Sara Lee Banana Cake Recipe

It’s beyond doubt that the most loved cakes are those that usually use natural ingredients. Sara Lee’s Banana Cake is one of those.

It is nourishing, full of sweet natural flavors, and has a super-cheesy irresistible frosting. 

Although there are various kinds of banana cakes in all shapes and sizes, you won’t find any that are as rich and delicious as Sara Lee’s.

It’s all because her cake is very light and airy, which makes it irresistible not to taste. 

So following this Sara Lee Banana Cake recipe will guarantee a satisfying super-moist banana treat.

How to Make Sara Lee Banana Cake

Banana cakes are a real crowd-pleaser that is great for a holiday or any party. Besides, it is one of the simplest banana cake recipes ever.

It is soft and moist with a banaba flavor, crunchy texture, and fantastic cream cheese frosting. Like, who could resist?

If you like bananas, you’ll fall in love with this recipe since it uses the simplest ingredients, takes less than an hour to make, and doesn’t require heavy baking. 

Even if you don’t have a sweet tooth or don’t consider yourself good at baking, you must try it.

If you snack on bananas throughout the day, Sara Lee Banana Cake will be a perfect treat. 

Ingredients:

(4 servings)

For the cake:

• Mashed bananas
•  2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup whole milk
• ¼ cup sour cream
• ½ cup melted salted butter
• 2 eggs
• 2 tbsp of vanilla extract
• 1 cup of granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp sea salt
• 1 tbsp of baking soda
• ½ tbsp of cinnamon powder

For the frosting:

• 4 ounces of cream cheese
• 3/4 cup softened butter
• ½ tbsp of vanilla extract
• 2 cups of powdered sugar

Instructions

The most excellent part of this banana cake recipe is how easy it is to prepare in advance and bake just before serving.

There is no buttermilk, and you don’t even need a mixer. 

Only simple ingredients layered into a sweet banana-flavored cake topped with thick and rich frosting.

There is one thing, though. While there is no trouble with the cake, you must be careful with the frosting. 

Don’t frost your cake while it’s still warm since the frosting will get thin and look pretty bad. Moreover, it is vital to use frosting at room temperature: it shouldn’t be cold or warm. Follow the golden mean.

And now to the process.

Step 1:

Preheat an oven to 345°F and grease a 9×9-inch baking tin. 

Step 2: 

Add flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and sea salt in a medium mixing bowl, mix well and set aside. 

Step 3: 

Mix melted butter, vanilla, and mashed banana in another larger bowl. Then add sugar to this mixture and stir until it dissolves.

Step 4: 

Add sour cream, whole milk, and eggs to the banana mixture and mix.

Finally, pour the dried ingredients we’ve mixed before into the medium bowl and mix until the batter is formed. 

Step 5: 

Pour the banana batter into the greased baking tin and bake for about 40-45 minutes.

Check if it’s ready with the toothpick. It should come out clean. Leave your cake to cool. 

We’re almost done.

Step 6: 

Beat 4 ounces of cheese and ¼ cup of butter in a bowl until it’s creamy. Then add vanilla extract and 2 cups of powdered sugar. 

Beat the frosting until you get a smooth consistency; after the banana cake is cool, spread the sweet icing on top of the cake and enjoy.

Ingredient Substitution

Although the Sara Lee Banana Cake recipe calls for simple ingredients, not all of them might be an option if you’re on a diet or have some other restrictions. 

Adjusting the recipe is up to you if you find some decent replacements. 

Luckily we’ve got some of them here.

1. Plant-based Milk

To make this cake more vegan, you can substitute whole milk with plant-based milk. It is often made from nuts or plants: soy milk, almond milk, rice milk, etc. Since each is made of different ingredients, they have different flavors and viscosity.

Since most nondietary alternatives don’t have fat, using them will alter the flavor slightly. But that’s not the case here. We’ve got plenty of natural banana flavor to compensate for that. 

Almon milk will do well. Substitute it in a 1:1 ratio.

2. Cardamon

Cardamon is not a cinnamon’s twin, as the flavors are all very different. Still, it pushes the right buttons and is an excellent substitute for banana cake. 

Cardamon offers you warmth and aromatic touch. Use it in a 1:1 ratio for a perfect match.

3. Kefir

Although sour cream is preferable here, kefir could back you up if you don’t have any on hand. It is almost like a cross between yogurt and buttermilk found in a grocery store’s dairy section.

It’s best to go for unflavored and unsweetened kefir to achieve a flavor closest to the sour cream.

What to Serve with Sara Lee Banana Cake 

If you ask what could be better than an airy and moist banana cake, the answer would be 一 an airy and moist banana cake with a sweet side. 

We won’t mind if you decide to enjoy this treat as is. But you have to know what you might be depriving yourself of. Anything sweet, from drinks to fruit salads, will complement the rich banana flavor of your banana cake. 

Fruit Salad 

There are no peaky eaters a fruit salad wouldn’t satisfy. It is a lighter, more significant, and refreshing accompaniment for almost anything. The best part is you can add any fruits you like: pomegranate, orange, grapefruit, and strawberries.

The options are infinite. Ambrosia salad, for example, is a healthy and delicious option that pairs with banana cake outstandingly. It balances the sweetness of bananas with the tanginess of the fruits and creamy dressing.

Tropical Smoothie

You can never make a mistake going with this side. A tropical smoothie is a healthy and fantastic food. It is easy to make with just a dash of vanilla yogurt blended with fresh strawberries and bananas. 

Not only is it low in calories, but it is full of fibers and carbohydrates. A tropical smoothie is also highly versatile. Add whatever fruits you choose to become victorious warriors to a light banana cake and a delicious drink.

How to Store Sara Lee Banana Cake

The main thing you must remember before even making Sara Lee Cake is never to leave it out on the counter once it’s been topped with frosting. 

The frosting is safe to sit at room temperature within 2 hours. Beyond 2 hours, you should toss your frosted cake in the fridge, or it will start to get thinner, depending on the temperature.

Store Sara Lee Banana Cake in the Fridge

Store leftover Banana Cake in the fridge for up to 5 days, but make sure to wrap it up in plastic wrap or put it in an airtight container. 

Store Sara Lee Banana Cake in the Freezer

If you want to store the banana cake in the freezer, it’s best to store it without frosting. Wrap the banana cake in plastic wrap and place it in an airtight container or a freezer bag for up to 2 months.

Once you feel like something banana-flavored, let the cake thaw in the fridge or at room temperature and whip up a fresh frosting. It’s just diary-based frosting that won’t thaw too well. So, you’d better avoid that.