Lava Cakes

Banana Cinnamon Roll Lava Cake

My most-made cake: fluffy banana layers, cream cheese frosting, and a gooey cinnamon filling that makes every slice feel impossible to forget.

Prep

1 hr 20 min

Bake

22-25 min

Total

2 hr

Yield

One 8-inch layer cake

Jump to recipe How to make it Watch the reel

Surprise me

A note from my kitchen

Before you bake this

This cake is very special to me. It brings together the flavors I love most: sweet banana cake, cream cheese frosting, and a gooey cinnamon filling that settles into every layer.

It has become my most viral cake and the dessert people make most often from my recipes. If you make it, I would truly love to see it. This is the kind of cake that deserves to be shared.

The filling is what makes it unforgettable. It is rich, glossy, and full of cinnamon, tucked into the fluffiest banana cake so every slice feels generous in the best way.

Save me a slice ;)

Thinking out loud

The Lava Cake Everyone Talks About

The cravings, questions, and running commentary behind this bake.

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.

Read this first

The quick notes.

Flavor

Ripe banana, cinnamon, brown sugar, cream cheese frosting, vanilla, and a little nutmeg.

Texture

Soft banana cake, glossy cinnamon filling, and smooth cream cheese frosting.

Best moment

Dragging a fork through the slice and catching the cinnamon filling between the layers.

From this recipe

Tested notes

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

Ingredient notes

Key ingredients

Ripe banana puree

Very ripe bananas give the cake its flavor and moisture. Blending or mashing them smooth helps the batter bake evenly without heavy banana pockets.

Cake flour

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

Cinnamon roll filling

The butter, brown sugar, cream, cinnamon, and vanilla cook into a glossy filling that feels like the center of a cinnamon roll.

Cream cheese frosting

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

Optional ingredient notes

Use what you have on hand

Curious what I used? These are the exact products I reached for while developing this recipe.

Yogurt

Plain unsweetened yogurt

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

Forager Unsweetened Plain Yogurt

Milk

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.

Silk Original Unsweet

Butter sticks

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

Country Crock Plant Butter Sticks

Cream cheese

Philadelphia Plant-Based Cream Cheese is my dependable choice when cream cheese is used in a cake batter, frosting, or icing.

Philadelphia Plant-Based Cream Cheese

Heavy cream

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

Country Crock Heavy Plant Cream

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

Smooth banana puree disperses through the batter more evenly than chunky mashed banana. That gives the layers a softer crumb and keeps the cake from baking up dense in spots.

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.

How it comes together

Banana Cinnamon Roll Lava Cake: frosting layer

Banana Cinnamon Roll Lava Cake: frosting spread

Banana Cinnamon Roll Lava Cake: stacked layers

Banana Cinnamon Roll Lava Cake: lava pour

Banana Cinnamon Roll Lava Cake: filled center

Banana Cinnamon Roll Lava Cake: smoothing side

Banana Cinnamon Roll Lava Cake: cinnamon swirl pour

From Instagram

Watch the reel

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

Open the reel

Small things that matter

Tips for the best cake

Use very ripe bananas for the best flavor.

Blend or mash the bananas until smooth so the cake layers bake evenly.

Let the cake layers cool completely before assembling.

Cool the cinnamon filling completely before adding milk to loosen it.

Pipe a firm frosting dam around each layer before adding the cinnamon filling.

If the cream cheese frosting softens, chill it for 10-15 minutes and mix briefly on low before continuing.

Chill the assembled cake briefly before the final coat so the layers stay steady.

Banana Cinnamon Roll Lava Cake: top swirl

Before you slice

Texture and serving notes

This cake is best sliced chilled or slightly cool, then allowed to sit briefly before serving.

For a softer cinnamon filling, let slices sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes before eating.

The top swirl can be spooned on loosely or smoothed into a cinnamon-roll finish.

Keep it good

Storage

Fridge

Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Fridge

Let chilled slices sit at room temperature before serving so the crumb softens again.

Fridge

Because of the cream cheese frosting, keep the cake chilled when it is not being served.

Recipe FAQ

Questions that come up

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, but the cake will have a slightly sturdier, less fine crumb. You can replace the cake flour with the same amount of all-purpose flour by weight. For a closer substitute, use 105 g all-purpose flour plus 15 g cornstarch for every 120 g cake flour called for, whisking or sifting them together well. If the recipe separately lists additional cornstarch, keep that amount in the recipe too; this mixture replaces only the cake flour.

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