This Banana Cake is a delicious, one-bowl vegan recipe made from mashed ripe bananas, walnuts and whole wheat flour. Tasty and a bit healthier than traditional Cakes, this quick and easy eggless Banana Cake recipe is refreshingly light, pillowy soft and incredibly moist.
Table of Contents
More on This Eggless Banana Cake
Everyone in my family enjoys this delicious, moist banana cake – especially my brother-in-law, who compares it to those he had at the well-known Vienna Bakery in Mumbai.
So if you have some ripe bananas laying around at home, then get mashing and make this quick and easy cake.
This banana cake recipe has been adapted from my very popular, tried and tested Banana Bread.
By increasing the amount of oil and bananas in that recipe, I was able to make a light and soft cake. I also reduced the amount of baking soda and added in chopped walnuts for an extra crunch.
Ingredients You Need
- Bananas: The star of the cake, you’ll need approximately 4 ripe or overripe bananas.
- Flour: Though my recipe is made with whole wheat flour, you can use all-purpose flour or pastry flour or whole wheat pastry flour.
- Leavening ingredients: The recipe has both baking powder and baking soda. For best results, I suggest to use both. Make sure that they are fresh and active.
- Oil: A neutral tasting oil works great. But you can use olive oil and coconut oil. You can also use melted butter. I have made the cake with sunflower oil.
- Nuts: While walnuts are traditionally mixed into the batter, any halved or crushed nuts can be used. Feel free to use almonds, pecans or cashews.
- Dry Fruits: Raisins, cherries, or other dried fruits add extra sweetness to the cake.
- Flavorings: My recipes simply has vanilla extract as the key flavoring ingredient. You can add ground spices for warming flavors. Ground cinnamon, cloves, allspice or pumpkin spice make the cake have a lovely aroma.
- Optional Ingredients: Coconut flakes, chocolate and other ingredients can be delicious additions to this cake recipe; however, make sure not to overload your banana bread with too many extras.
How to Make Banana Cake Recipe
Make Banana Puree
1. Mash 4 medium to large ripe or over-ripe bananas with a fork to a smooth consistency. I have used over-ripe bananas for this recipe.
TIP: The consistency should be smooth without any chunks, so if needed you can also use a blender to mash the bananas.
2. Add ½ cup of sugar, ⅔ cup of any neutral flavored oil and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract to the mashed bananas.
3. Stir well so the oil mixes with the banana puree and the sugar dissolves completely.
Make Batter
4. Sieve 1½ cups of whole wheat flour, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, ½ teaspoon of baking soda and a pinch of salt directly in the bowl.
TIP: If you do not have a sieve, you can use a fine mesh strainer or whisk.
5. Fold the dry ingredients thoroughly into the wet ingredients. Fold using the cut and fold method.
Check my video above or in the recipe card below to see how to form the batter with the cut and fold method.
TIP: Do not mix! If the batter looks too thick, add some water, almond milk or lite coconut milk.
The amount of water to be added depends on the quality and texture of the whole wheat flour and the consistency of the batter. Only add in the extra liquids if the batter looks very thick.
6. Add 10 halved walnuts that have been finely chopped and fold again. Prep and chop the walnuts before to add to the batter.
Tip: In addition to walnuts, you can also add raisins, pistachios or any nuts and dry fruits of your choice.
Bake Eggless Banana Cake
7. Pour the batter into a greased or lined loaf pan ( 7.5 x 4 x 2.5 inches) or round cake pan (7.5 x 2 inches).
8. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F (180 degrees C) for 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the cake comes out clean. The timing varies from oven to oven, so keep a note of this.
Tip: If the top of the cake starts browning too much, cover the top with aluminum foil or parchment paper while baking.
Suggestion: If you do not have an oven, then bake the cake in a stove-top pressure cooker. Follow the method listed in this detailed post of Pressure Cooker Cake to make this banana cake.
Note: The orange-yellowish color in the image is due to incandescent lighting in my kitchen.
9. When warm or cooled, slice and serve Eggless Banana Cake plain with your tea or coffee.
Serving Suggestions
- Delicious all on its own with an evening cup of tea or coffee or as a sweet dessert.
- Top with homemade whipped cream
- Frost the cake with butter or cream icing, or even chocolate icing.
Storage
At room temperature, the cake stays well for 2 to 3 days. Wrap the cake in a cling film or store in an air-tight box and refrigerate. It keeps well for about 2 weeks when refrigerated. The cake also freezes well for a couple of months.
Expert Tips for Best Banana Cake
- Batter: This eggless banana cake batter has a medium-thick consistency. Depending on the quality or texture of whole wheat flour, you may require to add liquids like water or almond milk or lite coconut milk if the batter looks very thick.
- Flour: Though whole wheat flour forms the base of this cake, you can sub it with all-purpose flour in the same proportion as of whole wheat flour. Both atta (that is whole wheat flour used to make roti) as well as the whole wheat flour available in the US, Europe and other countries work well in the recipe.
- Folding: Form the batter using the cut and fold method. Do not use a whisk and mix the ingredients.
- Baking: Depending on the temperature in your oven and the size of your pan, the cake might take less or more time to bake. As the temperature varies from oven to oven so keep a note of this. The benchmark is that a tooth pick or skewer inserted in the vegan banana cake should come out clean.
- Oil: For the oils, a neutral tasting oil works best. So you can add sunflower oil or any neutral tasting oil. You can even make the cake with olive oil or coconut oil.
- Vegetarian option: Instead of oil use butter. Melt butter and use in the same proportion as that of oil.
- Flavorings: Chocolate chips or cocoa powder or cacao nibs can be included. Chopped nuts like pistachios, pecans, pine nuts, almonds and seeds like sunflower seeds, pepitas (pumpkin seeds), flax seeds and sunflower seeds can be added. Lightly toast the seeds in a skillet prior to adding.
- Spices: If you like spiced cakes, then add about ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon or ¼ teaspoon of ground nutmeg or 1 teaspoon of pumpkin spice mix.
FAQs
Because the ingredients for this vegan banana cake recipe are so easy to customize, you can simply withhold adding in sweeter items, such as sweetened coconut flakes, chocolate, or dried fruits.
Instead of oil you can use butter to make this recipe vegetarian. Simply melt the butter and use in the same proportion as that of the oil.
Your banana cake should last 2 to 3 days if properly stored. Wrap your cake in plastic wrap and leave on the counter. If you plan to store in the fridge, then place it an air-tight box or wrap tightly in a cling film so that the cake does not dry out.
Whisking disturbs the the combined ingredients and causes the batter to lose air that helps it to rise. When using the folding method instead, you preserve more of the volume and will have a fuller vegan banana cake.
More Cake Recipes to Try
Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card or leave a comment below if you have made it. For more vegetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter.
Easy Banana Cake Recipe (Eggless, Vegan & Whole Wheat)
Ingredients
- 4 bananas (medium to large ripe or overripe) – 300 grams
- 1.5 cups whole wheat flour or 180 grams whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 pinch salt
- ½ cup regular sugar or organic unrefined cane sugar or 100 grams sugar
- ⅔ cup any neutral flavored oil (I used sunflower oil)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 10 halved walnuts – finely chopped or any dry fruits or nuts of your choice (optional)
Instructions
Preparation
- Preheat your oven at 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit). If using a regular oven, heat both the top and bottom elements. For a microwave convection oven, just preheat the oven.
Making cake batter
- Peel and chop the bananas. Add them to a bowl and mash them with a fork. You can also use a blender to mash the bananas.
- Add sugar, oil and vanilla extract.
- Mix thoroughly so that the oil mixes evenly with the banana puree and the sugar dissolves.
- Sieve whole wheat flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt directly in the bowl. You can also sieve these separately and then add them to the wet ingredients.
- Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients very well.
- Add the chopped walnuts and fold again. Apart from walnuts, you can also add raisins, pistachios or any nuts and dry fruits of your choice.
- Pour the batter in a greased or lined loaf pan ( 7.5 x 4 x 2.5 inches) or round cake pan (7.5 x 2 inches).
Baking banana cake
- Gently tap and shake the pan. Place the pan in the center rack if using a regular oven or otg.
- Bake in the preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit) for 45 to 50 mins or until a wooden skewer or tooth pick inserted in the cake comes out clean.
- If the top of the cake starts browning then cover the top with an aluminium foil or parchment paper while baking.
- When warm or cooled, gently remove the cake from the pan. Slice and serve banana cake as is with tea or coffee.
Video
Notes
- Batter: This banana cake batter has a medium-thick consistency. Depending on the quality or texture of flour, you may require to add liquids like water or almond milk or lite coconut milk if the batter looks very thick.
- Flour: In place of whole wheat flour, you can easily use all-purpose flour in the same quantity as that of whole wheat flour. Both atta (that is whole wheat flour used to make roti) as well as whole wheat flour available in the US and Europe, work well in the recipe.
- Folding: Use the cut and fold method to make the batter. Do not use a whisk and mix the ingredients.
- Baking: Depending on the temperature in your oven and the size of your pan, the cake might take less or more time to bake. As the temperature varies from oven to oven so keep a note of this. The benchmark is that a tooth pick inserted in the banana cake should come out clean.
- Oil: You can add sunflower oil or any neutral tasting oil. You can even add olive oil or coconut oil.
- Vegetarian option: Instead of oil you can use butter. Melt the butter and use in the same proportion as that of the oil.
- Flavorings: Chocolate chips or cocoa powder or cacao nibs can be added. Chopped nuts like pistachios, pecans, pine nuts, almonds and seeds like sunflower seeds, pepitas (pumpkin seeds), flax seeds and sunflower seeds can also be added. Lightly toast the seeds in a pan before adding them to the batter.
- Spices: If you like spiced cakes, you can add about ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon or ¼ teaspoon of ground nutmeg or 1 teaspoon of pumpkin spice mix.
Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)
This Banana Cake recipe post from the archives first published in May 2014 has been republished and updated on 26 January 2022.
I must have baked like 20 banana cakes … all different recipes from different websites and I must say this is the BEST. I used over ripe bananas, skipped the sugar and served it with blueberry “jam” ( all i did was to microwave a handful of blueberries until they melted ) Everyone loved it!!! 😀
we are pleased to know this chloe 🙂 and glad your family loved the eggless banana cake recipe thankyou so much.
Hi Dassana,
Thanks for lovely recepie ??, my 18 months old love this banana cake very much!
Will try your other recepies soon ?
Cheers!
Nilakshi
hey nilakshi we are glad to know your baby loved this cake 🙂 thankyou so much surely try the other recipes and do share your views on it.
Hi,
i am a big fan of your website. can you please tell me the recipe for sponge cake with eggs and whole wheat flour? Thank you in advance
thanks renuka. i have a sponge cake recipe from my home science notes and its a tried and tested one. but its made with maida/all purpose flour and has proportion in grams and not in cups. let me know if you want this recipe and i will mail the pic to you.
Having been a useless cake maker for 50 years I tried the banana cake recipe. WOW ………. It works. So quick, so tasty so moreish. It never made it to the storeage tin.
Thank You
hey margo we are glad to know this thankyou so much for trying the eggless banana cake and you are welcome 🙂
Hi,
I would like to try this cake with jaggery instead of sugar. Could you please tell them how much jaggery should replace the sugar? Thank you!
use the same amount as mentioned for the sugar.
Dear Madam
I have become a fan of your recipes.
I have a query wrt the eggless banana cake. I baked my cake in our convection microwave oven. But the top got burnt. Use of aluminum foil is not recommended. Way out pls.
just bake for less time and reduce the temperature to 15 to 20 degree less than what is mentioned in the recipe. in most microwave convection ovens, the heating element is on top and thats why the top gets browned faster.
Dear Dasanna
Your recipes are the best. And your pages are indexed better than other pages. I have always read your recipes and both followed them to the T and also made inspired versions of breads and savory items.
I want to make 5 loafs for the Navratri stalls we are putting up this Friday. When can I make them? How long do they keep?
Thanks in advance.
thanks a lot anu. you can make them a day before. they keep good for 1 day at room temperature and then you have to refrigerate. in the fridge good enough for 10 to 15 days. in a country like india where the temperatures are more on the warmer to hotter side, i just keep the loaf for a day outside. then later in keep in the fridge.
Thanks dear. Turns out, the stalls are on sunday. So, I am going to bake tonight and put it in the fridge. Maybe warm it a little before taking it down. I am excited because every time I come to this particular page and see how light the slices look, I want to make it all the more ☺
you are welcome anu 🙂 surely keep baking as eggless banana cake does tastes yum and thankyou so much.
Hi! I followed your recipe n made this cake yesterday. I baked it in my onida microwave in convection mode. After baking for 40 minutes, it was not done from inside 🙁
Then I microwaved the cake for 3 minutes And voila it came out perfect!!! Thanks for recipe
joji the baking temperature varies with the capacity, size and the make of the oven. sometimes the recipe would bake a little early or late in respective oven. but I am pleased to know your cake came out perfect thanks a ton for trying and you are welcome.
Hello,
Also forgot to tel u I didn’t had baking soda so I used baking powder for the proportion of baking soda given. What difference does it make if I don’t use baking soda in making a cake.
Thanx in advance
baking soda should never be substituted for baking powder. this is the reason, that the cake did not rise. you can substitute baking soda for baking powder, but not the other way round. baking soda is pure sodium bicarbonate and is 4 times stronger than baking powder.
hello,
Tried the recipe but it didn’t came out good. I really like ur recipes but this one didn’t work for me. The reason is it didn’t rise n it is raw from inside. Please let me know what can be reason . I have really no clue. Looking forward to ur early reply.
Please reply .
hello amit,
I tried the recipe but it is not baked properly from the top in spite of baking it for 1 hr. Can u tel me what went wrong. Followed fully acc to ur recipe. Thanx in advance
did you preheat the oven for 15 minutes before baking. 1 hour is a long time. which heating element did you use while baking – top or bottom. let me know.
Hello dasanna, awesome recipe.. Tried today and it came out well.. But centre part of the cake is slightly soggy.. Can you tell why
thanks deepa. bake it more its not baked completely.
Hi Dasanna, can I use melted butter or ghee instead of oil? Thanks, divya
divyapriya, yes you can use.
Hi Dassansa,
Baking was always a herculean task for me. I’ve come across many baking disasters. But after going through your website I gained some confidence and tried your much commented and rated eggless banana cake recipe with pressure cooker. It came out so well. Thanks alot.
welcome amritha. glad to know this.
I tried out this recipe and WOW!!! It was awesome and everyone in my family loved it! The best part is it is Atta and not maida! Keep posting such healthy, delicious recipes.. Looking forward to more such interesting culinary master pieces from you. Keep up the great work!
thanks jayshree for sharing your experience and positive feedback. glad to read your comment.