Moist Banana Cake (Printable version)

A tender, moist banana cake bursting with ripe banana flavor and a hint of vanilla sweetness.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

05 - 3 ripe bananas, mashed
06 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
07 - 1/2 cup vegetable oil
08 - 2 large eggs
09 - 1/4 cup milk
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Optional Add-ins

11 - 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
12 - 1/2 cup chocolate chips

# Directions:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan or line it with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat the mashed bananas with sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
04 - Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the banana mixture until just combined. Do not overmix.
05 - If using, gently fold in chopped nuts or chocolate chips.
06 - Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
07 - Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
08 - Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
09 - Slice and serve plain or with your favorite frosting.

# Expert advice:

01 -
  • This cake stays ridiculously moist for days, almost like it gets better with a little patience.
  • It comes together in one bowl with zero fancy equipment, which means less washing up and more eating.
  • You finally have a legitimate reason to let those bananas turn completely brown without feeling guilty about food waste.
02 -
  • Opening the oven door before the 35 minute mark will cause the cake to collapse in the center, and no amount of frosting can hide that sunken disappointment.
  • Replacing oil with melted butter works beautifully but the cake will dry out faster, so plan to eat it within two days if you go that route.
03 -
  • Use a fork to mash the bananas rather than a blender because overprocessing them makes the cake gummy instead of tender and moist.
  • A dollop of plain yogurt or sour cream swapped in for the milk adds a tangy richness that pairs perfectly with the banana sweetness.

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