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A recipe for the most fluffy, moist, and delicious vegan banana cake. It's full of flavour and has a hint of spice you'll love.
Make this dairy-free, eggless banana cake with frosting or without, it's up to you! It's quick and easy to prepare, it can be customized, and it can be made gluten-free. Keep reading for all the details.
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This vegan banana cake recipe is very versatile. You can make and decorate it for a birthday or another big celebration, turn it into a layer cake, or keep it simple and just enjoy it as a snacking cake.
It's scrumptious and has the perfect texture (soft, fluffy, and moist!). It's sure to become a favourite for you like it has in for me. On top of all that, it's so quick and easy to make.
Let me show you!
Here's What You'll Need
Some Important Ingredient Notes
(NOTE: Only ingredients with special notes are listed below. The full ingredient list can be found in the recipe card.)
Flour – Just for you, I tested two versions of this dairy-free banana cake until they were perfect: a vegan version and a vegan-gluten-free version. For the vegan (not gluten-free) version, you will need all-purpose white flour.
For vegan gluten-free banana cake: Use Bob's Red Mill All-Purpose Gluten-free Flour Blend in the RED bag. If you're making the vegan gluten-free version of this cake, please read all of my vegan gluten-free baking tips before starting!
Flour Measuring Tip
Anytime you bake, it's very important to make sure your flour measurement is accurate. It's key for the very best results possible, no matter the type you're using. Check out my article on how to measure flour correctly before you get started!
Puréed Bananas – Use spotty bananas that are soft and very ripe, and use a food processor, a blender, or a stick blender to purée them until there are no chunks left. If you don't have a blender, mash the bananas very well with a fork until they're smooth and have no chunks left.
Use the Right Type of Bananas
The bananas you use for a vegan baking recipe with banana (or any baking recipe with banana!), should be very ripe or overripe with plenty of brown spots and some yellow remaining. Avoid bananas that are leaking or have mould. Bananas that are green or hard to peel aren’t ripe enough and will result in a dry cake with little banana flavour and the wrong texture.
Sugar – I tested with both brown sugar and coconut sugar, and both work very well. Make sure the sugar you use is vegan (organic sugar is always vegan). Keep in mind that each type requires a different amount, so take note of the different measurements in the recipe.
Oil - This recipe is made without butter, instead, you'll need a neutral-flavoured vegetable oil, such as safflower or sunflower oil. Coconut oil is also an option, but if you use it, make sure your other ingredients are at room temperature to prevent it from solidifying when you add it to the mix.
Now, Let's Make It!
(Note: I’ve outlined the step-by-step on how to make this recipe here, but find the full recipe, ingredients, and directions in the recipe card at the end of this post.)
Start by lining a square pan (8" x 8") with parchment paper.
Next, combine the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet in another, then mix together. Take care not to overmix.
Transfer the batter to your prepared pan and spread it into an even layer. A small offset spatula makes this step easy.
Bake. Once done, remove it from the oven, let it rest in the pan for a few minutes, then remove it and place it on a wire rack.
While the cake cools, prepare the vegan cream cheese frosting.
Once fully cooled, frost the cake.
Carefully slice into 9 squares and serve.
So Many Topping Choices!
Cream cheese frosting is a popular choice for banana cake, but chocolate buttercream, peanut butter frosting, or vanilla buttercream all work well with banana flavour, so any of these can be used. Choose the one you like best!
You can also make it a simple vegan banana snack cake by not frosting it at all or you can dust a little powdered sugar on top of the cake just before serving. Don't do this too far in advance or it will melt into the cake.
Want It to Be a Layer Cake Instead?
This can easily be done by doubling the recipe and dividing the batter between two 8-inch or 9-inch cake pans. Bake for 25-28 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean.
A Few More Tips for the Perfect Cake
I tested both versions of this recipe MANY times to ensure it was perfect before sharing it with you. Please go through the following list for all of my tips:
- Measure and have all your ingredients ready to go before starting. This will make the process run smoothly, quickly, and easily.
- Measure your ingredients correctly. Please read my article about how to measure flour correctly. I highly recommend using a scale and my weight measurements to make this recipe. (See the "Suggested Equipment" section in the recipe card for the scale I use and recommend.)
- Make sure your baking powder and baking soda are fresh. These are important ingredients that make the cake rise. If they're not fresh, the cake will have a dense and gummy texture.
- Read this post from top to bottom before you start. I’ve included many tips and tricks to get things right. Also, read through the actual recipe before getting started.
- Follow the recipe exactly as it’s written for the very best results.
Try These Twists
The recipe as written is wonderful but you can make some variations if you'd like:
- Add chocolate chips - Make it a vegan banana chocolate chip cake by folding in ½ cup of mini vegan chocolate chips before baking (see the green box below this section for a tip about chocolate chips!).
- Add Nuts - Walnuts and banana cake are the perfect pair, so you can fold ½ cup of toasted walnuts into the batter or you can also use toasted pecan pieces.
- Add dried fruit - Fold in ½ cup of raisins or currants.
If you're confused about which chocolate chip brands are vegan, read my article "Are Chocolate Chips Vegan" to find a large list of brands to look for.
When You Make This Cake...
Please let me know! You can do that by leaving a star rating and a comment below. You can also share a picture on Instagram and tag me (I'm @delightfuladventures).
Moist Vegan Banana Snacking Cake (8x8)
Suggested Equipment:
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
- 6 tablespoons water
- 1 ½ cups (188g) all-purpose flour **please see important notes about the gluten-free option below**
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (245g) puréed bananas (about 2 large or 3 small bananas)
- ½ cup (100g) light brown sugar (or ⅔ cup (101g) coconut sugar)
- ¼ cup (60ml) oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 recipe vegan cream cheese frosting (optional)
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Line an 8" x 8" square baking pan with parchment paper and make an overhang on all sides so removing the cake will be easy, set aside.
- Prepare your flax eggs by whisking together ground flax seeds and water. Set aside to thicken.
- In a medium bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Whisk well to combine and set aside.
- In a large bowl, add the puréed bananas, sugar, oil, vanilla, and flax eggs. Mix well until everything has combined.
- Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until a thick batter has formed. Don't over-mix.
- Using a rubber spatula, scrape the batter into the prepared baking pan, spread it evenly, and smooth out the top.
- Bake for 23 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Take care not to overbake.
- Remove from the oven and place the pan on a cooling rack. Let the pan sit for 10 minutes.
- After 10 minutes, using the parchment overhang, carefully remove the cake from the pan, and place it on a cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting.
- While the cake is cooling, prepare the cream cheese frosting.
- Once fully cooled, frost (make the layer as thick or thin as you'd like and save any leftover frosting for another recipe).
- Slice the cake into 9 squares.
Recipe Notes:
- Please read all of the information above, as well as the notes below before making this recipe.
- If you're making the vegan gluten-free version, use 1 ½ cups (210g) of Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free All Purpose Baking Flour (Amazon link) in the red bag, NOT the blue bag. It's important to know that different gluten-free flour blends use different ingredients and ratios, so results will always vary if you substitute. I have never used any other brand of flour to make this recipe, so please know that your results may not be the same as mine if you substitute with another flour blend. This recipe will NOT work with coconut flour or any other single gluten-free flour.
- Storing Leftovers: If you use cream cheese frosting, the cake will need to be refrigerated. Store it in an airtight container and place it in the refrigerator where it will keep for up to 5-6 days. If you are not frosting the cake, it doesn't need to be refrigerated. If you're using a different frosting other than cream cheese, it can be left out at room temperature for a day or two, but after that, refrigerate it. The gluten-free version will keep for 4 days.
- Freezing: Once fully cooled, don't frost or slice it, instead, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap so it's airtight, place it in an airtight container or freezer bag, and freeze it for up to two months. When you're ready to serve, thaw in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature, then frost.
- The nutrition info listed below is based on one of 9 servings made as the recipe is written without frosting. The cake made with the gluten-free flour blend has a calorie count of 195 per serving. Info is only to be used as a rough guide. Click to learn how nutrition info is calculated on this website.
Belle says
I followed the recipe except for using a different brand gluten free flour and the result was...texture was ok but tasted raw and it didn't rise at all. I couldn't eat it unfortunately...
Gwen Leron says
Hi Belle, I’m really sorry it didn’t turn out for you, it's always disappointing when a recipe does not work out.
In the recipe notes, I mention that gluten-free flour blends aren’t interchangeable since they’re all made with different ingredients and behave differently in recipes. This cake was tested specifically with Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour (the one in the red bag), which is mentioned and linked above. Using a different blend can affect both the flavour and the rise.
If you decide to try it again with the flour listed in the recipe, you will have a very different result. And if you have any questions before trying again, I’m always happy to help.
Janene says
Easy vegan banana cake. Thank you for sharing.
Gwen Leron says
You're welcome, Janene. Glad you liked it!