Lusciously moist banana cake with chocolate frosting is the simplest recipe that always manages to impress! A tender crumb, silky smooth chocolate frosting, and a kiss of spice make this a cake to remember.
This beautifully simple cake is made from a mix of whole wheat and all-purpose flour, plus brown sugar for an extra depth of caramel-y sweetness. I added sliced almonds to the batter because I do love banana bread or cake with nuts, plus I wanted a bit of crunch.
A bonus about this recipe is that no electric mixer is necessary, so it comes together in a flash. Lush with bananas and bolstered by a sturdy crumb, this is the perfect breakfast cake. Or brunch bite. Or afternoon snack. By which I mean that you can enjoy it any time - and I definitely do.
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Why Banana CAKE?
Well, why NOT banana cake? Banana bread, banana muffins, and one-ingredient banana ice cream all have their place at the table. But I'd argue that a soft, fragrant, and super moist banana cake trumps all, or at least makes for an unexpected dessert.
I love finishing banana cake with a little sprinkle of sifted powdered sugar when I'm in a rush; however, the super glossy chocolate frosting that caps this cake trumps all. I love baking bundt cakes, and originally developed this recipe to use a bundt pan. But, you needn't keep to that; any regular cake pan will do. I prefer a 9-inch cake round for ease of baking and preparation.
Ingredients Needed
Make sure to scroll down to my recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full ingredient amounts and instructions.
- Flour - I use all-purpose flour or a mix of all-purpose and spelt or whole wheat flour. You can make this gluten-free using a homemade gluten free flour blend or a purchased blend.
- Sugar - Any sugar works, from granulated sugar to light or dark brown sugar, to coconut sugar.
- Baking soda
- Salt - Fine sea salt or table salt.
- Spices - A mix of ground cinnamon and cardamom, or cinnamon and ginger.
- Butter - I often swap olive oil, vegetable oil, or melted coconut oil for the unsalted butter.
- Eggs - Large eggs, not jumbo, work best.
- Mashed bananas - You'll need about 3 ripe bananas, mashed or pureed.
- Yogurt - Plain Greek yogurt or regular plain yogurt works great.
- Vanilla - Pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.
- Frosting - A combo of sifted powdered sugar, semisweet chocolate chips, and a splash of warm water, if needed.
Some Extras to Fancy it Up a Bit
- Bake in a bundt - Try baking the batter in a bundt pan for a prettier presentation!
- Add sliced almonds - A handful of toasted or untoasted sliced almonds is lovely scattered over the top of the frosting for a bit of crunch.
- Chocolate chips in the cake - Stir in 1 cup mini or regular semisweet chocolate chips into the cake batter.
Instructions
Here's an overview in photos of how to make this easy cake:
1. Make flour mix: Whisk together the dry ingredients in a bowl.
2. Make wet mix: Stir together the remaining ingredients in a bowl.
3. Combine: Fold the dry mix into the wet mix, stir to combine, then place in a lined baking pan.
4. Bake: Bake the cake at 350F for about 45 minutes, then cool.
5. Make frosting: Combine the chocolate and sugar.
6. Melt: Melt the chocolate and stir to combine.
Recipe Notes
- Bake in an 8-inch pan - For a thicker cake, feel free to bake the batter in an 8-inch cake round.
- Or make cupcakes. Divide the batter between a lined 12-cup muffin tin to make cupcakes! You will bake these for half the time the cake would need.
- Use those ripe bananas. The riper bananas are, the better they become for baking, bringing loads of natural sweetness and flavor.
- Skip the icing - For a super simple cake, simply sift a little powdered sugar over the top of the cake instead of the chocolate icing.
- Other spices - Play around with the spices here-swap cinnamon for the cardamom, add a pinch of nutmeg, or try adding 1 tablespoon of peeled, grated fresh ginger.
How to Store
- Counter - Cover the cake lightly with foil and let it sit on the counter for up to 2 days.
- Fridge - Wrap the cake tightly and keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days. Serve cold or at room temperature.
- Freezer - Place the cake (the icing will firm as it cools) in a freezer-safe bag and freeze it for up to 2 months. Thaw the cake in the freezer overnight before serving.
If you tried this banana cake with chocolate frosting recipe please let me know! Or if you have any recipe questions, always feel free to reach out in comments or email. I hope you love it! ❤️
Recipe
Banana Cake with Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter , or vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs , lightly beaten
- 1 ½ cups mashed bananas (about 3 bananas)
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt , or regular plain yogurt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the Frosting
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
- ¼ cup powdered sugar , sifted
- splash warm water , if needed
Instructions
Make Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and place a rack in the center. Line a 9-inch cake round with parchment or use a bundt pan..
- In a large bowl, whisk together the 2 cups all-purpose flour, ¾ cup dark brown sugar, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon and ½ teaspoon ground cardamom.
- In a separate bowl, mix together the ⅓ cup unsalted butter, 2 large eggs, 1 ½ cups mashed bananas, ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt, and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract. Pour the banana mixture into the flour mixture and fold with a spatula until just combined. Add the sliced almonds.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and bake until golden brown, about 40-50 minutes.
- Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn the loaf out of the pan to cool completely.
Make Frosting:
- While the cake is cooling, prepare the frosting. Melt the ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips on the stove or in the microwave; then whisk in the ¼ cup powdered sugar. Keep whisking until sugar dissolves. Add a tablespoon of warm water and whisk. Keep adding water until the frosting is smooth and not too thick. (You can decide how thick/not-thick you'd like it.)
- When the cake is completely cool, drizzle the glaze on top of the cake, spreading with a spatula to cover.
Anonymous says
Magda says
Hi Nicole. I have just discovered your blog and I realized you're Greek. I am also Greek, from Athens.
I'm so glad to have found your blog, your recipes and photographs are beautiful!
This cake sounds wonderful, the combination of chocolate and bananas is one of my favorites.
art and lemons says
I like Tuesday Treats and the banana almond chocolate combo in this cake. Your co-workers are pretty lucky...
Stefanie says
Insipriation! ...and just in time! I will make this for a co-worker's birthday this week. Love your new Tuesday Treats and Sunday Dinner posts. Happy summer to you!
Anne Zimmerman says
Loved it. And now I want another one with chocolate glaze. Maybe next week. Oh, and can I say how fast we ate this cake? Seriously embarrassingly fast.