Vegan banana cake

5 from 5 votes

Total time: 50

This one-bowl vegan banana cake has it all: it is so delicious but it's also low in fat and you can make it whole wheat if you want to. Bits of walnuts woven through the cake add a nice little crunchy surprise in every tender bite.

I love a good vegan banana cake and I've shared a few recipes with you over the years, including this vegan banana upside-down cake and vegan banana cake with peanut butter frosting.

To that list add this simple but superb vegan banana cake. It's a one-bowl recipe, needs no frosting because of the pretty, caramelized banana top and everyone will love it!

Table of Contents

Ingredients
How to make vegan banana cake
Storage instructions
Recipe FAQs
More yummy banana recipes
Recipe card
Reviews

Ingredients

5 bananas. Four bananas, which you will mix into the batter, should be overripe. The single banana needed for the caramelized upside-down top should be ripe but preferably not too soft so you can slice it easily.
1 cup + 2 tablespoons sugar. Use any sugar of your choice, including natural sugars like coconut sugar (which is really yummy here) or maple syrup. 1 cup goes into the cake batter and the remaining two tablespoons will be used for the caramelized banana topping.
½ cup coconut oil. I love coconut oil here and it makes a lovely, moist banana cake, but you can go with any other vegetable oil or vegan butter. If the coconut milk is solid at room temperature, or if you use vegan butter, melt it first.
½ cup nondairy milk. I use oat milk. Any nondairy milk will work.
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 cups flour. You have your choice here between using just whole wheat pastry flour or just all purpose flour. If you can't find whole wheat pastry flour you can also mix regular whole wheat flour and all purpose flour: 1 ½ cups of each. While the whole wheat version is healthier and very delicious, the all purpose flour will have a more delicate crumb.
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional). I don't always add this, but it adds a nice layer of flavor.
1 cup walnuts. Lightly toast the nuts before using. You can use pecans or sliced almonds. If you are nut-free leave out the nuts or use vegan chocolate chips.

Slice of vegan banana cake with a fork and bananas in background.

How to make vegan banana cake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit/180 degrees Celsius.
Prepare a 9- or 10-inch cake pan by spraying or brushing on oil on the bottom and sides. I used a springform pan, which make unmolding a little easier, but you can use a regular cake pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
Mash the four overripe bananas until quite smooth. You can do this in a food processor or blender, which just makes the process easier, or with a fork. Set aside.
In a large bowl whisk together the sugar and coconut oil for about a minute.

Add the milk, bananas, apple cider vinegar and vanilla and whisk until mixed.

Sift the three cups of flour into the bowl, followed by the baking powder and baking soda. Add salt and cinnamon, if using.

Dry ingredients for banana cake sifted into mixing bowl.

Use a spatula to fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just incorporated. Don't overmix but make sure there are no dry streaks of flour in the bowl.
Stir in the toasted, chopped walnuts.

Cake batter in mixing bowl with spatula.

Sprinkle the remaining two tablespoons of sugar on the bottom of the cake pan.
Slice the one remaining banana and arrange the slices over the sugar.

Pour the batter into the cake pan (it will be quite thick) and smooth the top with a spatula or spoon.
Bake 35 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.

Cake batter scraped into cake springform pan.

Cool the cake on a rack for 20 minutes. Run a knife along the edges to loosen from the pan, then place a plate over the pan and flip it quickly so the cake unmolds. If you used a springform pan, release it, and if you used a cake pan lift it off. Gently peel off the parchment paper. Continue cooling the cake on a rack.

Storage instructions

Refrigerate: Leftovers of the cake can be refrigerated for up to a week.
Freeze: Wrap the whole cake in its pan in freezer safe wrap (two layers is better), then aluminum foil, and freeze. If freezing slices, wrap each slice in cling wrap, then place in freezer safe container or bags and store for up to three months.
Thaw completely before eating.

Recipe FAQs

Make the banana cake without nuts

Skip the nuts or stir 1 cup vegan chocolate chips into the batter.

Is vegan banana cake healthy?

This vegan banana cake is as healthy as it gets. It can be made entirely with whole wheat flour, with natural sugars, and it has lots of fruit packed into it.

Can I bake this banana cake in a loaf pan?

You certainly can. You will need two loaf pans. Make sure you oil the pans and line the bottoms with parchment paper.

Make the cake gluten-free

I have a great vegan and gluten free banana upside down cake recipe you can make. Try it, you will love it for sure.

Do you have a recipe for cream cheese frosting?

If you'd like a cream cheese frosting on the cake, use this vegan cream cheese frosting recipe from my vegan carrot cupcakes recipe. In that case you can skip making the caramelized banana top as the frosting would cover it anyway. If you want to make this a banana layer cake, divide the batter into two eight inch cake pans, bake, and frost with the cream cheese frosting.

More yummy banana recipes

Vegan banana cake on white plate with bananas and cake server in background.

Recipe card