Description

This simple banana cake is made in one bowl with basic ingredients. Topped with a creamy frosting, it’s like banana bread, but better! Vegan friendly with a gluten free and refined sugar free option included!

Ingredients

Scale

Banana Cake: (gf version below)

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup pure cane sugar or coconut sugar (use 2/3 cup sugar if bananas aren’t really sweet)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 ripe bananas, mashed
2/3 cup milk of choice or water
3 tablespoons oil of choice
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoons apple cider vinegar or distilled white vinegar

Gluten-Free Banana Cake:

3/4 cup gluten-free multi-purpose flour blend
1/2 cup almond flour*
1/4 cup coconut flour*
1/2 cup pure cane sugar or coconut sugar (use 2/3 cup sugar if bananas aren’t really sweet)
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 ripe bananas, mashed
2/3 cup milk of choice or water
1 regular egg or flax egg (flax egg: 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water, let sit for 10–15 mins)
2 tablespoons oil of choice
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or distilled white vinegar
Butter or shortening for greasing pan

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting: (alternate frosting recipe below)

6 oz. regular or dairy-free cream cheese
3 tablespoons softened butter or margarine.
3–4 tablespoons maple syrup, use more or less to taste
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Vanilla Buttercream:

1/2 cup softened unsalted butter, dairy-free butter, or vegetable shortening
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar (can use up to 1/2 cup more if you want it sweeter)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1–3 teaspoons milk of choice or water, if needed

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Instructions

Banana Cake:

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Generously grease an 8″ or 9” baking pan. I like to line the bottom with a sheet of parchment so the cake doesn’t stick, but that is optional. Set pan aside
In a large mixing bowl, blend together flour(s), sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add mashed banana, milk, oil, vanilla, and vinegar. Stir just until well combined.
Pour batter into prepared pan and bake 30–40 minutes, or just until center of cake is set. Bake time will vary depending on pan you use. Begin checking on cake after 25 minutes.
Cover cake well and store at a cool room temperature for 2–3 days or in the fridge for up to 1 week.
If kitchen is warm, cake will be best refrigerated. It can spoil easily if left out in a warm kitchen for more than a day or so.

Maple Cream Cheese Frosting:

Beat together cream cheese, butter, maple syrup, and vanilla. Taste and add additional sweetener if needed. If frosting is too thick, can beat in a splash of milk or water until it’s smooth and spreadable.

Vanilla Buttercream:

In a medium bowl, beat softened butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, blending until well combined. Beat in vanilla extract, and 1-3 teaspoons milk/water, if buttercream is too stiff.

Notes

*The almond and coconut flours give the gluten-free cake a more fluffy texture, so I do not recommend substituting them with other flours. I’ve tested this with just the gluten-free flour blend that and it made the cake very gummy and dense.

Category: Dessert, Cake, Vegan