This Almond Flour Banana Cake has a tender crumb and fluffy texture with sweet banana flavor and a rich chocolate peanut butter frosting. It's a gluten-free banana cake that's also dairy-free and incredibly easy to make! This cake is moist and tender just like a banana bread, but bakes up easily as a single layer cake and requires just one large ripe banana!
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Table of Contents
Bananas are always a staple on my grocery list. I usually incorporate them into my breakfast in smoothies or as a toast topping, and I always like to have some overly ripe bananas on hand for baking. (These almond flour banana muffins are usually on repeat in our house).
So, of course, given my obsession with baking with almond flour lately (like this chocolate almond flour cake), I thought I would try a banana cake made with almond flour.
Details on the ingredients
Below is a brief overview of the ingredients. The recipe card at the end of this post includes the exact quantities used.
- Almond flour - You'll need blanched almond flour to make this cake. I don't recommend using almond meal, which has a coarser texture since it's made from almonds with the skins left on. Almond flour can easily be found in the organic section or specialty section of grocery stores. For the best bang for my buck, I normally buy the large bags at Costco.
- Baking powder - This helps the cake rise and adds to the light and fluffy texture.
- Salt - Just a little for flavor.
- Eggs - Three eggs are essential for rise, moisture and structure. Make sure you bring them to room temperature so they easily whisk together with the other wet ingredients.
- Bananas - Even though it's a key ingredient for this recipe, you only need one large banana, or about ½ a cup mashed. Make sure the banana is overly ripe so it's extra sweet and adds a noticeable banana flavor to the cake.
- Cane sugar - While the ripe banana will help sweeten the cake, since we're only using one banana, we will need a little extra sugar to sweeten the cake. Feel free to use granulated sugar if you don't have cane sugar.
- Vanilla - Use real vanilla extract to enhance the flavor of both the cake batter and the frosting.
- Butter - To keep this recipe dairy-free, we're using vegan/plant-based butter. To make dairy-free frostings, I really like using Earth Balance vegan baking sticks (not sponsored, just preferred). If you don't need this cake to be dairy-free, you can use the same amount of dairy butter.
- Powdered sugar - Also goes by confectioners' sugar or icing sugar. This will help sweeten and thicken the frosting.
- Cocoa - This also helps thicken the frosting and adds a rich, chocolatey flavor. I used natural cocoa here, but you can also use Dutch-processed cocoa. Just note that it will create a more intense chocolate flavor and darker colored frosting.
- Almond milk - Or your preferred plant-based milk. Just a tablespoon is required to help the frosting whip together.
- Peanut butter - Just two tablespoons adds a subtle peanut butter flavor to the chocolate frosting. Make sure it's smooth peanut butter (so your frosting isn't lumpy) and that it's shelf stable. The oily texture of natural peanut butter could cause the frosting to separate.
How to make banana cake with almond flour
The full set of instructions can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
In a separate large bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and use a spatula to stir together until the dry ingredients are incorporated.
Make sure you have your 8-inch square baking pan greased and lined with parchment paper.
Pour the thick batter into the pan and use an offset spatula to spread it out evenly.
Bake at 350F for 24-26 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Let cool on a wire rack before frosting.
How to make chocolate peanut butter frosting
Bring your plant-based butter to room temperature.
Using an electric mixer, beat together the butter, powdered sugar, cocoa, almond milk and vanilla. Start low so the sugar and cocoa don't fly everywhere and then increase the speed to medium-high.
Beat together for a few minutes until the frosting is creamy and fluffy.
Add the peanut butter and beat together until incorporated. The frosting should be smooth and spreadable.
Measuring ingredients
For convenience, US cup measurements are included in the recipe card for this recipe. To ensure greater accuracy, however, weight and volume measurements are also provided. So, if you see grams (g), you'll want to use a kitchen scale to weigh your ingredients, and if you see milliliters (ml), you'll want to use a liquid measuring cup. Smaller quantities of ingredients are provided in teaspoons and tablespoons.
Storage and freezing tips
Since the buttercream will harden in the fridge, I think this cake is best served at room temperature.
You can keep it stored in an airtight container on the counter for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days. If refrigerating, just let it set at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving.
This cake can also be frozen. If the cake is unfrosted, just let it cool and then wrap it in a few layers of plastic wrap and store in the freezer. Let it thaw at room temperature before frosting.
If the cake is frosted, I find it's best to freeze individual pieces. Just place pieces of cake in a single layer on a tray and place them in the freezer for an hour or two until the frosting firms up. Then, wrap the pieces in plastic wrap and store them in a freezer safe container. The cake pieces should last in the freezer for up to 3 months. Let them defrost at room temperature before enjoying.
Recipe variations
- While we love this cake frosted, feel free to enjoy it without frosting.
- You can also add ½ cup of chocolate chips to the batter for a chocolate chip banana cake.
- Instead of the chocolate peanut butter buttercream, try this chocolate avocado frosting or this peanut butter cream cheese frosting (which can be made dairy-free).
Moist banana cake with almond flour FAQs
This usually happens when your cake pan is too small for the amount of batter. This actually happened to me while testing this recipe. I was testing the cake in an 8 inch round pan (like I do for most of my almond flour cakes) and it was sinking ever so slightly in the middle. Once I switched it to an 8-inch square pan, which is slightly bigger, it rose up perfectly.
If the size of the pan isn't your issue, the culprit could also be that the oven door was opened too soon to check on the cake, the cake was not baked long enough or the batter was over mixed. All of these things can result in a sunken or deflated cake.
Like I mentioned above, the size of the pan affects the rise of your cake. If you don't have an 8-inch square pan, you can use a 9-inch square or 9-inch round, but your cake will not be as high. You will also need to reduce the baking time by a few minutes.
I haven't tested this recipe with homemade almond flour. If you're using blanched almonds and can achieve a finely ground texture, then I don't see any reason why it wouldn't work. Please let me know if you give it a try.
Usually a thick frosting means that too much powdered sugar was added. Make sure you weigh your powdered sugar and sift it if it's lumpy. To fix a thick frosting, just add a little more almond milk and beat together until the frosting is smooth and spreadable.
If your frosting is grainy, this usually means that the butter and sugar haven't been beaten together long enough, so the sugar hasn't fully creamed together with the butter.
Key recipe tips
- Banana. The recipe only calls for one banana so you really want to maximize this flavor. This means your banana should be super ripe with so many brown spots it's almost completely brown. This will ensure the sweet banana flavor is pronounced in the cake.
- Peanut butter. Using shelf stable peanut butter for the frosting is recommended. Natural peanut butter may make the frosting runny and cause separation. Also, make sure your frosting is creamy and whipped together before you add the peanut butter.
- Thick batter. The cake batter will be thick so don't worry that you did something wrong. You will definitely need an offset spatula or something else to spread out the batter to ensure it is smooth and even.
- Weighing ingredients. Cup measurements are included in the recipe but, for greater accuracy, I recommend weighing your ingredients. If you're using cup measurements, just make sure to use the spoon and level method for the flour, cocoa and powdered sugar.
- Room temperature ingredients. Ensure the eggs are at room temperature so they beat together with the other wet ingredients easily. Also, make sure you bring the butter to room temperature for the frosting. If your butter is cold, it may look separated in the frosting.
- Let cake completely cool. Before frosting the cake, let it cool completely in the pan. If it's still warm, the buttercream will just melt off the cake.
More almond flour cake recipes
- Almond Flour Orange Cake
- Almond Flour Strawberry Cake
- Almond Lemon Flour Cake
- Vanilla Almond Flour Cupcakes
- Almond Flour Apple Cake
- Almond Flour Chocolate Cupcakes
If you make this recipe, I'd love to hear what you think in the comments below!
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📖 Recipe
Almond Flour Banana Cake
Ingredients
For the banana cake:
- 2 ½ cups (260 g) fine blanched almond flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup (130 g) mashed banana, (about 1 large ripe banana)
- ½ cup (120 g) cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the chocolate peanut butter frosting:
- ½ cup (113 g) vegan butter, room temperature
- 1 ½ cups (180 g) powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy
- ¼ cup (25 g) cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened almond milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter, shelf stable
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease an 8-inch square pan with non-stick cooking spray and line it with overhanging parchment paper.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the almond flour, baking powder and salt.
- In a separate large bowl, whisk together the eggs, banana, cane sugar and vanilla.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and use a spatula to stir together until the dry ingredients are incorporated. The batter will be thick.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and use an offset spatula to spread it out evenly.
- Bake for 24-26 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Let cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
- To make the frosting, add the butter, powdered sugar, cocoa, almond milk and vanilla to a large mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat together for about 3 minutes or until smooth and creamy, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. (When mixing, you'll want to set the speed of your mixer on low at first, so the sugar and cocoa don't fly everywhere, and then increase the speed to medium-high).
- Add the peanut butter and beat together until incorporated. The frosting should be smooth and spreadable.
- Spread over the cooled cake, cut into pieces and serve.
Notes
- For the sweetest and most pronounced banana flavor, make sure your banana is overly ripe with so many brown spots it's almost completely brown.
- Use shelf stable smooth peanut butter for the frosting. Avoid natural peanut butter as the oily texture may make the frosting runny and cause separation.
- Cup measurements are included in the recipe but, for greater accuracy, I recommend weighing your ingredients. If you're using cup measurements, just make sure to use the spoon and level method for the flour, cocoa and powdered sugar.
- Ensure the eggs are at room temperature so they beat together with the other wet ingredients easily. Also make sure you bring the butter to room temperature for the frosting. If your butter is cold, it will look separated in the frosting.
- Before frosting the cake, let it cool completely in the pan. If it's still warm, the buttercream will just melt off of the cake.
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Nutrition Facts per Serving
Disclaimer
Nutrition information is an estimate only and will vary depending on the substitutions made and the brands used.
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