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.
oh wow! this recipe is soooo simple and so cool.. i finished 3 concalls and a cake in 1 hour 🙂 thank you look forward to trying more recipes 🙂
Hi
Why are both baking powder and baking soda required? Former contains latter. Also, I don’t find baking soda online for ordering.
I used baking powder alone, and confess cake was not quite spongy
Thanks
Both are needed in the recipe. Baking soda does help in leavening the cake and helps in making it light and fluffy.
It is a perfect recipe… it always comes out so good.
Hi Dassana, I came thru your vegan cake…it looks awesome.i would like to try a 2 kg banana cake. What changes are to be made. Can you mention ….please.
Hi Anu, in the recipe card, you will see the servings tab. Kindly increase the number from 12 to 48 there and you will get the ingredient proportions accordingly.
Hello,
Was searching some whole wheat cake options for my 6 year old daughter. Found this recepie. I made it half all proportions. Can you please guide on baking soda and baking powder proportion?
It came out well though. Just I can sense a taste of soda later.
Thank u.
Then you can reduce the baking soda slightly and add about ⅛ teaspoon – which will roughly be 3 to 4 pinches.
I have made this cake so many times, comes out very well. Thank you so much for this recipe. One of the best healthy cake.
Hi,
I tried the banana cake.
Its awesome.
Thank you so much for the recipe.
Came out very well..I used coconut oil and loved the flavour..I should have used aluminium foil as mentioned in the recipe as my top layer was more brown.. But tasted awesome 🙂🙂🙂
Loved the recipe . Simple & easy
I tried the cake today and it came out well . Kids too enjoyed the cake.
I always look for your blogs for recipes. It is helpful.
Thanks
Thanks for the feedback and glad to know. Welcome and Happy Baking.
Thank you so much for this recipe. It turned out perfectly. I decreased the amount of sugar by half and used an round pan instead of typical pan loaf to bake it for 30 minutes. It tasted amazing this morning with a black coffee. Really appreciate your dedication to a craft that help others bake. Thank you.
Welcome Vera. Glad that you liked the banana cake recipe. Thanks for your kind words. Stay Safe.
𝙃𝙞, 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙬𝙖𝙨 𝙢𝙮 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙨𝙩 𝙗𝙖𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙞𝙩 𝙘𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 𝙬𝙚𝙡𝙡.. 𝙄 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙣 𝙗𝙖𝙣𝙖𝙣𝙖 𝙢𝙪𝙛𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙨 𝙣 𝙄 𝙡𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙢 𝙖 𝙡𝙤𝙩. 𝘼𝙛𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙗𝙖𝙣𝙖𝙣𝙖 𝙘𝙖𝙠𝙚. 𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙄 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨, 𝙄 𝙛𝙚𝙡𝙩 𝙄 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙣 𝙖𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣.𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙠 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙢𝙪𝙘𝙝 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙚𝙜𝙜𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨, 𝙫𝙚𝙜𝙖𝙣 𝙧𝙚𝙘𝙞𝙥𝙚. 🙂
Thank you Anjali. Glad to read your feedback on the banana cake recipe. Most welcome and Happy Baking.
in my microwave there is no ‘convection mode’ bt only ‘microwave mode’ .so can i use it for baking cake? nd also can v preheat microwave using ‘microwave mode’?
baking can only be done in the convection mode. i am not sure if this banana cake recipe will work in the microwave mode. so better avoid making. i don’t want all your effort to go waste. usually, any baked cake cannot be made in the microwave mode. the oven also cannot be preheated using the microwave mode. hope this helps.
i thought u didn’t get my mail,so i resend it:
can v use honey & desi ghee instead of sugar& oil? i hope it won’t taste bad .
can i use oven safe glass bowl in cooker cake recipe ?
how can v use oats flour in cake, e.g. oats flour instead of maida….
hi akshita, i have already replied to you. scroll below in the comment section and you will see your name and my replies to you. with oats flour some testing will be required. you will need to add some maida or atta along with oats flour.
i have also replied to your other queries in the comments. you just need to scroll.
The mixture was quite dry and cake turned out to be very crumbly. Need to increase the volume of wet ingredients considering it is whole-wheat atta.
if the mixture is dry, then some more wet ingredient needs to be added. so you can always add some water or milk (coconut or almond). i have mentioned this point in the steps also. depending on the texture and type of whole wheat flour, less or more wet ingredients will be required. hope this helps.
can i substitute vanilla essence or extract with something else
yes, you can add ½ teaspoon of cardamom powder or ¼ to ½ teaspoon of cinnamon powder. a pinch of nutmeg powder can also be added with the cinnamon powder.