Banana Bread Crumb Cake with Buttery Streusel Topping

Name: Banana Bread Crumb Cake
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour; 3 teaspoons baking powder; 1 teaspoon salt; 3 ripe bananas; 1/2 cup melted butter; 2 cups sugar; 2 eggs; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 cup milk; 2 cups all-purpose flour; 2 cups light brown sugar; 1 cup cold butter, cubed; 1 cup powdered sugar; 1-2 Tablespoons milk

By:

Brandi Oshea

Published:

September 26, 2026

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Banana Bread Crumb Cake

This homemade banana bread crumb cake is made with fresh ripe bananas and finished with a thick, sweet crumb topping. It is just as welcome at the breakfast table as it is on a dessert plate or as an afternoon snack, and every slice carries plenty of buttery streusel.

In my house it never lasts long. The crumb topping is honestly the best part of the whole thing, and this version does not hold back on it.

I usually cut the first slice while the cake is still a little warm, because that is when the crumb has the best texture and the banana flavor is at its most fragrant.

Jump To

1. Banana Bread Crumb Cake
2. A MOIST HOMEMADE BANANA BREAD CAKE
3. HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE BANANA BREAD CRUMB CAKE:
4. Ingredients
5. Instructions
6. Notes
7. Recipe details
8. FAQs
9. Banana Bread Crumb Cake

A MOIST HOMEMADE BANANA BREAD CAKE

Here is the simple truth about crumb cake. The crumb is the reason people reach for it, and more crumb is almost always better. This banana bread crumb cake has double the crumb, which means a layer of streusel is baked right into the middle of the cake and another layer sits across the top.

That double layer does more than add flavor. It keeps the cake incredibly moist, because the brown sugar and butter in the crumb soften as the cake bakes and settle into the batter around them. The finished texture lands somewhere between bread and cake, tender and soft in the middle with a slightly crisp, sugary surface.

If you have ever baked a classic banana bread and wished it had a little more going on, this is the recipe that answers that wish. The banana flavor stays front and center, but the crumb brings a sweetness and a texture that plain banana bread simply does not have.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED: (FULL RECIPE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST)

The ingredient list is short and built almost entirely from everyday pantry staples. You will need all purpose flour, baking powder, salt, ripe bananas, butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, and milk for the cake itself.

The crumb filling and topping uses additional all purpose flour, light brown sugar, and cold butter. Powdered sugar and a little more milk are all you need for the optional glaze.

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE BANANA BREAD CRUMB CAKE:

Start by preheating the oven to 350F degrees and spraying a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Set the dish aside while you put the batter together.

In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Give that a quick whisk and set it aside as well. In a separate mixing bowl, mash the bananas well.

You want them fully broken down with no large lumps left, because those lumps turn into wet pockets in the finished cake. Mix the melted butter into the mashed bananas until it is combined, then add the sugar, eggs, and vanilla and mix everything well.

Now slowly stir in the flour mixture and the milk, alternating between the two until both are fully incorporated. Adding them gradually keeps the batter smooth instead of lumpy, and it stops the flour from clumping against the side of the bowl.

Next, make the crumb that does double duty as filling and topping. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, and cubed cold butter. Use a fork, a pastry cutter, or your hands to work the butter into the dry ingredients.

Keep going until the mixture looks almost like sand with coarse crumbs. Cold butter is what gives you those distinct crumbs, so do not let it warm up before you start.

To assemble, pour half of the banana batter into the prepared baking dish and spread it evenly. Scatter half of the crumb mixture over the top. Pour the remaining banana batter over the crumb layer, then finish with the last of the crumb mixture.

The cake goes into the oven for about 50 to 60 minutes, until the center is set and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. If the top starts browning faster than you would like, lay a piece of foil loosely over the pan for the last stretch of baking.

While the cake cools, whisk the powdered sugar and milk together until smooth, then drizzle the glaze over the entire crumb cake. Slice and serve.

A few details make a real difference here. Use bananas that are heavily speckled or even brown, since they bring far more sweetness and moisture than firm yellow ones.

Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off instead of scooping, because packed flour makes a dry cake. And keep the butter for the crumb cold right up until you cut it in.

Ingredients

Here is everything you need, grouped the way you will use it. The cake group builds the batter, the crumb group is used twice as both a filling and a topping, and the glaze group is optional but highly recommended.

For the cake

2 cups all purpose flour
3 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 ripe bananas
1/2 cup melted butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup milk

For the crumb filling and topping

2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups light brown sugar
1 cup cold butter, cubed

For the optional glaze

1 cup powdered sugar
1 to 2 Tablespoons milk

Notice that flour and butter appear in more than one group. That is intentional, so measure each group separately instead of doubling one pile.

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Spray a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with nonstick cooking spray and set it aside.
In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a separate mixing bowl, mash the bananas well, then mix in the melted butter until combined.

Add the sugar, eggs, and vanilla to the banana mixture and mix well.
Slowly stir in the flour mixture and the milk until everything is combined, alternating the milk and the flour until both are fully incorporated.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, and cubed cold butter using a fork, a pastry cutter, or your hands. It should start to look almost like sand with coarse crumbs.

Pour half of the banana batter into the prepared baking dish and spread it evenly.
Top the batter with half of the crumb mixture.
Pour the remaining banana batter over the crumb layer.
Layer the last of the crumb mixture on top.
Bake for about 50 to 60 minutes, until the center is set and a toothpick comes out clean.
Whisk together the powdered sugar and milk until smooth, then drizzle the glaze all over the crumb cake.

Let the cake rest in the pan for a little while before slicing. The crumb topping firms up as it cools, which makes for cleaner slices and a neater glaze line on top.

Notes

Serve this cake warm or at room temperature. Both work well, and the banana flavor comes through a little more once the cake has cooled completely.

Storage is simple. The cake does not need to be refrigerated. Cover it with a lid or plastic wrap to keep it moist, and plan to eat it within 3 days. A covered cake keeper on the counter is all it takes.

If you want a little crunch, chopped walnuts or pecans can be stirred into the crumb mixture to amp up the banana bread flavor.

One thing worth knowing, fresh sliced bananas do not hold up well when they are baked into the cake. If you want that fresh banana taste, serve the slices alongside the cake instead.

A scoop of vanilla ice cream on a warm slice turns this breakfast cake into a proper dessert.

Recipe details

Prep time is 25 minutes and cook time is about 1 hour, for a total time of 1 hour 25 minutes. This recipe makes 12 servings.

The source nutrition is an estimate per serving of 714 kcal, 119 g carbohydrates, 6 g protein, 24 g fat, 1 g fiber, 83 g sugar, and 429 mg sodium.

FAQs

How do you make banana bread crumb cake?

To make banana bread crumb cake, start by preheating your oven to 350°F and greasing a 9×13 baking dish. Prepare the banana cake batter by mashing 3 ripe bananas and mixing them with melted butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour, baking powder, salt, and milk. Make the crumb topping by cutting cold butter into flour and brown sugar until it resembles coarse sand, then layer half the batter, half the crumbs, the remaining batter, and the rest of the crumbs in the dish.

How ripe should bananas be for banana crumb cake?

Bananas should be very ripe for banana crumb cake, with heavily speckled brown spots or even fully brown skins. Overripe bananas are softer, sweeter, and easier to mash, which helps create the moist, tender texture the cake is known for. Green or just-yellow bananas do not provide enough sweetness or moisture.

Can I add nuts to banana crumb cake?

Yes, you can add chopped nuts such as walnuts or pecans to banana crumb cake, which enhances the banana bread flavor and adds a pleasant crunch. Simply fold the nuts into the banana cake batter or sprinkle them into the crumb mixture before baking.

How do you store banana crumb cake?

Store banana bread crumb cake in an airtight container or covered tightly with plastic wrap at room temperature for up to 3 days. Do not refrigerate the cake as the cold can dry it out. For longer storage, the cake can be tightly wrapped and frozen for up to three months.