Vanilla Wafer Banana Cake – A Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Vanilla Wafer Banana Cake is a moist banana cake with cream cheese icing. Instead of flour, this banana cake uses crushed up vanilla wafers.  This banana cake became an instant hit at our house, and it will at yours too!

Vanilla Wafer Banana Cake

We consider it a successful day when one of us comes home with a recipe to try. Barbara was the speaker at a woman’s luncheon, and the hostess served the most delicious banana cake. It turns out that the hostess won champion prize in 4-H as a young girl this recipe. So, of course, Barbara asked for the recipe and the hostess happily shared.

A unique part of this recipe is that instead of flour, the cake features ground up vanilla wafer cookies.

To get the vanilla wafers the right consistency, Barbara used her food processor, but you could also put the vanilla wafers into a zip lock bag and crush them with a rolling pin or food mallet.

Banana Cake with Vanilla Wafers

The texture of this particular banana cake is extremely moist, and the flavor is off the hook with that added pleasant flavor from the vanilla wafers.

As if that’s not enough, the homemade cream cheese icing is the icing on the cake….literally and figuratively.

The banana cake is very rich and decadent.  Cut yourself a small piece or wash it down with a big glass of milk!

Moist Banana Cake Ingredient List

Butter, softened

Sugar

Eggs

Banana, mashed

Vanilla Wafers, crushed

Pecans, chopped

Cream Cheese Icing Ingredients

Butter, softened

Cream cheese, softened

Powdered Sugar

Vanilla Extract

How to Make Vanilla Wafer Banana Cake

Full recipe steps and ingredient amounts for banana cake with vanilla wafers is in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 13 x 9 inch baking dish.
2. Finely crush the vanilla wafers and finely chop pecans.
3. Cream together butter and sugar, then add eggs and mashed bananas. Blend until smooth.
4. Add crushed vanilla wafers and pecans, and mix until incorporated.
5. Pour batter into 9 x 13-inch greased and floured cake pan.
6. Bake for 38 – 45 minutes and let cool before icing.

How to Make Cream Cheese Icing for Banana Cake

1.  Cream together softened butter, powdered sugar, softened cream cheese and vanilla until smooth.
2. Spread cream cheese frosting over coiled banana cake using a flat edged spatula.
3. Refrigerate banana cake to store for later.

Does banana cake with cream cheese frosting need to be refrigerated?

Yes, it absolutely does for two particular reasons.  Any recipe that is topped with a cream cheese icing needs to be stored in the refrigerator since cream cheese is a perishable food product.

Secondly, banana bread tends to be very moist which is the perfect environment for mold to grow.

Store banana cake with cream cheese frosting in the refrigerator, but feel free to remove it from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 10 – 20 minutes to allow the icing to soften before consuming.

Notes About Banana Cake with Vanilla Wafers:

• Grease and flour your 13 x 9 inch baking dish or line with waxed paper to make it easier to serve.
• Process vanilla wafers in a food processor to make crumbs or use a zip lock bag and a rolling pin.
• Chopped walnuts could be used instead of chopped pecans, if needed.
• Let the banana cake cool completely before icing with cream cheese frosting.
• The butter and cream cheese should be a room temperature before making icing to prevent clumps.
• This is a moist banana cake; be sure to store it in the refrigerator.
• Check out our Amazon Store for our favorite pantry essentials and kitchen items.

Old Fashioned Banana Recipes

4 Ingredient Banana Bread

Crock Pot Banana Bread

Double Chocolate Banana Bran Muffins

Classic Banana Bread

Banana Bread Biscotti

Banana Pudding with Vanilla Wafers and Meringue

Print Recipe

Vanilla Wafer Banana Cake - A Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

This Vanilla Wafer Banana Cake is a delicious treat topped with a smooth cream cheese icing. If you like banana pudding, you will love the flavor of this cake. 

Prep Time20 mins

Cook Time45 mins

Total Time1 hr 5 mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Keyword: banana cake with cream cheese icing, banana cake with vanilla wafers, moist banana cake, vanilla wafer banana cake

Servings: 24

Calories: 339kcal

Author: Barbara

Ingredients

Moist Banana Cake

• 3/4 cup butter softened
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup ripe banana mashed
• 11 oz. vanilla wafers crushed
• 1 cup pecans finely chopped

Cream Cheese Icing

• 1/2 cup butter softened
• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 8 oz. cream cheese softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

• For cake, cream together butter and sugar; add eggs and mashed banana, blend until smooth.
  
• Add crushed vanilla wafers and chopped pecans; mix until incorporated.
  
• Pour into a 13x9-inch cake pan that has been greased and floured or lined with waxed paper.
  
• Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 38 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
  
• Let cool before icing.
• For icing, cream together butter, powdered sugar, cream cheese and vanilla until smooth.
  

Notes

• Grease and flour your 13 x 9 inch baking dish or line with waxed paper to make it easier to serve. 
• Process vanilla wafers in a food processor to make crumbs or use a zip lock bag and a rolling pin. 
• Chopped walnuts could be used instead of chopped pecans, if needed.
• Let the banana cake cool completely before icing with cream cheese frosting.
• The butter and cream cheese should be a room temperature before making icing to prevent clumps. 
• This is a moist banana cake; be sure to store it in the refrigerator.
• Love banana desserts? Try this easy 4-Ingredient Banana Bread. 

Nutrition

Calories: 339kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 63mg | Sodium: 178mg | Potassium: 75mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 35g | Vitamin A: 468IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 19mg | Iron: 1mg