Banana Bread Coffee Cake

Banana Bread Coffee Cake made with ultra moist, ripe banana batter, loaded with chocolate chips and topped with a buttery brown sugar streusel that bakes into a golden, crumbly crust. This recipe takes everything you love about classic banana bread and turns it into a showstopping coffee cake that works just as well for breakfast as it does for dessert.

Why you will love this recipe?

This banana bread coffee cake is the kind of thing you make on a slow weekend morning and end up thinking about for the rest of the week. The banana batter is incredibly moist and rich, the chocolate chips melt into every slice, and that brown sugar streusel adds a buttery crunch that takes the whole thing to another level. It comes together easily, and somehow manages to feel like both breakfast and dessert at the same time.

Expert Tips for Best Results!

• Use the ripest bananas you can find – The riper the banana, the sweeter and more flavourful your coffee cake will be. You want bananas that are heavily spotted, almost black on the outside. If yours aren’t quite there yet, place them unpeeled on a baking tray in a 150°C oven for 15 to 20 minutes until the skins turn black and the flesh softens completely.
• Use a springform pan if you can – A springform pan makes getting the cake out clean and keeping the streusel intact much easier. If you’re using a regular pan, make sure your parchment paper has a good overhang on both sides so you can lift the whole cake out without disturbing the topping.
• Don’t overbake – The toothpick test is your best guide here. You’re looking for a few moist crumbs clinging to it, not a completely clean pull. Banana bread coffee cake continues to cook slightly as it cools in the pan, so pulling it out a little early is always better than leaving it in too long.
• Do not overmix the batter – Once the dry ingredients go in, fold gently and stop as soon as the flour streaks disappear. Overmixing develops the gluten and turns what should be a tender, soft crumb into something dense and tough.
• Keep your streusel cold until it goes on – Cold butter is what gives streusel its crumbly, sandy texture. Once you’ve made it, keep it in the fridge right up until you sprinkle it over the batter. If it warms up too much it clumps together and bakes into a dense layer rather than a light, crispy topping.

How to make Banana Bread Coffee Cake?

Step 1: Prep your pan and oven

To start, preheat your oven to 170°C. Line your 8 or 9 inch pan with parchment paper and set aside. If you’re using a springform pan, a light grease around the sides is all you need. Getting this ready before you start means your batter goes straight in without sitting around.

Step 2: Make the streusel

In a small bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar and cold cubed butter. Use your fingertips to rub the butter into the dry ingredients until you get a crumbly, sandy mixture. Once ready, place it in the fridge to keep cold while you make the batter.

Step 3: Mix the dry ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt until evenly combined. Setting this aside separately means it folds into the wet ingredients more evenly and reduces the risk of overmixing later.

Step 4: Make the batter

In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, oil, white sugar and brown sugar until well combined. Next, add the eggs, mashed banana, sour cream and vanilla and whisk until smooth. The batter should look glossy and smell incredible at this point.

Step 5: Combine and fold

Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and fold gently until just a few flour streaks remain. As soon as the flour is incorporated, stop mixing. Finally, fold in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the batter.

Step 6: Assemble

Pour the batter into your prepared pan and spread it out evenly. Take the streusel out of the fridge and sprinkle it generously and evenly over the top of the batter, making sure to cover it all the way to the edges.

Step 7: Bake

Bake at 170°C for 30 to 45 minutes until golden on top and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Leave the cake to cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before removing, as this helps the streusel set and keeps everything intact when you slice it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I substitute the sour cream?
Yes. Full fat Greek yogurt works perfectly as a direct substitute and gives you the same moisture and slight tang in the finished cake. Avoid low fat versions as they can make the batter thinner and affect the texture of the final bake.

Can I make this banana bread coffee cake ahead of time?
Absolutely. It actually improves overnight as the flavours deepen and the texture becomes even more moist. Store it covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to 4 days. Bring it back to room temperature before serving or warm individual slices in a low oven for a few minutes.

Can I freeze it?
Yes. Slice the cooled cake, wrap each piece individually and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm gently in the oven at 160°C for 8 to 10 minutes. The streusel holds up well from frozen and still has a good texture once reheated.

What pan size works best for this recipe?
An 8 or 9 inch round pan works well. An 8 inch pan gives you a taller, thicker cake with a slightly longer bake time while a 9 inch pan produces a wider, slightly thinner cake that bakes a little faster. Either works, just keep an eye on it from the 30 minute mark and use the toothpick test rather than the clock to judge when it’s done.

Why is my streusel sinking into the batter?
Usually because the batter is too thin or the streusel was too warm when it went on. Make sure your streusel is cold and well chilled before sprinkling, and that your batter is thick enough to support it. If your batter looks unusually runny, your bananas may have been very large and added too much liquid.

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