This Apple Cinnamon Banana Bread Snack Cake is topped with a silky cinnamon cream cheese frosting and it’s (dare I say) incredibly moist! The cake itself is studded with chunks of apples, which adds a really nice texture to the cake. It’s the perfect treat for any time of day, hence the name. Sometimes you just need a piece of banana bread/cake, right?
Oh, fall baking. How I love you. I’m forever looking for an excuse to make banana bread, which ends up being almost weekly, and this apple cinnamon banana bread snack cake adds to that obsession. The cake is filled with chunks of apple which adds a little something special, plus makes it a little festive too! We could stop there, but nope. The cinnamon cream cheese frosting makes this snack cake even more delectable.
If you’re like, what on earth is a snack cake?
Let me tell you. I like to think of it as a cake that’s good for any time of day. You know, those times where you just need a piece of cake, a little something sweet. Could be 9am, 3pm, 10pm, or any time in between.
The other thing I think embodies a “snack cake”, is if it has a liiiittle bit of health in it. In this case, bananas and apples. And cinnamon! Giving us those anti-inflammatory benefits and all that jazz.
Let’s talk about the cinnamon cream cheese frosting.
It starts like a traditional cream cheese frosting, with a little butter, cream cheese, and vanilla, and then gets hit with a teaspoon of cinnamon. I love how the cinnamon cuts the richness of the frosting and adds a little interest. Plus, a little pinch of salt because no baked good or frosting should ever be without a good bit of salt!
All you need for the frosting:
- salted butter
- cream cheese
- vanilla extract
- cinnamon
- salt
- powdered sugar
Easy peasy.
Let’s go through a quick rundown on how to make this banana bread snack cake:
- Prep your pan. Spray and line an 8×8 pan with cooking spray and parchment paper, and preheat your oven to 350℉.
- Make the batter. All you need: salted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, a large egg, vanilla, sour cream (or full-fat Greek yogurt), mashed bananas, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and an apple. All of the usual banana bread suspects + preferably a honeycrisp apple!
- Bake. Bake the snack cake for 30-35 minutes or until golden on the edges and set in the middle. Let cool completely.
- Make the frosting. Beat your softened butter and softened cream cheese together until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides a few times as needed (we don’t want any cream cheese lumps!). Add the vanilla, cinnamon, and salt, and beat until smooth and combined. Add the powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy!
- Frost. Frost your cute little banana bread snack cake, sprinkle with extra cinnamon, cut into squares, and enjoy.
Full recipe and instructions are below in the recipe card. 🙂
If you love this recipe, you will also love these recipes:
Blueberry Coconut Banana Bread
Banana Cake with Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting and Hazelnut Crunch
Brûléed Peanut Butter Banana Pie
Vegan Pecan Crumble Baked Apples with Coconut Milk Caramel
Apple Pie Ricotta Doughnuts with Dark Chocolate Fudge Sauce
Cream Cheese Filled Pumpkin Bread with Chai Sugar
Carrot Cake Muffins with Cream Cheese Glaze
Dirty Chai Cream Filled Doughnuts
Brown Butter Chai Oatmeal Sandwich Cookies
Healthy Monster Cookies
And don’t forget to share a photo on Instagram and tag me @spicesinmydna if you make this recipe! Nothing makes me happier than seeing what you create in the kitchen!
Apple Cinnamon Banana Bread Snack Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
This Apple Cinnamon Banana Bread Snack Cake is topped with a silky cinnamon cream cheese frosting and it's (dare I say) incredibly moist! The cake itself is studded with chunks of apples, which adds a really nice texture to the cake. It's the perfect treat for any time of day, hence the name. Sometimes you just need a piece of banana bread/cake, right?
Ingredients
For the cake
- 6 tablespoons salted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons sour cream (can sub full fat Greek yogurt)
- 2 medium overripe bananas, mashed
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 honeycrisp apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
For the cinnamon cream cheese frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) salted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- pinch of salt
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350℉. Line an 8x8 metal or glass baking dish with parchment. Spray lightly with cooking spray. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until combined. Add the egg and vanilla and whisk thoroughly until smooth and combined. Add the sour cream and mashed bananas and whisk to combine. Set aside.
In a separate medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt until combined. Add to the wet ingredients, folding together with a rubber spatula until just combined. Fold in the chopped apples and mix until just combined. Don't overmix!
Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top out evenly with a rubber spatula. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until edges are golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let cake cool completely before frosting.
To make the cinnamon cream cheese frosting, add the softened butter and cream cheese to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium to medium-high speed for 1-2 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides, and mix again, as we don't want any chunks of cream cheese. Add the vanilla, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt, and mix again for a minute. Lower the speed and add the powdered sugar. Once incorporated, increase the speed to medium-high and beat for a minute or two, or until light and fluffy.
Using an offset spatula, frost the cake with the cinnamon cream cheese frosting. Dust with extra cinnamon if desired. Cut into 9 squares and enjoy!
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