you showed me would make a great addition to my banana cake recipe. Or perhaps soak it in brandy or vodka like I make my vanilla extract for a banana extract. Thanks a bunch. Love the channel. Hugs from a far away friend you never met JIM

[@jeffmorse645]

I love banana cake with vanilla buttercream frosting. One of my favorite cakes. I'm definitely going to try your cake recipe, but I think I'll stick to my tried and true frosting.

[@randylevy]

I'm still tempted to add banana syrup to the buttercream

[@chriscaughey1103]

Looks yummy!

[@eugenb.8448]

That banana peel trick is awesome! I wonder if you use Allulose instead of regular sugar and then use it as a flavouring for low carb muffins etc if it would give you that banana punch with way fewer carbs?

[@asloan193]

I used the reverse creaming method a couple weekends ago to make pancakes. Worked great.

[@rebeccaturner5503]

I need to plan ahead for the next batch of banana cake / bread.

[@NewDimension7]

Yay Banana , i like this Yuhuu super nice tips Thanks you for recipe

[@demetriusoconnor8149]

Lol I loved Jules “most of the bananas are gone”

[@debm460]

Glen, it’s nice to know that you aren’t perfect (quite endearing). I really miss the Sara Lee cakes. The cake batter tastes amazing and have the banana peels in sugar. I don’t have a scale, so had to guess. Love banana cake ❤️

[@TNJenni42]

Made this last night and it was a huge hit. Will definitely make it again

[@673AWSF]

Banana cake is wayyyyy cooler than banana bread and this might be the best banana cake I’ve ever seen.

[@garythornsberry5349]

You all are always so delightful

[@johnstebe1133]

Oh my goodness. Can we please be friends? Your recipes are awesome. Thank you

[@fadz5210]

Thank you very much for this recipe and its technique. May be you are aware of this, you covered the name of the red mixer with blue tape, however the name shows up on the transparent bowl.

[@gregoryjackson7903]

loved this ❤ Jules is such a great vibe

[@askemtellem]

Can't wait to try this but wondering if could use regular milk or water instead of buttermilk as have dairy issues. Thanks

[@SmallWonda]

YUMMY!

[@lindacampbell316]

The banana syrup is a great idea! A tasty addition might be walnuts or coconut, if you like it of course. It could easily be made into a chocolate banana cake. Linda, Quebec city.

[@JimLambier]

This looks like a great way to use up the over ripe bananas that are sitting in my kitchen. If I make this, I'm sure my family will say that I should add chocolate chips.

[@marilyn1228]

Is there such a thing as peanut butter chips, because that would be fun too.

[@reginabillotti]

@@marilyn1228 yes

[@sydneygoyette5403]

I am so intrigued by the banana syrup! Bananas are on our weekly grocery list to I need to try this! Thank you 😌

[@maddyf8398]

I think I will be trying that banana peel and sugar method! I can see it being used in several different ways from puddings to coffee ( yes, banana cream coffee).

[@kossmonaut]

banana cake is my favorite

[@pamelajohnson9810]

Glen this cake looks delicious.