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.
so sorry found it. thanks will try and respond back. I am planning add a bit of oats to the mix, hope that works. As i have done that in my cake with eggs
fine sunita. you can add oats in the cake.
Hi,
Love the way you have described the steps, but where are the measures for the ingredients. i could not find how much quantity to use of the ingredients.
thanks sunita. the ingredients and measurements are mentioned at the bottom of recipe post.
its good
thanks thota
Hi
Recipe for banana cake is wonderful but can I replace vanilla extract with another ingredient as I haven’t vanilla extract.
Thanks.
welcome babita. you can add cinnamon (dal chini) powder or green cardamom (chotti elachi) powder. they give a nice aroma. or skip the vanilla.
Hey I am going to try this recipe I never baked in my entire but going attempt for my cousins for the Christmas party. Do you have any tips? Can I use olive oil or seasons seed oil or canals oil bc that’s wats lyi g in the house. How many bananas do I use? N how much milk should I use or should I not use milk? Wat degree do I put it 180 or 350?
olive oil can be added. the rest of the details are mentioned in the recipe box below when the step by step pics end.
hi Dassana,
tried out the recipe yesterday and it came out perfect !! followed the instructions to the T. thanks for the foolproof recipe !! My search for the perfect eggless banana walnut muffin ( read cake ) finally came to close . thanks a lot girl !! a big thumbs up for you !!
regards
preethi.
welcome preethi. i have also made muffins with the same recipe. but not yet added on the blog. thanks for this sweet feedback.
Hi,
I tried this eggless banana cake now it was awsm..it had a nice flavour…As my kid doesn’t eat banana I added some coco powder and choco chip to it..it was wounderful.
Regards
Anitha
thanks anitha for sharing positive feedback on banana cake. choco chips goes very well in the cake.
Hi Dassana,
Thank you for sharing the recipe. I baked two, one using all purpose flour, sunflower oil but without sunflower seeds. It turned out moist. The other I use coconut oil, add cinnamon powder, melon seeds and cranberries (i have on hand). It turned out great. It is gone within 5 hours.
welcome margaret. thanks for sharing your variation and feedback. coconut oil solidifies. hence the first cake made with sunflower oil was moist.
Hi Dassana,
I made this cake yesterday, but the cake was uncooked inside, I left it in for longer but it was still uncooked and the outer layer was hard. The mixture was very thick, I only used 2 bananas and there wasnt enough wet mixture to mix with the dry ingrediants so i added milk. I want to make it again, any suggestions? Also I have a fan heated oven.
hi aleena, i think there was not enough liquids in the cake or there was over mixing. since milk was added later, the batter must have got over mixed or over folded. over mixing will ruin the texture of the cake. if using just 2 bananas, then once the bananas are mashed, then add milk. about 1/2 cup of milk is fine. then follow the recipe.
Can I make a cake in silicon mould instead of aluminium mould?
pooja, yes you can make the cake in silicon mould.
Hi dassan
I like dis recipe…will u plz refer me more snacks recipes…
thanks zeenat. check this collection of snacks and starters recipes.
https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/recipes/indian-snacks-indian-starters/
Hi..in case of baking in otg, can we switch on the top element at a later stage, like in the last 10mins.
Also I more query. My cakes rise a lot in yhe oven but after taken out they fall down so much that a deep hole ia created in the middle. Do you have any idea why this happens?
Thanks a lot.
you can switch off the top heating element in the last stage. which recipe you tried. must be something with the recipe or proportions. ideally cakes should not sunk. it can be anything. uneven temperature, opening and closing of oven doors often, leavening agents added.
I made this cake and it’s a very well receipe the cake was better than any maida cake . I made muffins and cake with same batter but muffins were very soft and spongy but cake was not so. Does it matter the thickness of cake in baking utensil. The cake was soft but became little sticky when cooled, what could be the reason. thanks
yes, it does matter in what size and pan the cake is baked. muffins take a short time to bake than a cake tin or pan. actually the cake is not sticky. i think probably the cake was not baked thoroughly. thats why the stickiness. otherwise there should be no stickiness. if the muffins do not come sticky, then the cake should also. since its the same batter.
Hi Dassana
I make this cake at least once a week with chocolate chips and its always wiped out.
Also set it in muffin cases once which turned out very well. Only one problem – the top cracks , it is never smooth like the cake in your picture and I wonder why as the oven temperature is perfect and the rack is placed in the middle of the oven.
Any suggestions ?
thanks rukhsana. the cracking can also be due to the size of the pan. does it happens with the muffins too. try cutting down on the sugar and oil and see if it works.
i tried it helped me alot…my kids and my family members had loved it.i recommend u to use this receipe only..
thanks soni