Almond Flour Banana Cake (Gluten Free, Paleo Friendly)

Almond Flour Banana Cake – This easy banana cake is the perfect way to use up overripe bananas! Gluten free, paleo friendly, and absolutely amazing! 

My kids go through phases with bananas. They’re either ALL ABOUT THEM and eat through a giant bunch in just a few days, or they’re SUPER NOT into them, and the entire bunch gets spotty. There doesn’t seem to be much middle ground. Why? I have no idea. But I never seem to guess which phase they’re in correctly (ha!)

Thankfully, I have lots of ways to use spotty bananas, from banana muffins to banana ice cream to chai banana smoothies, to pancakes, and more. And now, I have this gorgeous almond flour banana cake to add to my arsenal. You’ll probably want to add it to yours, too…

What makes this banana cake so amazing:

First, it’s secretly pretty healthy! I didn’t set out to make a “healthy” cake, just a banana cake that used almond flour. I experimented a bit and found that this combination was just right for me. Turns out that the cake itself doesn’t have any added oil, and there is only 3 Tbsp of pure maple syrup in the cake. Plus, almond flour is pretty nutrient dense (it’s literally just ground almonds) and definitely has more going for it nutritionally than white flour or gluten free baking flour. The ganache will add some sugar and a tiny bit of oil, but the cake itself? Pretty healthy!

Second, it only needs one “bowl and one saucepan!” I love a recipe that doesn’t use 10,000 extra dishes and this totally fits the bill. Why? Well, the almond flour banana cake is made in my blender or food processor which makes it a one-“bowl” cake. (If you don’t have one, you can use a stand mixer or hand mixer for the job, just know that the smoother you’re able to blend your bananas, the better the texture of this cake.) Then, the ganache is made in a single saucepan. There’s not a lot of switching between bowls, adding a sifter, or any fancy tools needed.

Lastly: CHOCOLATE GANACHE. There are few things I love more in life than a good chocolate ganache. It’s pretty, it’s super chocolatey, and it’s *really* easy to make. Again, no fancy skills required! You’ll simply melt some chocolate chips with a tiny bit of coconut oil or coconut milk to loosen it up. Add a tiny bit of vanilla or almond extract, and then pour it all over the cake. Let it set and you’re done!

Notes on this Almond Flour Banana Cake:

An important note about almond flour – Almond flour varies a LOT in texture and consistency. Some brands have a much coarser grind than others. I recommend using a very finely ground blanched almond flour for this recipe, like Honeyville or Wellbee’s, etc.I get the best price for almond flour at Costco, where I can get 3 lbs. for around $10 vs 1 lb. for $8-10 at most grocery stores. Amazon is another great place to look. I do not recommend almond meal, which is coarsely ground and includes the almond skins for this recipe. It won’t rise as much and will have a gritty texture and mottled color.

Turn them into cupcakes! This recipe can also be made into muffins (skip the ganache or just add some chocolate chips to the batter) or cupcakes (use that ganache, yo!). Just divide the batter into 12 muffin cups (I love this nonstick muffin pan that doesn’t even need liners), and bake for 20-25 minutes instead of the 30-35 minutes an 8×8 cake requires.

Set your timer. Almond flour turns a lovely golden color in the oven, but it can also burn if you’re not watching. Just be sure to set a timer, and you’ll be in great shape!

Paleo friends – For strictly paleo folks, you’ll need to use paleo-approved/grain-free baking powder. You can make your own out of baking soda, cream of tartar, and arrowroot.

Love this Cake? I bet you’d also like…

• Almond Flour Lemon Cake (Gluten Free, Paleo)
• Flourless Chocolate Cake (Gluten Free, Paleo)
• No Bake Chocolate Tart (Gluten Free, Vegan)
• The BEST Gluten Free (& Paleo!) Brownies (Gluten Free, Paleo)

Almond Flour Banana Cake

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★★★★★

5 from 2 reviews

• Author: Emily
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 35 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 1 (8x8") cake
• Category: dessert, cake
• Method: baking, oven
• Cuisine: American

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Description

Almond Flour Banana Cake – This easy paleo banana cake with chocolate ganache is the perfect way to use up overripe bananas! Gluten free, paleo friendly and totally delicious. 

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Ingredients

For the Almond Flour Banana Cake: 

• 3 medium ripe bananas (or 2 large ones)
• 3 eggs
• 3 Tbsp pure maple syrup
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp almond extract (optional)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 1/2 cups almond flour (look for finely ground, blanched almond flour–see notes)
• 1/2 cup arrowroot or cornstarch

For the Chocolate Ganache:

• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 tsp. coconut oil or coconut milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

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Instructions

Make the Almond Flour Banana Cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8×8″ pan with nonstick spray (I like coconut oil spray) or a tiny bit of coconut oil. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
2. Place bananas, eggs, syrup, vanilla extract, almond extract (if using), baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a blender or food processor. Puree until very smooth.
3. Add almond flour and arrowroot. Pulse until just combined.
4. Pour cake batter into your prepared pan. Smooth out the surface with a spatula.
5. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 30-35 minutes, or until golden on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
6. Let cake cool completely before frosting with ganache.

Make the Ganache:

1. When your cake is cool, prepare ganache. In a small saucepan, gently melt chocolate chips and coconut oil together over low heat until completely smooth. Stir in vanilla extract.
2. Pour ganache over the cooled cake and shape with your spatula.
3. Let ganache set before slicing. Enjoy!

Notes

An important note about almond flour – Almond flour varies a LOT in texture and consistency. Some brands have a much coarser grind than others. I recommend using a very finely ground blanched almond flour for this recipe, like Honeyville or Wellbee’s, etc.I get the best price for almond flour at Costco, where I can get 3 lbs. for around $10 vs 1 lb. for $8-10 at most grocery stores. Amazon is another great place to look. I do not recommend almond meal, which is coarsely ground and includes the almond skins for this recipe. It won’t rise as much and will have a gritty texture and mottled color.

Turn them into cupcakes! This recipe can also be made into muffins (skip the ganache or just add some chocolate chips to the batter) or cupcakes (use that ganache, yo!). Just divide the batter into 12 muffin cups (I love this nonstick muffin pan that doesn’t even need liners), and bake for 20-25 minutes instead of the 30-35 minutes an 8×8 cake requires.

Substitutions: You can easily swap out the arrowroot for cornstarch if you’re not eating paleo. Both act as a bit of starch to lighten the texture and keep things together. (vs. just using straight almond flour)

Set your timer. Almond flour turns a lovely golden color in the oven, but it can also burn if you’re not watching. Just be sure to set a timer, and you’ll be in great shape!

Tools of the trade. I love making this in my blender or food processor because it means it’s a one-“bowl” cake. If you don’t have one, you can use a stand mixer or hand mixer for the job, just know that the smoother you’re able to blend your bananas, the better the texture of this cake.

Paleo friends – For strictly paleo folks, you’ll need to use paleo-approved/grain-free baking powder. You can make your own out of baking soda, cream of tartar, and arrowroot.

Keywords: banana cake, almond flour, paleo banana cake, gluten free banana cake, almond flour banana cake, almond flour cake, chocolate ganache