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 tried this recipe yesterday, thanks to ripe bananas 😉 , and oh my God! It turned out to be one of the best baked desserts I’ve tried! Thank you so much for such a simple and yum recipe 🙂
Welcome Nirupama. Thanks for your positive feedback on banana cake recipe.
Hi just a quick question. Can we use maida instead of Aata? Will it taste good?
Radhika, yes you can use maida. it will taste good.
How long can it stay at room temp. I want to carry it for long distance travel
Sam, It will stay good for 2-3 days in a warm climate like india. in cold climate it will stay for more days.
I m planning to take for air travel for kid.will banana blacken.and if it blakens is it safe to eat
sam, banana will not blacken. you can easily take the banana cake for the air travel trip.
I made it today for my daughter. She has food allergies. It was so delicouse. Thank you so so much for sharing the recipe. The best Vegan cake recipe so far.
Thank you,
Welcome Sanfangcisco. Thanks for your positive feedback on banana cake.
At first I thought the batter is so thick how it will be able to get a perfect shape but it came out so perfectly. Thank you for sharing 🙁
Welcome Sneha.
Hi! I tried this cake but the batter became doughy
And it did not become brown, rather, got burnt
doughy is because either the liquids were less for the quality of flour used or the batter has been folded too much.
Hi, i have tried this recipe for 2 times but it was not spongy as it looks in your picture, can u suggest , i have tried it in oven as well as microwave, with measuring spoon and butter.another question is can i use powdered sugar instead of grains.
shruti, try not to overdo the folding part. if the batter gets mixed too much, then the cake will fall flat and won’t have a soft texture. also as soon as the batter is folded, then pour in pan and place the cake pan in the oven. preheat oven for 15 mins before placing the cake pan. you can use powdered sugar.
What a fantastic recipe. Came out perfectly. Tastes delicious. Thank you and look forward to trying more recipes.
Welcome Shreekar. Glad to know that you liked the cake recipe.
hi,
Can i make it in pressure cooker ? that time how much time it will take ?
sandeepta, yes you can make. it will take around 30-35 minutes. you can refer this pressure cooker cake recipe – https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/pressure-cooker-cake-recipe/
I tried this recipe yesterday evening as I wanted to make a cake for my lil ones 2nd month birthday..came out really nice..I used half of all those ingredients and used brown sugar instead of normal sugar, baked for 30 mins at 180c in preheated oven.
Thanks for this amazing recipe.
Welcome Prathyusha. Nice to know this. Do try some more cake recipes.
Awwwww it smells like heaven, tastes awesome as well!!! Thanks Dassana, but u said 1cup=250ml and said 1.5cups of aata and approximately 180gms?? Didn’t get it. I roughly calculated and used aata.
jothsna, 1 cup of atta when weighed separately in a weighing machine weighs 120 grams. so 180 grams of atta when added in a cup weighs 1.5 cups. the cup measures 250 ml of liquid ingredient. In the same cup 1 cup of flour measures when weighed in a weighing machine – 120 grams of flour. So different solid ingredients like rice, sugar, sooji etc will weigh differently. So 1.5 cups of wheat flour weighs 180 grams. either you can follow the cup measurement or the gram measurement.
Came out good ; It’s mentioned 1 cup is 250 ml and for wheat flour its said 1.5 cups or 180 GM ; so is wheat flour 180 GM or 300 GM ? I tried with 180 it came out excellent ; when is was just going thru it I had a doubt
Sneha, the cup measures 250 ml of liquid ingredient. In the same cup 1 cup of flour measures when weighed in a weighing machine – 120 grams of flour. So different solid ingredients like rice, sugar, sooji etc will weigh differently. So 1.5 cups of wheat flour weighs 180 grams. either you can follow the cup measurement or the gram measurement.
Thank you so much
Welcome Sneha
Hi Iam a great follower of all your recipes and I do recommend to thisnto mynfriends ; being a vegetarian I love all your recipes. I tried this banana nut cake and it came out great ; My husband and 2 year old loves this .
Can I double the quantity to make it in a larger tin ? How would be the baking time then ?
Thanks Sneha for your kind words. Yes you can double the quantity. Baking time will only increase by 10 to 15 minutes.
I am going to prepare this banana cake tomorrow. Just a quick question.. What do you mean by whole wheat flour? is it the same flour that we use for preparing chapathi or phulka? I am usingAashirwaad brand.. Is it OK if I use this,?
yes it the same flour which we use for making chapatis. i have use chakki ground atta. you can use aashirwad atta also. each atta has a different quality. so in case the batter looks very thick, then you can add some water/milk/coconut milk to it.
Nice recipe..but wanted to carry for picnic…for how many days will it last outside refrigerator ?
it will stay good for 3 to 4 days at room temperature.