Banana Cinnamon Roll Lava Cake

This banana cinnamon roll cake has three banana cake layers, gooey brown sugar cinnamon filling, and cream cheese frosting. There is cinnamon in the cake batter too, along with nutmeg and a little cardamom.

There are three parts to make: the cake, the filling, and the frosting. The photos below walk through the assembly, including the frosting ring that holds the filling between the layers. They start with the baked cake, so use the recipe card for the complete mixing and baking instructions.

This cake is very special to me. If you make it, I'd love to see yours.

Banana Cinnamon Roll Lava Cake, finished and ready to serve

Surprise me

Finished Banana Cinnamon Roll Lava Cake with its cinnamon spiral

The Lava Cake Everyone Talks About

Of all my lava cakes, this is by far the most viral and the most tested. It is the one people talk about. Banana and cinnamon already belong together, but here the banana cake is extra moist and fluffy, a little sweeter than banana bread, and layered with a gooey cinnamon filling that tastes like the center of a cinnamon roll. Its popularity makes complete sense to me.

Cinnamon rolls are supposed to be indulgent and over the top, and this was my opportunity to make that experience even more outrageous. The cinnamon filling settles into every layer, turning the whole cake into the part of the cinnamon roll everyone wants most.

I love this cake with cream cheese frosting, but a friend of mine does not, so I made one for her with traditional American buttercream. I loved that version too. Choose whichever frosting fits your mood - you cannot go wrong, and you can always make it again with the other one.

Ingredient notes

Key ingredients

Ripe banana puree

Use very ripe bananas for their sweetness, flavor, and moisture.

Cake flour

Cake flour keeps the layers soft and tender, which matters because the filling and frosting are rich.

Brown sugar

Brown sugar goes into both the cake and the filling. It adds a caramel flavor that works well with the banana and cinnamon.

Cream cheese frosting

Cream cheese frosting gives the cake tang and structure, balancing the sweet cinnamon filling.

Brands I used for this recipe

These are preferences, not requirements. If you choose the non-dairy route, these are the products I test with. Dairy equivalents can be used at the same listed amounts and temperatures.

Baking dairy-free? See my ingredient guide

Forager Unsweetened Plain Yogurt

Plain unsweetened yogurt adds moisture, acidity, and body so the crumb bakes up tender without tasting tangy.

Silk Original Unsweet

Milk affects how smoothly a batter, filling, or frosting comes together. Soy milk and Ripple tend to emulsify well because their protein and fat help create a creamy, cohesive finish.

Country Crock Plant Butter Sticks

Use butter sticks for buttercream and fillings that need to hold their shape.

Philadelphia Plant-Based Cream Cheese

A dependable choice for cream cheese frostings, icings, and cake batters.

Country Crock Heavy Plant Cream

Heavy cream affects silkiness, looseness, and how buttercream or filling sets after chilling.

King Arthur Unbleached Cake Flour

The cake flour I use in recipes that call for cake flour.

Rising Star Baking Supply Vanilla Bean Paste

The vanilla bean paste I use, linked to the 4-ounce Walmart bottle.

From this recipe

Tested notes

Make sure the cinnamon filling is cool before assembling so it stays in place between the layers.

Testing notes

Why this works

What binds the cake without eggs

Banana puree, yogurt, flour, cornstarch, and sugar work together to give the cake structure. The banana and yogurt add body and moisture, while the starches set as the layers bake.

Why there is apple cider vinegar

The vinegar reacts with the baking soda to help the cake rise. It also keeps the sweetness in check. The finished cake should not taste like vinegar.

Why the banana should be smooth

Blend or mash the bananas until smooth. Large pieces leave heavy pockets in the cake instead of mixing evenly into the batter.

Why the cinnamon filling cools completely

The filling needs to cool before assembly so it thickens enough to stay inside the frosting dam. If it is warm, it can soften the frosting and slide between the layers.

Why the frosting temperature matters

Cool cream cheese and pliable butter make a frosting that is smooth and stable. If either gets too warm, the frosting can loosen before the cake is stacked.

Step by step

How It All Comes Together

Step 1
Frost the cake layer
Start with a completely cooled banana cake layer. Spread a thin, even layer of cream cheese frosting over it, then pipe a tall, continuous frosting border around the edge.
Start with a thin layer of cream cheese frosting.
Step 2
Fill and stack the layers
Pour the cooled cinnamon filling inside the frosting border, keeping it below the top edge. Add the second cake layer and repeat the frosting, border, and filling before adding the final layer.
Chill the filling before assembly, then loosen it with milk as needed.
Keep the filling below the top of the frosting dam.
Step 3
Finish with the cinnamon swirl
Chill the stack briefly and frost the outside. Pour the remaining cinnamon filling in a spiral over the top, then shape it with the back of a spoon. Slice the cake chilled or slightly cool.
Add the cinnamon spiral after frosting the top.
The finished cinnamon spiral sits over a smooth coat of cream cheese frosting.

From Instagram

Watch the reel

Watch the cinnamon filling swirl, the layers stack, and the fork go into the finished slice.

Open the reel

Troubleshooting

If This Happens

The cinnamon filling is running through the frosting dam

The cake layers, filling, or frosting may be too warm. Chill the filling until it thickens, make sure the cake is completely cool, and pipe a tall, unbroken frosting ring before trying again.

The cinnamon filling is too thick to pour

Whisk in room-temperature milk 1 tablespoon at a time until the cooled filling is glossy and pourable. Add it slowly so the filling does not become too thin for the cake layers.

The cream cheese frosting feels too soft

Refrigerate it for 10-15 minutes, then mix briefly on low until smooth. Avoid prolonged mixing, which can make cream cheese frosting looser.

The stacked cake is shifting

Chill the cake briefly before the final coat. Make sure the filling stays below the top of each frosting dam and that every layer is cool before stacking.

Before you slice

Texture and serving notes

Slice the cake chilled or slightly cool, then let slices sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes if you want a softer crumb and filling.

Keep it good

Storage

Fridge

Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Because of the cream cheese frosting, keep the cake chilled when it is not being served.

Recipe FAQ

Questions that come up

Should I weigh the ingredients or use volume measurements?

I strongly recommend weighing the ingredients in grams for the most reliable result. Volume measurements are included for convenience, but the amount in a cup can change depending on how an ingredient is filled, packed, or poured. These recipes are easy to follow, but their ratios are precise, so I cannot guarantee the exact same result when volume measurements are used. I still use teaspoons and tablespoons for small amounts like leaveners, salt, spices, and flavorings because those are the most practical measurements.

Can I make this recipe gluten-free?

I have not tested this recipe with gluten-free flour, so I cannot guarantee the same texture, rise, or structure. If you would like to experiment, a cup-for-cup (1:1) gluten-free baking blend intended to replace all-purpose flour is the best place to start. Results may differ from the recipe as written.

Can I use all-purpose flour instead of cake flour?

Yes, of course. Replace the cake flour with the same amount of all-purpose flour by weight. The cake will have a slightly sturdier, less delicate crumb, but it will still be great.

Recipe card

Banana Cinnamon Roll Lava Cake

5.0 out of 5 from 10 ratings

Showstopper

Prep: 1 hr 20 min
Bake: 22-25 min
Total: 2 hr
Yield: One 8-inch layer cake

Measurement note

For the closest match to the recipe I tested, use grams. Volume measurements are included for convenience, but cups can vary, so I cannot guarantee the exact same result when measuring by volume.

Ingredients

Banana Cake

330 g cake flour, sifted330 g (about 2 3/4 cups) cake flour, sifted
8 g cornstarch8 g (about 1 tablespoon + 1/2 teaspoon) cornstarch
10 g baking powder (weigh for accuracy)2 teaspoons baking powder
6 g baking soda (weigh for accuracy)1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
200 g granulated sugar200 g (about 1 cup) granulated sugar
100 g light brown sugar, packed100 g (about 7 tablespoons + 1 1/2 teaspoons) light brown sugar, packed
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
360 g ripe banana puree, blended smooth (from about 3 large very ripe bananas)360 g (about 1 1/3 cups + 4 tablespoons) ripe banana puree, blended smooth (from about 3 large very ripe bananas)
240 g milk, room temperature240 g (about 1 cup) milk, room temperature
15 g apple cider vinegar15 g (about 1 tablespoon) apple cider vinegar
160 g plain unsweetened yogurt, room temperature160 g (about 1/3 cup + 5 tablespoons) plain unsweetened yogurt, room temperature
120 g neutral oil, such as grapeseed, canola, or sunflower120 g (about 1/2 cup + 2 teaspoons) neutral oil, such as grapeseed, canola, or sunflower
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste

Cinnamon Roll Filling

113 g butter113 g (about 1/2 cup) butter
200 g light brown sugar, packed200 g (about 3/4 cup + 3 tablespoons) light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
60 g heavy cream60 g (about 1/4 cup) heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1-3 tablespoons milk, room temperature1-3 tablespoons milk, room temperature

Cream Cheese Frosting

340 g cream cheese, cold340 g (about 1 1/2 cups) cream cheese, cold
255 g butter, cool and pliable255 g (about 1 cup + 2 tablespoons) butter, cool and pliable
520 g powdered sugar, sifted520 g (about 4 1/3 cups) powdered sugar, sifted
3/4 teaspoon vanilla bean paste3/4 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tablespoon milk, if needed1 tablespoon milk, if needed

Pan used

I use Fat Daddio's 8-inch anodized aluminum round cake pans for this recipe.

Instructions

1Preheat the oven to 335°F. Grease and line three 8-inch pans with parchment.
2Mash or blend the bananas until smooth.
3In a large bowl, whisk the banana puree, milk, yogurt, oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla bean paste until glossy.
4Add the cake flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom to the same bowl.
5Mix just until combined. Do not overmix.
6Divide the batter between the prepared pans and bake for 22-25 minutes, until the tops spring back and a tester comes out clean.
7Let the cake layers rest in the pans for 15 minutes, then turn them out onto wire racks to cool completely.
8Make the cinnamon roll filling. Melt the butter in a saucepan, then stir in the brown sugar and cinnamon. Cook until glossy and bubbling.
9Slowly stream in the heavy cream while whisking constantly. The mixture will foam.
10Simmer for 1-2 minutes, until smooth and slightly thickened.
11Remove from the heat and stir in the salt and vanilla bean paste. Cool completely.
12Once the filling is completely chilled, slowly stream in room-temperature milk, starting with 1 tablespoon, until it reaches your desired consistency.
13Make the cream cheese frosting. Beat the butter on medium speed for 2-3 minutes, until smooth, creamy, and slightly lightened.
14Add the cold cream cheese in 4 additions, mixing on low just until smooth after each addition. Scrape the bowl well between additions.
15Add the powdered sugar in 4 additions, mixing on low until incorporated after each addition.
16Add the vanilla bean paste and salt. Mix on low until combined, then increase to medium-low for 30-45 seconds, just until smooth and uniform.
17Add milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, only if needed. If the frosting becomes too soft, refrigerate for 10-15 minutes, then mix briefly on low until smooth.
18Assemble the cake. Place the first cake layer on a board and spread on a thin layer of cream cheese frosting.
19Pipe a frosting dam around the edge, then add about 1/3 of the cinnamon filling inside the dam.
20Repeat with the second layer, then top with the third cake layer.
21Chill briefly to set, then frost the outside with cream cheese frosting.
22Drizzle the cinnamon filling over the top or create a cinnamon-roll swirl finish.

Helpful notes

Make sure the cinnamon filling is cool before assembling so it stays in place between the layers.

Explore the seriesExplore all Lava Cake Recipes

Meet the baker

Angela Heckler

Angela Heckler is the recipe developer, baker, and photographer behind Obsessed Cakes. Her Old-Fashioned Donut Loaf series is a growing collection of cake-donut-inspired loaves with soft, deeply moist crumbs, buttery streusel, and crackly glaze. Angela develops and tests every recipe in her Arizona kitchen. Follow Obsessed Cakes on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.

Made it? Tell us.

Ratings and reviews

5.010 ratings

Sydney

This was hands down one of the best cakes I have ever made. It is obviously sweet, sweet, sweet so if you don't like sweet things I guess don't make it? But it was perfectly sweet for me and decadent. Everyone loved it. I made the cake layers the day before and they were the most moist cakes EVER. Not only were they moist, they were still somehow not dense at all. Anyway, wow. Loved it.

September 16, 2026