Almond Flour Banana Cake

Name: Almond Flour Banana Cake
Prep time: 2 h 20 min
Cook time: 26 min
Total time: 2 h 46 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups (260g) blanched almond flour; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt; 3 large eggs, room temperature; 1/2 cup (130g) mashed banana (about 1 large ripe banana); 1/2 cup (120g) cane sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1/2 cup (113g) vegan butter, room temperature; 1 1/2 cups (180g) powdered sugar, sifted if lumpy; 1/4 cup (25g) cocoa powder; 1 tablespoon unsweetened almond milk; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter, shelf stable

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This Almond Flour Banana Cake has a tender crumb and fluffy texture with sweet banana flavour and a rich chocolate peanut butter frosting. It’s a gluten-free banana cake that’s also dairy-free and incredibly easy to make!

Craving banana bread, but only have one banana? No problem! This almond banana cake is moist and tender just like a banana bread, but bakes up easily as a single layer cake and requires just one ripe banana!

Side view of a piece of banana cake on a white plate with a bite taken out.

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 spelt banana muffins are a must try!)

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.

Why you’ll love this almond flour banana cake

The cake texture is super moist and tender (thanks to the almond flour)!
It’s naturally gluten-free and dairy-free.
The cake batter comes together easily (without an electric mixer) and requires just 7 ingredients.
You can enjoy the cake on its own but the recipe includes instructions for the most amazing peanut butter chocolate frosting!
You only need one very ripe banana for this cake.
It’s a single layer cake so you don’t need to worry about assembling and frosting layers.

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.

Ingredients to make almond flour banana cake arranged in individual bowls.

Almond flour – You’ll need blanched almond flour to make this cake. I don’t recommend using almond meal. 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 flavour.

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 1/2 a cup mashed. Make sure the banana is overly ripe so it’s extra sweet and adds a noticeable banana flavour 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 flavour 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 flavour. I used natural cocoa here, but you can also use Dutch-processed cocoa. Just note that it will create a more intense chocolate flavour and darker coloured 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 flavour 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.

What is the difference between almond meal and almond flour?

They’re both made from raw ground almonds, so the terms are often used interchangeably. Almond flour and almond meal, however, are slightly different.

Almond meal has a coarser texture since it’s made from almonds with the skins left on. I’ve baked with it before, but in cakes it can create a slightly crumbly texture.

Almond flour, on the other hand, is made with almonds that have the skins removed (also called blanched almonds) so it has a finer texture and a lighter colour.

I use almond flour in most of my recipes.

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.

Collage of 4 images showing how the banana cake batter is made and baked in a square pan.

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 centre 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.

Close up view of chocolate peanut butter frosting.

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 1/2 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 just use a simple vanilla buttercream.
This banana cake would also be amazing with cream cheese frosting, like the frosting for this almond flour carrot cake.

Moist banana cake with almond flour FAQs

Why did my banana cake sink in the middle?

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 8×2 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.

Can a different size pan be used to make this 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, but your cake will not be as high. You will also need to reduce the baking time by a few minutes. You can use an 8×2 inch round pan and add another minute or two to the baking time. Just note that the cake may sink a little in the middle. If you have an 8×3 inch round cake pan or a 9×2 inch round pan, those should work fine.

Can this cake be made with homemade almond flour?

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.

How do you make this banana cake vegan?

This recipe hasn’t been tested with an egg replacement. Since the recipe is heavy on eggs and they’re important for structure, other adjustments to the recipe would likely be required to accommodate for an egg replacement such as flax eggs. If you’re looking for a vegan banana cake recipe, however, you can always try this vegan banana snack cake.

Can you make this cake with all purpose flour?

This recipe is meant to be an almond flour cake recipe, so I haven’t tested it with any other types of flour. Almond flour doesn’t contain gluten and is high in moisture and fat, so I don’t recommend a 1:1 swap with other flours unless you’re making other adjustments to the recipe.

Why is my frosting too thick and/or grainy?

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.

Overhead view of a slice of banana cake with a fork removing a piece.

Key recipe tips

Banana. The recipe only calls for one banana so you really want to maximize this flavour. This means your banana should be super ripe with so many brown spots it’s almost completely brown. This will ensure the sweet banana flavour 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.

Up close view of a piece of banana cake with chocolate frosting on top.

More banana recipes

More almond flour cake recipes

If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear what you think in the comments below!

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