Vegan Chocolate Banana Cake – Rich, Simple & Easy!

This vegan chocolate banana cake is moist, rich, fluffy, and bursting with chocolatey banana goodness! Topped with luscious vegan banana cream frosting and homemade vegan caramel sauce, this cake is easy to make, incredibly scrumptious, and completely dairy-free and egg-free.

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Chocolate and banana – name a better duo! This vegan chocolate banana cake is everything you could ever want in a cake if you are a chocolate banana combo lover: rich, moist, ultra-soft, fluffy, and bursting with deep chocolate flavour with sweet banana. The natural sweetness of ripe bananas pairs beautifully with the cacao, creating a perfectly balanced cake that’s not overly sweet but so indulgent.

I’ve frosted this cake with my vegan banana cream frosting to make it extra rich in banana flavour and drizzled some homemade vegan caramel sauce, which was honestly out-of-this-world delicious and added a nice smooth and decadent finish. I served this to my husband and friends and they all loved it! So I’m sure it will be your next favourite cake.

This cake is perfect for birthdays, celebrations, or just a cosy weekend treat. Plus, it’s super easy to make with basic pantry ingredients, so you can whip it up whenever the chocolate banana craving strikes!

Must Read: The Ultimate Guide to Perfect Cakes – A complete guide to baking your perfect vegan cakes with an easy and delicious vanilla cake recipe!

Main ingredients and substitutions

This cake is made with simple ingredients that come together beautifully to create this deliciously flavourful banana chocolate treat.

*Use room temperature ingredients unless otherwise instructed.

Plain flour: The base of the cake is plain flour, it gives the cake a solid structure and a soft fluffy crumb. You can swap it for a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend if you want to make this recipe gluten-free.

Cacao powder: The rich chocolate flavour comes from cacao powder! You can also use unsweetened cocoa powder if that’s what you have on hand. Unsweetened Dutch-processed cocoa powder works too since I used apple cider vinegar in this recipe so no need to worry about the acidity of cocoa powder.

Caster sugar: My go-to sugar choice, caster sugar. It’s very easy to use in baking and adds the perfect amount of sweetness while keeping the texture soft. If you don’t have caster sugar, granulated sugar works or use coconut sugar or light brown sugar for a deeper, caramel-like sweetness if you want.

Banana: One of the main flavours and a secret to this cake’s soft and moist texture! Mashed ripe bananas act as a natural sweetener and also an egg replacer in vegan baking. The riper, the better!

Vegetable oil: I used vegetable oil as the fat in this recipe, it keeps the cake moist and soft. You can substitute it with other oils such as sunflower, rapeseed, etc. Melted coconut oil would be perfectly fine too, but it may change the texture of the cake slightly at low temperatures. 

Soy milk: I like to use soy milk in baking as it makes the best vegan buttermilk in my opinion, it provides moisture and helps create the perfect batter consistency. Having said that, almond, oat, rice, or coconut milk can also work.

Cornflour: Some starchy flour to bind the ingredients together for a fluffy, light texture. I used cornflour but tapioca flour, potato flour, or arrowroot powder are great substitutes.

Other ingredients: Apple cider vinegar, vanilla extract, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. 

Note: Substitution may change the final taste and texture of this recipe.

*I use bone char-free sugars for all of my recipes. I cover the topic in my article Vegan Baking 101. Go to the “Is sugar vegan?” section to learn more!

Recommended equipment for this recipe

Mixing bowls: You’ll need a mixing bowl for the dry ingredients and another for the wet ingredients.

Large wooden spoon or silicone spatula: Using a large wooden spoon or a silicone spatula helps fold everything together gently and smoothly without developing too much gluten in the batter.

18cm (7in) cake tin: This recipe works best in an 18cm (7in) cake tin. Grease and line it with parchment paper to prevent the cake from sticking.

Cake stand: A sturdy cake stand is a must for displaying your cake beautifully and slicing the cake easily. It also adds a professional touch when serving at gatherings or special occasions!

How to make vegan chocolate banana cake

Step 1: Preheat & Prepare

Let’s start by preheating your oven to 180°C (350°F), greasing an 8-inch cake tin with a little oil, and lining the bottom and side with parchment paper for easy removal.

Let’s also prepare the bananas and vegan buttermilk! In a small bowl, mash the ripe bananas until very smooth and set aside. You can use either a fork or a potato masher. To make your vegan buttermilk, simply mix the soy milk and apple cider vinegar together in a jug and set aside for it to curdle. That’s it!

Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients

In a mixing bowl, whisk together the plain flour, cacao powder, caster sugar, cornflour, baking powder, baking soda, and a pinch of salt until they are well combined. Mixing all dry ingredients thoroughly ensures the leavening agents are evenly distributed in the batter for a perfect rise.

Step 3: Make the batter

Pour the vegan buttermilk, mashed bananas, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract into a large mixing bowl and whisk until well combined. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture and mix gently with a large wooden spoon or a silicone spatula until just combined. Avoid overmixing, as this can make the cake tough, dense, and rubbery. Ta-da! How easy was it to make the batter? Now let’s get to the baking part!

Step 5: Bake the Cake

Pour the batter into the prepared cake tin and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean with a moist crumb. If the toothpick comes our with wet batter, bake for another 5 mins and test again.

Step 6: Cool & Frost

Let the cake cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then carefully remove it from the tin and transfer it to a cooling rack. Now make your vegan banana cream frosting following this recipe.

Once completely cooled, frost the cake with banana cream frosting. I also decorated the cake with grilled banana coins and drizzled some melted Biscoff spread for a professional and decadent finish. You can also use homemade vegan caramel for a drizzle too. Slice and enjoy!

Serving tips and ideas

• Serve warm unfrosted slice with a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream for an extra indulgent dessert! Chocolate ice cream or caramel ice cream would be so good too.
• Dust with powdered sugar or cacao powder for an elegant and bakery like finish.
• Drizzle with extra vegan chocolate sauce or smooth peanut butter for an extra layer of richness! 
• You can swap the banana cream frosting with caramel frosting, peanut butter frosting, or vanilla frosting if you like.

Expert tips and tricks

Use extra ripe bananas

The riper the banana, the sweeter and more flavorful your cake will be. Look for bananas with lots of brown spots, they are the sign that the bananas are ripe and ready to be used in your baking recipes!

Don’t overmix

Always keep in mind to mix the batter until just combined when mixing cake batters. Overmixing results in a tough dense cake rather than a soft and fluffy texture.

Let the cake cool before frosting

Frosting on a warm cake is a no-no! Butter in the frosting will slowly melt away on a warm cake and start running down on the side. So let the cake cool completely at room temperature or in the fridge if you are in hurry. This prevents the frosting from melting and ensures a nice and clean finish.

Use a digital scale to weigh ingredients

Always use a digital scale rather than measuring cups when you are baking. It’s so much more accurate and measuring correctly is very important to achieve the best result.

Recipe variations

• Some nuts would be a great addition to this cake! Add chopped walnuts or pecans to the batter before pouring it into the tin for a lovely crunchy texture.
• Mix in 1/3 cup of vegan dark or milk chocolate chips for extra chocolatey goodness! White chocolate chips would be great too.
• Add 1 tsp of instant espresso powder to the batter to enhance the chocolate flavour and add a nice mocha flavour.
• Add 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon or pumpkin spice for a warm, spiced flavour that’s perfect for a cosy autumn baking!
• Hazelnut pairs really nicely with chocolate, right? Add a tsp of hazelnut extract to add that lovely nutty nutella-like flavour to the cake!

How to store

• Room temperature: You can store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature you are intending to consume it within 1 day. However, if you live in a hot climate or the room is warm, avoid leaving the cake at room temperature as it can spoil the cake.

• Refrigerator: I recommend storing the cake in the fridge wherever possible for longer storage. Keep the cake in the fridge for up to 2-3 days in an airtight container. Let it come to room temperature before serving for a soft and fluffy texture.

• Freezer: Slice the unfrosted cake and wrap each slice individually in clingfilm. Store in a freezer-friendly airtight container or freezer bag for up to 2-3 months. If you want to freeze the frosting, freeze in a separate airtight container. Thaw in the fridge overnight and let it come to room temperature before serving.

*Although you can store this recipe in the fridge or freezer, it’s always best to consume it fresh and as soon as possible.

Q and A

You will LOVE this vegan chocolate banana cake because it is:

• simple and easy to make
• the best combo of banana chocolate
• chocolaty and decadent
• perfect for gatherings

Want more recipes like this?

Try my other delicious cake recipes and dessert recipes you might enjoy!

• Chocolate loaf cake
• Peanut butter cake
• Caramel cake
• Oreo cake
• Brownie cake
• Salted caramel chocolate cake
• Banana chocolate chip muffins
• Chocolate chip cake
• Banana tahini muffins

Visit the cakes and cupcakes page and recipe page for more delicious recipes!

Please leave a comment and rate this recipe with 5 stars in the comment section below if you like the recipe! Let me know and tag me @thechestnutbakery on Instagram too. Thank you for making my recipe, friends!