Banana Bread Cake (Printable version)
Moist banana bread cake with cinnamon, vanilla and optional nuts or chocolate; ideal for breakfast, snack, or dessert.
# What You'll Need:
→ Wet Ingredients
01 - 3 ripe bananas, mashed
02 - 2 large eggs
03 - 1/2 cup vegetable oil
04 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
05 - 1/2 cup light brown sugar
06 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
→ Dry Ingredients
07 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
08 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
09 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
10 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
11 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
→ Optional Add-ins
12 - 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
13 - 1/2 cup chocolate chips
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9-inch square or round cake pan.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk the mashed bananas, eggs, vegetable oil, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt.
04 - Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing to maintain tenderness.
05 - Fold in chopped walnuts, pecans, or chocolate chips if desired.
06 - Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan and smooth the top. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
07 - Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool fully. Serve warm or at room temperature.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- This batter is so forgiving, you can whisk it up while chatting or humming to your favorite playlist.
- It’s like having banana bread and cake in one—just the right amount of treat for breakfast or those late-night cravings.
02 -
- Overmixing is the quickest way to end up with gummy cake; I learned this when my first try turned out unexpectedly chewy.
- Waiting ten minutes before turning it out makes all the difference—the steam settles and the crumb sets just right.
03 -
- Let bananas go fully speckled—almost black—for maximum sweetness and depth.
- Toss chocolate chips or nuts in a spoonful of flour before folding in so they stay suspended in the cake.