Best vegan banana cake recipe. A super easy to make, moist, soft, fluffy & insanely delicious banana cake recipe that is egg free & dairy free. This one bowl cake can be whipped in under 60 minutes from scratch and makes for a perfect breakfast or snack.
Made with mashed bananas, plain flour, light olive oil & cashew yogurt, this cake has bits of dark chocolate & crunchy walnuts all through it, a simple yet super exotic treat 🙂 We love it plain, thick and hearty still warm slices but you can totally frost this cake too. Cream cheese frosting will be delicious here.
I have made eggless banana cake many times using many recipes and this is the one I have been using for more than a decade now. It is simply the best, fine tuned and I would not change a thing. Try it once and it will be your favorite too.
Having an overripe banana situation? Here I am to help you with that 🙂 Three words- vegan banana cake! A super easy no fail recipe that will simply make you love overripe bananas 🙂
Banana is one fruit which is one of the most consumed fruit yet we end up with overripe ones time to time. I have some eggless or vegan banana recipes handy to turn those poor fruits into wonderful treats. This cake with bananas is case in point 🙂
You need very few ingredients for this cake and most of them are pantry staples. The recipe is also customizable and very versatile.
You can serve this cake as both coffee cake or add frosting and make it a celebration cake. Read on for all the details, step by step recipe, tips & variations.
About Vegan Banana Cake Recipe
Vegan banana cake is a super easy to make one bowl, moist, soft & fluffy cake with over ripe mashed bananas as star ingredient.
It is originally an eggless recipe from a old reader’s digest issue which I have fine tuned and altered to make it vegan.
I love this recipe, it is simply perfect and a no fail one. So many friends have tasted this cake and they simply love it. I have also passed on this recipe to many of them and they all vouch for it.
Here, today I am sharing my absolutely favorite dairy free eggless banana cake recipe with you all. Keep this recipe as base and feel free to throw in more chocolate chips, candied or dried fruits etc to make it your signature dish 🙂
This is an oil based cake which is super moist, stays soft even on refrigeration. What I love about the oil based cakes is how the flavor develops and texture gets better on the next day, I mean only when we let the cake last 🙂
For this recipe it all starts with some sweet over ripe bananas. You know those freckled, sad looking bananas with brown spots all over them, they make the best cake 🙂
You need just one bowl and a whisk to make vegan banana cake recipe. Mash the bananas in a large bowl and whisk in the wet ingredients to the same bowl. Sift dry ingredients over the wet ingredients, cut and fold, transfer batter to the cake tin and bake. Can’t get any easier.
I like to add interesting mix-ins in this cake. This time I have added chopped walnuts & dark chocolate into the batter. Walnuts lends a wonderful crunch. The slight bitter taste of both walnuts & dark chocolate perfectly compliment the sweet taste of the cake.
This recipe yields one 8 or 9 inch cake. I have used a square tin and cut them like brownies. If you wish the frost the cake, you can bake two 4 inch cakes or slice the baked cake into two. You can also double the recipe.
Do try out this easy banana cake recipe and enjoy. It is
super simple to make
Full of banana flavor
absolutely delicious
vegan cake
made in one bowl
ready in under 60 minutes.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Flour– I have used plain flour or all purpose flour in this recipe. For healthier cake you can use whole wheat flour too.
Wanna make gluten free cake? Just use all purpose gluten free flour from brands like King Arthur or a mix of coconut flour, almond flour.
I have also baked this cake with mixed millet flours many times and it turns out very good.
Banana– We want overripe bananas that are super mushy. Ripe bananas are sweeter and also they make the cake super soft & moist.
Oil– While most of the oil based cake recipes call for flavorless cooking oil, I like to use extra light olive oil in this banana cake recipe. Light olive oil lends a wonderful moist texture without any over powering flavor.
If using olive oil is not your choice you can use avocado oil, coconut oil or canola oil any vegetable oil.
Sugar– You can use any variety of sugar. I have used organic raw sugar. Powdered sugar is not necessary, just add it as such. Coconut sugar, palm sugar, brown sugar can also be used.
I have used 1/3 cup sugar as the bananas I used were super sweet. You can also use 1/2 cup sugar for a sweeter cake.
Yogurt– Use any of your favorite dairy free yogurt. I have used cashew yogurt but you can also use soy yogurt, almond milk yogurt.
Milk- I have just used a splash if almond milk to bring the batter together. You can use any plant based milk like soy milk, coconut milk or even warm water
Baking powder & baking soda– Leavening agents and they cannot be swapped for each other.
Add-ins– Chopped walnuts, dark chocolate and few whole or halved walnuts for topping.
How To Make Vegan Banana Cake Recipe
Preparation
Preheat the oven at 180 C or 350 F. Grease and dust a 7 or 8 inch round cake tin or 9 X 5 loaf pan or 8 inch square cake tin.
Peel and roughly chop the bananas and place them in a large mixing bowl.
Chop walnuts and dark chocolate.
Making Banana Cake
Mash the chopped bananas well.
To the mashed banana, add 1/2 cup oil to it.
Next add 1 teaspoon vanilla bean powder or vanilla extract.
Add 1/3 cup sugar.
Finally add 1/4 cup yogurt, 1/4 cup almond milk.
Whisk everything well until the mixture turns light and pale. Place a sieve over the bowl. Add 1.5 cups flour, 1.5 teaspoons baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda and salt.
Mix and sift the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix the flour mixture well yet gently. Do not over mix the batter. A few streaks of flour is ok.
Now add the chopped chocolate and walnuts.
Mix gently. Pour the banana cake batter evenly into the prepared tin. Tap gently.
Place the halved walnuts all over.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes. The cake is done when the top is evenly browned and a tester or toothpick inserted comes out clean from the center.
Let the cool cake in the pan for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, remove the cake to wire rack and cool completely.
Slice into squares and serve vegan banana cake warm.
Variations
If you plan to frost the cake or make layered cake, skip adding chocolate and walnuts to the batter.
Banana cake with vegan cream cheese frosting
Place 1 cup vegan cream cheese and 1/3 cup soft vegan butter in a large bowl. Using a electric beater or your stand mixer with whisker attachment, beat it until creamy and fluffy.
Add 2 teaspoons corn flour, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and mix well. You can also add 1/2 teaspoon banana extract for intense banana flavor.
Spread this tangy cream cheese frosting evenly on the prepared cooled banana cake. Spread well with an offset spatula. You can decorate the cake with caramelized banana slices, more sliced walnuts or chocolate shavings.
Peanut Butter Frosting
Combine 6 tablespoons unsalted vegan butter(soft), 1 cup smooth unsweetened peanut butter and 3/4 icing sugar or confectioner’s sugar in a medium bowl.
Add a pinch of salt and vanilla extract. Beat until creamy and fluffy. Spread the frosting on cooled cake evenly.
Chocolate banana cake.
Remove 2 tablespoons flour from measured 1.5 cups and replace it with 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder.
With spices
You can add 1/2 teaspoon each ground cinnamon, ground dry ginger and nutmeg for a flavorful variation.
Serving Suggestions
Fresh out of the oven, warm slices of banana cake tastes excellent with coffee or tea as snack. You can also serve these for breakfast with milk.
If you have frosted the cake, serve this delicious cake chilled as dessert.
Storage
Vegan banana cake keeps well for 2-3 days refrigerated. Store the cake in airtight container. You can freeze the plain cake without frosting for a month.
Expert Tips
Use fresh and good quality ingredients for best tasting cake. Make sure the flour you use is fresh and not rancid. Also check for the freshness of walnuts before adding.
Do not over mix the batter- The key to make super soft, fluffy banana cake is to not overmix the batter. After sifting the dry ingredients over wet ingredients, do not mix the ingredients together vigorously with a whisk. Cut and fold the flour mixture gently into the wet ingredients, incorporating air as you do.
Instead of plain flour you can use cake flour or even whole wheat flour.
After baking the cake, let it cool for at least 10 minutes before slicing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Though often the names are used interchangeably banana bread and banana cake are two different dishes. Banana cake is softer, lighter and richer. Banana bread is more of a bread with a firmer texture and can withstand toasting.
Yes, just use any of your favorite gluten free baking blend to make this vegan banana cake gluten free too.
Absolutely, just divide the batter between two 4 inch cake tins and bake to make banana layer cake.
I do not recommend substituting same amount of liquid sweetener in any baking recipe. It will alter the consistency of the batter.
More Vegan Baking Recipes
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Recipe
Vegan Banana Cake
1 CUP = 250 ml
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1.5 cups plain flour
- 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
- 1/4 cup chopped dark chocolate
Wet ingredients
- 1 cup mashed banana 3 medium overripe bananas
- 1/2 cup oil
- 1/4 cup vegan yogurt
- 1/4 cup almond milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean powder or extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven at 180 C or 350 F. Grease and dust a 7 or 8 inch round cake tin or 9 X 5 loaf pan or 8 inch square cake tin.
- Peel and roughly chop the bananas and place them in a large mixing bow
- Chop walnuts and dark chocolate.
- Mash the chopped bananas well.
- To the mashed banana, add 1/2 cup oil to it.
- Next add 1 teaspoon vanilla bean powder or vanilla extract.
- Add 1/3 cup sugar.
- Finally add 1/4 cup yogurt, 1/4 cup almond milk.
- Whisk everything well until the mixture turns light and pale. Place a sieve over the bowl. Add 1.5 cups flour, 1.5 teaspoons baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda and salt.
- Mix and sift the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Mix the flour mixture well yet gently. Do not over mix the batter. A few streaks of flour is ok.
- Now add the chopped chocolate and walnuts.
- Mix gently. Pour the banana cake batter evenly into the prepared tin. Tap gently.
- Place the halved walnuts all over.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes. The cake is done when the top is evenly browned and a tester or toothpick inserted comes out clean from the center.
- Let the cool cake in the pan for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, remove the cake to wire rack and cool completely.
- Slice into squares and serve vegan banana cake warm.
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