This Banana Cake with Chocolate Frosting is incredibly moist and tender, packed with ripe banana flavor in every bite. It’s finished with a rich, creamy chocolate cream cheese frosting that makes it feel extra indulgent.
It's no secret that I love a good banana treat, especially in cake form. I have developed several banana cake recipes, like my Spiced Banana Cake, Peanut Butter Banana Cake, and Brown Butter Banana Cake. All have one thing in common: a moist, one layer cake that uses overripe bananas. They're all filled with deep flavors from the sweetness of the ripe bananas, to the spices in the batter.
This Banana Cake with Chocolate Frosting is no different. It starts with an easy one-bowl banana cake and then is topped with an incredible chocolate cream cheese frosting. Ever had chocolate and bananas? Perfect combo!
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♥ Why You'll Love This Recipe
Moist and flavorful – The banana keeps the cake soft and tender for days, and the cinnamon and nutmeg add delicious flavor.
Perfect for overripe bananas – Have an abundance of overripe bananas you need to use up? This cake is the answer to that.
Decadent chocolate frosting – The cream cheese frosting is a silky and indulgent dream and pairs so well with the banana cake.
Great for any occasion – Whether it's a birthday, potluck, or just a family weekend treat.
📝 Ingredient Notes
A full list of ingredients, quantities, and instructions are located in the recipe card at the end of the post.
Banana Cake
Banana: Use very ripe bananas. For this Banana Cake recipe I used two large ripe banana, which is around 1 cup of mashed bananas. If you don't have ripe bananas but would like to make this cake, see notes below for how to ripen bananas quickly.
Butter: For this recipe, we melt the butter before adding the ingredients. I think it gives it a bit of flavor and moisture. I use unsalted butter.
Sugar: This Banana Cake uses mostly dark brown sugar, and some granulated sugar.
Oil: Vegetable or any neutral oil, like light olive oil or avocado oil.
Buttermilk: If you don't have any buttermilk, you can make your own by adding ½ tablespoon of vinegar to the milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes before using.
Chocolate Frosting
Butter: Make sure your butter is softened to room temperature. Unsalted works great in this cream cheese frosting.
Cream Cheese: Full fat block cream cheese straight out of the fridge. I always make sure to use cold cream cheese so that the frosting isn't too soft.
Cocoa Powder: You can use Dutch Process cocoa powder or natural, but for more intense and deeper flavor, I suggest Dutch Process.
Chocolate: I use semi-sweet chocolate chips, but you could use milk or dark.
See recipe card for quantities.
⇄ Substitutions
Brown sugar: In place of dark brown sugar, you can use light brown sugar instead.
Buttermilk: If you don't have any buttermilk on hand, add ½ tablespoon of vinegar to milk and let it sit and curdle for 5 minutes. Although, I do highly suggest using buttermilk instead of homemade version.
✨ Variations
Spices: You can add extra spices to give the cake a little more spice flavor, like my Spiced Banana Cake recipe.
Nuts: Adding pecans or walnuts would be an excellent addition to this cake. You can add it directly to the batter, or sprinkle on top of the cake after frosting.
Chocolate chips: Add a handful of chocolate chips to the batter to make a chocolate chip banana cake.
Espresso: You can add a little espresso to the cake and the frosting for a boost of flavor.
🍴Special Equipment
Kitchen Scale: It's so important to use a kitchen scale for accurate results.
Square pan: You'll need a 8 inch Square pan.
Mixing bowls: I love using glass Mixing Bowls when making batters and doughs.
Mixer: You can use a stand mixer, or a handheld mixer for the frosting.
𓎩 Step-by-Step Instructions
A few instruction photos to help you nail this recipe every time.
Step 1
In a large bowl, add the slightly cooled melted butter and sugars and mix until well combined.
Step 2
Then add the eggs, oil, vanilla extract and mix. Then add the mashed bananas and buttermilk, and mix until incorporated.
Step 3
Sift in the dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated. Do not over mix.
💡 Hint: Make sure to line your baking pan with parchment paper so that it's easy to take the cake out of the pan once cooled.
Step 4
Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Depending on your oven, it could take more or less time. If you feel like the top is browning too much, cover it loosely with foil. Start checking at 25 minutes.
Step 5
In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (you could use a hand mixer), beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth and light in color, about 2-3 minutes. Add the salt, cocoa powder, then powdered sugar ½ cup at a time and beat on low until completely combined. Add the (cooled) melted chocolate and beat until combined, then increase the speed and beat until smooth and fluffy, for 2-3 minutes.
💬 FAQ
If you don't have any ripe bananas but want to make this recipe, bake bananas on a lined baking sheet at 350 degrees F. for about 15 minutes until the peels are black.
Instead of buttermilk, you can use whole milk, with a ½ tablespoon of vinegar added. Let sit for 5 minutes to curdle.
💡Pro Tips
Measure Flour Correctly - As always, with any recipe, use a kitchen scale, as it is the best form of measuring your ingredients. If you don't have a kitchen scale, fluff your flour, scoop flour with a spoon into a measuring cup and level off.
Don't over bake - Start checking at 25-28 minutes.
Cool completely - Let the cake cool completely before frosting.
Ripe bananas - If you don't have any ripe bananas but want to make this recipe, bake bananas on a lined baking sheet at 350 degrees F. for about 15 minutes until the peels are black.
Buttermilk - Instead of buttermilk, you can use whole milk, with a ½ tablespoon of vinegar added. Let sit for 5 minutes to curdle.
❄ Storage
Room temperature: This cake can be stored unfrosted in an airtight container at room temperature.
Refrigerator: Once frosted, the cake must be stored in the refrigerator, in an airtight container for 4-5 days. Let come to room temperature before eating.
Freezer: Unfrosted, you can wrap the cake in saran wrap, then aluminum foil and place in the freezer for 2-3 months. Defrost in the fridge over night.
📖 Recipe Card
Banana cake with Chocolate Frosting
Ingredients
Banana Cake
- 2 (228 g) large banana, very ripe (about 1 cup, mashed) see notes
- 6 tablespoon (84 g) unsalted butter melted
- ½ cup (100 g) dark brown sugar
- ⅓ cup (66 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 3 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120 g) buttermilk see notes
- 1½ cups (180 g) all purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
Chocolate Frosting
- 4 oz. full fat brick cream cheese cold, straight out of the fridge
- 4 tablespoon (56 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 tablespoon (16 g) cocoa powder
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (100 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips melted
Instructions
Banana Cake
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350℉ and line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper and set aside. Mash the banana and set aside.2 large banana, very ripe (about 1 cup, mashed)
- Mix dry ingredients: In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon, mix and set aside.1½ cups all purpose flour, 1½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, add the slightly cooled melted butter and sugars and mix until well combined. Then add the eggs, oil, vanilla extract and mix. Then add the mashed bananas and buttermilk, and mix until incorporated.½ cup dark brown sugar, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, 3 tablespoon vegetable oil, 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ cup buttermilk, 6 tablespoon unsalted butter
- Combine: Sift in the dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated. Do not over mix.
- Pour & Bake: Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Depending on your oven, it could take more or less time. If you feel like the top is browning too much, cover it loosely with foil. Start checking at 25 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
Chocolate Frosting
- Beat: In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (you could use a hand mixer), beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth and light in color, about 2-3 minutes. Add the salt, cocoa powder, then powdered sugar ½ cup at a time and beat on low until completely combined. Add the (cooled) melted chocolate and beat until combined, then increase the speed and beat until smooth and fluffy, for 2-3 minutes.If the frosting is too stiff, add a splash of milk or heavy cream to thin it out a little and beat for another minute.4 oz. full fat brick cream cheese, 4 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature, 2 tablespoon cocoa powder, 1 cup powdered sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt, ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- Frost: Once cake is completely cooled, top with the frosting.
- Store cake covered in the refrigerator.
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