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Everybody asks for seconds of this moist and flavorful Banana Chocolate Chip Cake. It’s perfect for snacking or great dressed up for special occasions with our luscious chocolate frosting. Honestly you don’t need a special occasion to enjoy this cake! All you need is a few ripe bananas, some basic pantry ingredients, mini chocolate chips and a few hungry friends.
Easy and delicious Banana Chocolate Chip Cake
Single layer cakes are the best! They’re just as tender and moist but a little less fussy than layered cakes. This banana snack cake travels well and keeps great for days. And, for an added bonus, it’s great with or without the luscious chocolate frosting!
Ingredients overview for Banana Chocolate Chip Cake
Scroll to the bottom of this post for the full printable recipe…
For the cake:
- all-purpose flour
- salt
- baking soda
- unsalted butter at room temperature
- brown sugar or granulated sugar works well too
- large eggs
- mashed ripe bananas, about 2 medium
- vanilla extract
- whole milk
- mini chocolate chips
- (optional) coarse sugar for sprinkling on top
For the (optional) chocolate frosting:
- unsalted butter at room temperature
- powdered sugar
- Dutch-process cocoa powder for deep rich chocolate flavor
- salt
- heavy cream or milk
- espresso powder (optional) to enhance the chocolate flavor
- vanilla extract
Equipment:
- an electric mixer
- one square 9-inch cake pan with at least 2-inch high sides
How to make Banana Chocolate Chip Cake
For the complete printable instructions scroll to the bottom of this post…
To prepare the cake recipe:
- Whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda; set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl beat the butter and sugar until lightened and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, blending just until combined.
- Pour in the mashed bananas and vanilla. Beat until incorporated scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture in 3 additions alternating with the milk in 2 additions. Fold in the chocolate chips reserving a few to scatter on top if desired.
- Pour batter in the prepared pan (sprinkle with coarse sugar if using). Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven until a toothpick comes out with no wet batter.
- Allow the banana cake to cool for 15 minutes then remove from the pan and transfer to a wire rack. The cake can be served immediately or frosted while still slightly warm. However the frosting sets up best when the cake is completely cool.
How to make Chocolate Frosting
- Beat the butter with an electric or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until creamy and smooth. In a separate bowl whisk together the powdered sugar, cocoa powder and salt.
- Add the sugar cocoa mixture to the butter along with 2 tablespoons of cream or milk, the salt, espresso powder and vanilla. Blend on the lowest setting just until combined.
- Add additional cream 1/2 tablespoon at a time if needed until you reach the desired consistency. Gently stir the frosting with a rubber spatula scraping up from the bottom of the bowl.
- Spread the frosting over the cool or slightly warm cake. Serve and enjoy!
PRO TIP: Don’t over whip the frosting. Over-mixing will create air bubbles and the frosting won’t be as smooth, silky and creamy.
Storing Banana Chocolate Chip Cake
Banana cake can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. You can also refrigerate the cake for longer storage.
The unfrosted cake freezes very well for up to three months. Due to the added dairy in the frosting we don’t recommend freezing a frosted cake.
Tips for the BEST Banana Chocolate Chip Cake
- Use very ripe bananas and smash until smooth.
- Don’t over-bake the cake. A toothpick inserted in the center should come out with no wet batter. Moist crumbs are okay.
- If you chose to skip the chocolate frosting, sprinkle coarse sugar on top before baking for a nice sweet crust.
How to ripen bananas 🍌
To encourage bananas to ripen quickly, seal them in a paper bag for a few days. The paper bag traps the ethylene gas produced by fruit while still allowing some moisture to escape.
Since fully ripened fruit emits the most ethylene, placing a ripe banana in a paper bag will speed the process by a day or two.
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Banana Chocolate Chip Cake
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Yield: 9
Course: Dessert
Easy to make and delightful to eat! Simple Chocolate Chip Banana Cake with a luscious (optional) chocolate frosting
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (252g)
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature (4oz or 113g)
- 1 cup light brown sugar (226g)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup mashed ripe bananas about 2 medium
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup whole milk (5 1/2 oz)
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips (176g)
For the frosting (optional):
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature (4oz or 113g)
- 2 cups powdered sugar (240g)
- ⅓ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder (43g)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk (plus 1 T more if needed)
- pinch of espresso powder optional
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9-inch square cake pan or grease and line with parchment paper leaving the extra hanging over the sides for easy removal. Set aside.
To prepare the cake batter:
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, salt and baking soda. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until lightened and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and blend until combined. Pour in the mashed bananas and vanilla. Beat until incorporated scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture in 3 additions alternating with the milk in 2 additions. Fold in the chocolate chips reserving a few to scatter on top.
- Spread the batter in the prepared pan. Sprinkle with reserved chocolate chips. Bake at 350°F until a toothpick comes out with no wet batter (moist crumbs are okay) about 35 to 45 minutes. DO NOT OVER-BAKE! Allow the cake to cool for 15 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool on a wire rack before frosting or serve unfrosted while still warm.
To prepare the frosting:
- In a medium bowl beat the butter on medium-high with an electric mixer until creamy and smooth. In a separate bowl whisk together the powdered sugar, cocoa powder and salt. Add the sugar mixture to the beaten butter along with 2 tablespoons cream, salt, espresso powder and vanilla. Blend on the lowest mixer setting just until combined. Or mix by hand with a wooden spoon.
- Add additional cream ½ tablespoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency. If needed add more powdered sugar for a thicker frosting. Fold the frosting a few times with a rubber spatula scraping up from the bottom of the bowl. Don’t over-whip or over-mix the frosting as that will create air bubbles and the frosting won’t be as smooth, silky and creamy.
- Spread the frosting over the cooled or slightly warm cake. Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Store the cake at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Refrigerate for longer storage.
The unfrosted cake can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Nutritional information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered as an estimate. When multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.
- The nutritional information at the bottom includes the chocolate frosting. Banana Cake without frosting is as follows: 432 calories; 66g carbs; 6g protein; 17g fat; 328mg sodium
Nutrition
Calories: 645kcal | Carbohydrates: 94g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 99mg | Sodium: 397mg | Potassium: 252mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 67g | Vitamin A: 814IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 89mg | Iron: 2mg
More great ways to use overripe bananas
We love overripe bananas and NEVER throw them out. They’re great in so many recipes from smoothies to Banana Bread. Finally, here are a few recipes you might also like to try:
Laura Giberson
This is so good. I used this recipe to make two wedding cakes and it was brilliant. I made the recipe as written except I used cake flour instead of all purpose and for one cake I subbed half almond flour.
They were both lovely and moist and delicious. Thank you for the easy recipe.
Tricia Buice
Thank you Laura! So glad this cake was a hit. Lovely idea for a wedding cake. Congratulations to the happy couple.