This gluten-free almond flour banana cake is light, fluffy, and perfectly moist. Made with simple ingredients and topped with a delicious chocolate ganache, it’s the perfect easy cake for a special occasion! (Paleo-Friendly, Dairy-Free & Delicious!)
This Easy Gluten-Free Banana Cake Is a crowd Favorite!
Since this cake was first posted in 2021, it’s been made for birthdays, weddings, special occasions, and MANY baby smash cakes! This easy recipe became an instant fan favorite for good reason:
⏱️ EASE: This almond flour banana cake can be mixed up in about 15 minutes since you basically toss everything in a food processor to make it!
🍌 FLAVORS: Beyond the moist, fluffy texture, you’ll get rich banana flavor at its finest! You’ll also get subtle notes of vanilla and almond, which round out the cake beautifully. Topped with a rich chocolate ganache, and you’re in banana cake heaven!
⭐ SURPRISINGLY HEALTHY. I didn’t set out to make a healthy banana cake recipe, but this delicious cake is surprisingly healthy! Almond flour, no white sugar, and no added oil or butter. You’ll be amazed by the flavor!
💡 TOP TIPS: Measuring properly is the name of the game! Weigh flour or use the scoop and level method to avoid adding extra flour, and measure the mashed bananas for best results!
Happy baking! xo, Emily
Grab some extra bananas and let’s get to it! Here’s what you’ll need to get started…
Gather Your Ingredients
One thing I LOVE about this almond flour banana cake recipe is that it’s made with simple ingredients. Let’s take a look:
Use The Right Flour!
Keep in mind you want finely ground blanched almond flour, NOT almond meal here. Almond flour has a finer, more delicate texture, which helps create the moist, fluffy crumb of this cake.
How To Make This Almond Flour Banana Cake, Step By Step
As always, you can find the full recipe with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below.
Start With The Banana Cake
- Preheat & Prep. To start, preheat oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Line a metal 8×8″ baking dish with parchment paper.
- Combine Wet Ingredients. In a food processor or blender combine mashed bananas, eggs, syrup, vanilla, and almond extract. Blend until smooth (you want the bananas very smooth for this cake).
- Add Dry Ingredients. Scrape down the sides of the food processor and add the dry ingredients–almond flour, arrowroot, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Pulse until just combined.
- Transfer. Scrape down the sides of the food processor again, then pour the cake batter into your prepared baking dish. Smooth into an even layer.
- Bake at 350 degrees F. for 28-30 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs.
- Cool Before Frosting. Place cake pan on a wire rack and let the cake cool completely before adding the chocolate ganache. (You can put it in the refrigerator to speed up this process, if desired.)
Then, Make The Ganache
- Melt. In a microwave safe bowl, combine chocolate chips and milk. Microwave the chocolate in 20-30 second intervals, stopping to stir the chocolate thoroughly between intervals, until the ganache is completely smooth. (This will likely only take you 40-60 seconds. Don’t let it burn!) Alternatively, you can melt the chocolate and milk together over low heat in a saucepan on the stove.
- Frost The Cake. Pour the ganache over COOLED banan cake and use an offset spatula to spread the chocolate ganache evenly over the top of the cake.
- Chill to Set. Place the cake in the refrigerator to allow the ganache to set.
- Slice the cake into 12-16 slices and enjoy! Feel free to garnish with banana slices, chopped nuts, or shaved chocolate right before serving.
- Store leftover banana cake covered with plastic wrap or aluminum foil or tucked into an airtight container at room temperature 2-3 days or chill in the refrigerator 2-3 days. Cake can also be frozen up to 2 months.
More Frosting Options To Try
Not a chocolate ganache fan or craving something different? No worries! Top your banana cake with one of these other delicious options:
- Cream Cheese Frosting – A classic!
- Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting (using vegan cream cheese)
- Vegan Chocolate Frosting. This chocolatey frosting is a dream come true!
- Brown Sugar Cream Cheese Frosting. It almost adds a caramel-y note to the cake!
FAQ + Tips And Tricks For The Best Gluten-Free Banana Cake
CAN I USE ANOTHER FLOUR FOR THIS CAKE? This gluten-free cake was specifically formulated to be made with almond flour. 1:1 gluten-free flour blends, coconut flour, and oat flour are NOT appropriate substitutes for the almond flour in this recipe and will drastically throw off the texture. What you CAN do is use either cornstarch or tapioca starch in place of the arrowroot.
CAN I TURN THEM INTO CUPCAKES? This almond flour banana cake recipe can also be made into gluten-free banana cupcakes. Just divide the batter into 12 muffin cups (I love this nonstick muffin pan that doesn’t even need liners), and bake for 17-20 minutes instead of the 30-35 minutes an 8×8 cake requires.
YOUR PAN MATERIAL MATTERS! If you bake your cake in a glass or ceramic pan, you’ll likely need an extra few minutes and the cake may not bake as flat and evenly as in a metal pan.
PALEO NOTES: 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. You may also appreciate using a more paleo-friendly chocolate option in your ganache like these which are naturally-sweetened, vegan, and gluten-free.
Did You Make This Recipe?
Tell me all about it! Leave a star rating below when you try our Gluten-Free Almond Flour Banana Cake recipe. I can’t wait to hear how it goes!
Gluten-Free Almond Flour Banana Cake
Ingredients
FOR THE GLUTEN-FREE BANANA CAKE:
- 1 cup mashed bananas 3 medium bananas or 2 large bananas (225 grams)
- 3 large eggs
- 3 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract optional
- 2 1/2 cups blanched almond flour (280 grams)
- 1/2 cup arrowroot (72 grams) can sub cornstarch or tapioca starch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
FOR THE CHOCOLATE GANACHE:
- 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips (255 grams)–dairy-free, as needed
- 1/2 cup milk (120 ml) I use unsweetened almond milk
Instructions
FOR THE BANANA CAKE:
- Preheat & Prep. To start, preheat oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Line a metal 8×8″ baking dish with parchment paper.
- Combine Wet Ingredients. In a food processor or blender combine bananas, eggs, syrup, vanilla, and almond extract. Blend until smooth (you want the bananas very smooth for this cake).
- Add Dry Ingredients. Scrape down the sides of the food processor and add the dry ingredients–almond flour, arrowroot, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Pulse until just combined.
- Transfer. Scrape down the sides of the food processor again, then pour the batter into your prepared baking dish. Smooth into an even layer.
- Bake at 350 degrees F. for 28-30 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs.
- Cool Before Frosting. Place cake pan on a wire rack and let the cake cool completely before adding the chocolate ganache. (You can put it in the refrigerator to speed up this process, if desired.)
TO MAKE THE GANACHE:
- Melt. In a microwave safe bowl, combine chocolate chips and milk. Microwave the chocolate in 20-30 second intervals, stopping to stir the chocolate thoroughly between intervals, until the ganache is completely smooth. (This will likely only take you 40-60 seconds. Don’t let it burn!) Alternatively, you can melt the chocolate and milk together over low heat in a saucepan on the stove.
- Frost The Cake. Pour the ganache over your cooled banana cake and use an offset spatula to spread the chocolate ganache evenly over the cake.
- Chill to Set. Place the cake in the refrigerator to allow the ganache to set.
- Slice the cake into 12-16 slices and enjoy! Feel free to garnish with banana slices, chopped nuts, or shaved chocolate right before serving. Store leftover banana cake covered at room temperature 2-3 days or chill in the refrigerator 2-3 days. Cake can also be frozen up to 2 months.
Notes
- Turn them into cupcakes! This recipe can also be made into cupcakes. Just divide the batter into 12 muffin cups (I love this nonstick muffin pan that doesn’t even need liners), and bake for 17-20 minutes or so instead of the 30-35 minutes an 8×8 cake requires.
- 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.
- Don’t Have a Food Processor? A blender also works, or you can mash the banana finely and use a large mixing bowl and handheld electric mixer or stand mixer instead.
- The Pan Material Matters! If you bake your cake in a glass or ceramic pan, you’ll likely need an extra few minutes and the cake may not bake as flat and evenly as in a metal pan.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are an estimate only and will vary based on brands and amounts used.
Find it Online:
https://www.onelovelylife.com/almond-flour-banana-cake/Originally published 2018 and updated April 2021. Updated with new photos, updated tips, and new video and republished July 2025.
A favourite in my household !
Ours too! (Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a review!)
This is an amazing cake! I love how moist and bouncy this cake is. Super easy to make! And the frosting is really the, well, icing on the cake.
This is an amazing cake ! I sub the arrowroot for corn starch and baked in a ceramic dish because it was the only one I had that was the correct size. The baking time doubled, but the cake was golden, moist and delicious!
I’m so glad it was a win for you, Jules!
Hello Emily, thank you so very much for the metric measurements! I made your beautiful recipe today for the very first time and loved it. I chose to add 70 g of golden raisins just for an extra pop of sweetness and texture and baked it in an 18 x 28 cm Lamington tin. I chose not to make the chocolate ganache, but as a substitute I drizzled each slice with hazelnut butter on one, smooth peanut butter on another and almond butter on the third piece. All were delicious! I’m looking forward to experimenting and next time I make this I will add some blueberries for something different. I’m so looking forward to trying more of your recipes. Thank you so much again for your kindness in responding to me promptly.😊
Oh, that sounds delicious! I’m so glad it was a win for you Nancy! Thanks so much for sharing your variations!
Delicious, low carb and gluten free. Thank you SO much for this wonderful recipe!
In the instructions, did you mean arrowroot where you said tapioca starch?
Thank you!
Julie
Hi, Julie! SO sorry for the confusion. YES! I’ve updated my mistake so no one else runs into the same issue. THANK YOU!
This is my second time making these treats, but it’s the first time I’m using your recipe! They turned out absolutely delicious and so light—not dense at all! I was really amazed at how well they turned out. I’ve started making my own desserts, and it feels great to have healthier options than what you find in the store. Plus, I love knowing exactly what ingredients are in them!
Is there a sub for eggs
I haven’t tried this with any egg substitutes, since it can be trick to replace in an almond flour recipe. If I were going to try one, I’d probably just add an additional 1/4 cup mashed banana for each egg!
I love this and can’t believe no butter or oil! Only had 2 bananas and no arrowroot so added extra almond flour, also used honey instead of maple syrup. Perfect GF banana cake! The only thing is got abit burnt on the outside, I cooked it for about 40 minutes as at 30 it was still soft in the centre. ?Even tho it’s abit darker in parts it’s absolutely delicious! Thanks 🙏🏼 😊
Hi Ali! The texture & burning is due to your changes. Arrowroot absorbs liquid from the batter while almond flour ADDS liquid, so adding more almond flour meant you added more liquid. (Hence the soft/underdone center.) Honey browns faster than maple syrup, so that probably contributed to the burned top.
I only had 1 banana, so I reduced the recipe by 2/3 and it came out amazing! Pinned to make again!
I’m so glad it worked for you!
Can I make this the night before….and should I store this in the refrigerator overnight.
Hi Angie! You can definitely make it ahead of time. I cover it well and store in the fridge for best results when making it in advance.
hey i only have Tapioca flour in my pantry- can i use it in ace of the arrowroot in your keto banana cake please?. I also only have 100% cocao powder in place of choccolate for the acing?please reply to me soon. thankyou.
Hi, Rosa. While it’s gluten-free and made with almond flour, this isn’t a keto cake. Cocoa powder will NOT work as a substitute in the frosting. Tapioca starch isn’t my first pick as a substitute, but you could probably use it here. I do NOT recommend using your frosting substitutions.
This sounds delicious! Do you think it would work to bake in a Bundt pan if doubling the recipe instead of an 8×8?
Hi Amanda! I haven’t tried it that way, but this post is SUPER helpful for converting pan sizes!
Thank you! I’ll give it a whirl!
Made this using a Bundt pan and it came out perfect! My kids and I looooove it! Thank you for sharing!
I’m SO GLAD! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this note!
My non-gluten free husband asked me to make it again, and I love it too!😋
Oh, this totally made my day!
Just an AWESOME recipe, many thanks! Usually, because of the Lyme I’m haunted with, I’ve got to really modify recipes, not so here! All I did that was different was to add 1/8 teaspoon vitamin C powder, as it helps with gluten-free baking. And I frosted it with some almond butter frosting with dark chocolate shavings. I’m looking forward to trying more of your recipes, and again, thank you….😊💚✌❤🕊
I’ve made this recipe at least 7 times now and its good every time!! I use sugar free maple syrup, no almond extract, and sub for cornstarch. I always add mini chocolate chips to batter 🙂
YUM!
With recipes like this I’m really not missing gluten, dairy & refined sugar!! This is just deliciousness. I did follow the advice of one poster who put chocolate chips and nuts in the batter. I used 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips and 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts. Otherwise, I followed directions as written. This cake is delicious without the ganache and even better with it! It’s a keeper!
Excellent cake, thank you! I made a peanut butter chocolate icing and it was really tasty with it!
That sounds DELICIOUS!
Love this recipe! I didn’t have any arrowroot on hand so I used Bob’s 1 to 1 gluten-free flour as a replacement and it turned out perfect. Definitely will be my go-to from now on.
So glad it was a win for you Sara! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave such a great review!
I made this for my son’s first birthday a year ago and it was a hit. I’m going to make it again for his 2nd birthday. The cake was sooo smooth and fluffy, the guests loved it and the taste thankfully made up for my terrible cake decorating skills.
Amazing cake! I just baked this for the first time. I used tapioca starch in place of arrowroot starch. It is moist, flavorful, aromatic and delicious. My guests LOVED it. Kudos 👏
I’m so glad it was a win for you! We LOVE it at our house, too!
I LOVED IT!
I wanted to try a healthier version than my tried and trusted Edmonds Cookbook banana cake. I found this online.
I used potato starch instead of arrowroot because that’s what I had. I’ll try arrowroot next time. I also put 1 cup of dark chocolate chips and 1 cup of chopped walnuts in it. I cooked it in a convection oven at 325F. It’s beautifully moist and tasty. I will be baking this again!
I’m so glad you loved it!! It’s one of my all-time favorite recipes. 🙂
Quick question, any idea on a measurement for the bananas? When I have ripe bananas, I mash them up in bundles of 3 and freeze them for recipes. But honestly, I couldn’t tell you if it was 3 medium bananas or large bananas. I’m using this for my babies smash cake and can’t afford for it to go wrong 😬
Julie – Hey! Sorry for the confusion. 3 medium bananas is about 1 cup mashed. 🙂 Hope your baby’s birthday is amazing!
I just made this cake for a family dinner tonight and it was a huge hit! We served it with fresh whipped cream – yum! I did the chocolate ganache with Enjoy Life dark chocolate morsels and just halved the amount from the recipe. It came out fabulous!
I’m so happy to hear that Megan! YAY!
The ingredients say arrowroot but the directions say tapioca. Which one is it please? I have made it before and didn’t remember that Discrepancy, so I have no idea which I used. It was delicious though.
Greetings from Sydney Australia, I’m so looking forward to making your recipe and was wondering would it be possible to have metric measurements? For example, when it comes to the banana and also the almond flour/arrowroot flour. I have found when trying out new recipes which do have metric measurements they are always a success. Thank you so much! Looking forward to hearing from you soon.😊
Hi Nancy! I definitely feel like metric measurements are best, and try to include them in my more recent baking recipes. I just added metric measurements to the recipe card. Let me know if you still have any questions!
Highly impressed with the results from your recipe! I’ve been baking GF & GFV for years and knowing this fluffy flavorful cake only uses the almond flour for fat, and 3 TBS(!!) of syrup & ripe bananas for sweetness, you have created a masterful recipe!! The addition of 1/2 C Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips took this phenomenal cake to an even higher level with no need for icing. Thank you so much for sharing your talents so I could make this incredible banana cake!
I’m so glad you loved it Colleen! It’s our favorite. 🙂
I was watching your video on youtube and it says arrowroot flour or tapioca starch. So we can replace arrowroot with tapioca starch?
Sam – in this recipe, you can use whichever you have on hand. Either will work! 🙂
I used tapioca flour and honey. The cake turned out really moist and full of banana flavor! I especially love how it doesn’t use butter or oil and only 3 tbs of honey. I can eat this without feeling guilty! And it tastes exactly what I want in a banana bread, thanks for sharing!!
I’m so glad it was a win for you!
So moist! I recently started baking with almond flour and definitely adding this recipe to my list, can’t wait to try more!
YAY!!! I’m so glad it was a win for you, Sherri! (And THANK YOU for taking the time to leave a review–I appreciate it SO MUCH!)
This is SO delicious and moist, and doesn’t taste obviously grain free. I only had 1 egg so I used it and 2 flax eggs. My starch was a mix of tapioca and corn starch. I also added 3 tablespoons of avocado oil. Topped with a peanut butter cream cheese frosting. Just perfection! Thanks for this delicious recipe!
Oh good! I’m so glad you enjoyed it. That peanut butter frosting sounds delicious!
Hi Emily
Is there any way I can leave out the arrowroot or cornstarch?
Aviva – Not without changing the texture. It’ll be more crumbly without the stretch that using a starch gives. At minimum, you’ll need to substitute something in or there won’t be enough flour to absorb the liquid in the recipe.
We loved the sponge!!! It’s moist and fluffy, but I substituted the maple syrup for runny honey. Then I actually cut the sponge in half and put Nutella in the middle to break it up a bit. Left a little sponge on the side so I can have a little square with morning coffee. Mmmmm. Thanks for the recipe, this will be my new party trick.
Christine – That sounds delicious! I’ll have to try it sometime. THANK YOU so much for leaving a review!
I have been making this now for a while and doesn’t disappoint – every time.
I’m SO glad you loved it Caroline!!! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review–it’s SO HELPFUL!
I made this cake exactly as directed including ganache icing and it was amazing! Thank you!
I’m SO GLAD you loved it Suzi! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review.
I thoroughly enjoyed this cake! It tastes like banana bread but better! I used the cornstarch substitute and no almond extract. I also love how everything is made in the blender so there’s not too many bowls and things that need washing. I’m also not very experienced and pretty young, so this recipe is definitely easy to follow for someone that’s mostly inexperienced. Thank you so much for this recipe!!
Evelyn – This review totally made my day!!! Thank you so much for sharing this with me 🙂
Hi Emily,
I was wandering if it’s possible to make this cake without eggs? Thanks.
Shamani – I haven’t tried it without eggs yet, but you can experiment with egg substitutes if you like! I’d love to know how it goes if you give it a try!
I tried it with a flax egg substitute (1T. ground flax, 3T. water) I had to add time baking and it was still dense and didn’t look like it had baked thoroughly.
Oh bummer! I’m so sorry.
If you can find it, the Bob’s Red Mill egg replacer is my go-to for baking. It always works *so much better* than flax or other DIY vegan eggs . Going to try this recipe w the Bob’s & I’m fairly confident it’ll work perfectly. 👍🏼
This turned out great! Your recipes have been such a lifesaver since going gluten and dairy free two years ago. I have made so many of your meals/desserts and they have all been better than the last. Thank you so much! You’re making a difference over here 🙂
Nicole – This comment completely made my day. THANK YOU for taking the time to leave a star review and spread some sunshine my way!
Omg this is the best cake I have ever make.. so fluffy and moist.. delicious ❤️ thank you for sharing
Karla – THANK YOU for taking the time to leave this review! I’m so glad you loved it as much as we do. We made a batch over the weekend and gobbled it all up!
I made this with corn starch instead of arrowroot, but followed everything else as written. Used a 8” round pan instead of square so had a bit of batter left for cupcakes. So glad I tasted them before serving to guests. Had a horrible bitter aftertaste. Don’t want to waste any chocolate making the ganache and doubt it will help. So very disappointed.
Sue – I’m so sorry you had a bad experience. I’d love to help! I was so concerned I made a cake this afternoon with cornstarch, and tasted it with and without the ganache and honestly I can’t detect even the tiniest bit of bitterness. I’m so sorry you did! Here are a few thoughts:
– Are you *sure* you used fresh almond flour, baking powder, and baking soda? If they’re stale or rancid, they can sometimes run bitter or have an off taste. (Almond flour especially is delicate when it comes to freshness.)
– Did you use the optional almond extract or leave it out? Some folks don’t love almond extract, so there’s a chance that was the issue.
Regardless, I’m so sorry this wasn’t a winner for you. It’s one of our favorites!
I love this recipe so much!!! I’ve added chocolate chips before and I’ve added strawberry extract with a cream cheese icing. It is such an amazing tasting cake!!
What a great idea! I love strawberry and banana together–I’ll have to try it!
Yes this was a great cake! Was because I made it tonight and it’s gone! Everyone in my family loved it. Thank you for sharing a easy, healthy and tasty cake recipe.
I’m so glad it was a winner for you! We absolutely LOVE this cake! (Thank you for taking the time to leave a review–it’s so helpful!)
Hi! Thank you for this recipe! Can it be made in a 6″ spring form pan?
Thanks!
Amy – I’ve never baked it in a 6″ pan, but you might find this post helpful about how to adapt recipes for different pan sizes.
I’m not sure what has happened!!! It’s in the oven but has spilled all over the oven. Followed the recipe to a “t” and have used an 8″X8″ pan. The pan was full so wondered what was going to happen. I was really excited about seeing what this cake was going to turn out like…I will be scared to try it again.
Oh, that’s awful! I’m sorry. I’ve never had that problem before. This cake doesn’t even rise all the way up the sides of my pan when I make it. I wonder if your bananas were extra big or if perhaps a measurement was accidentally mixed up? (I know you said you followed the recipe to a “t”) I’m sorry this happened to you.
This cake turned out dry and undesirable. It definitely needs some kind of fat added to the mix – butter, coconut/other oil. I appreciate the general idea a lot, though.
Leila – I’m sorry it wasn’t what you were looking for. You may prefer my Almond Flour Pumpkin Cake (which was based on this recipe but has added fat and is more moist.)
Hello
This looks delicious and I’m so intrigued as there’s not butter/oil! I’m planning to make it tomorrow. Can you tell me if you’re using normal oven or fan-forced oven in the recipe? Thank you!
JJ – We LOVE this yummy cake! I have a regular oven. If you’re cooking it in a convection/fan-forced oven, you’d probably need to adjust the baking time. Hope you love it!
EVERYONE in our home LOVES, LOVES LOVES. I do them in muffin tins so no one takes extra and end up arguing over them. Also I don’t add the topping making them that little bit healthier and nobody missed the chocolate. Everyone who I’ve made or has tried this recipe for themselves have said how YUMMY it is.
YESSSS! It’s always such a hit when EVERYONE at home loves them! Thank you so much for leaving a review. I appreciate you so much!
This recipe was AMAZING! I did not expect to enjoy this cake but I did! I am definitely make it again…and again…and again.
Aloma – It’s deceptively delicious! I LOVE it!
Delicious easy recipe! Thankyou! Just to let you know I did this in an 8 inch round tin and it worked perfectly.
Oh, I’m so glad! So glad you enjoyed it!
Just tried making this and it didn’t turn out as in the video. Mine was very dry it didn’t pour out I had to scrape it into the tin. 2 1/2 cups of flour and 1/2 cup of arrowroot to 3 eggs doesn’t seem right. Just hope it cooks OK.
Meric – I hope it turned out for you! (Sometimes, if it takes a minute before I transfer the batter to the pan, the baking soda & baking powder start working and the batter seems thicker and puffier.)
My 14 y.o. daughter made this cake and it was absolutely delicious. Thank you so much for the recipe we’ll be definitely be trying your other recipes.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! It’s always a hit at our house. I’m so glad it was at your house, too!
OMG!!!I absolutely LOVED this cake!!It was so quick and easy to make and it came out all airy and fluffy, delicious!!I couldn’t make the ganache because I didn’t have any chocolate and I had to give 4 very ripe bananas a purpose😀. It was gorgeous all the same!I can’t wait to make it with the ganache next time!Thank you so much for sharing!!
Luisa – I’m so happy to hear that! How wonderful! (And I hope you do get to try it with the ganache sometime–I love it that way!)
This was so good! I took some liberties- made it into a layer cake with a pineapple filling and a mango banana buttercream. Tropical paradise! The perfect amount of density and not too sweet to balance out the sweetness of the icing.
WOW WOW WOW!!! That sounds incredible. I can’t get over the idea of MANGO BANANA BUTTERCREAM!!! YUM!
This recipe turned out so well! The cake was moist and had good banana flavor. Will definitely make again!
Oh WONDERFUL! I’m so glad you liked it! I have a pumpkin version coming soon! 🙂
Hi Emily,
What is the purpose of the chocolate frosting? Does it help to make the cake more moist? Can I not put on the frosting. I am ready to make it today as I already have all ingredients. Thanks.
Bao – The purpose is that it tastes delicious! It does help to keep the cake moist and adds a nice flavor. Without it, the cake will be more subtly sweet, but still delicious (more like banana bread than cake). Hope that helps!
I made a couple tweaks to the cake and turned it into a banana split inspired cake and I loooooovvvvvveeee it! Thanks for the recipe inspiration!
Scan i sub monkfruit sweetner for the maple syrup and how much? Tried it already with maple syrup but trying to cut back a little more on the sugar. It was absolutely delicious!
Rita – I’ve never baked or cooked with monkfruit sweetener so I’m not totally sure, especially since you’d be substituting a powdered sweetener for a liquid sweetener. The ratios *might* be the same, but I’m not 100% sure since I’ve never baked with it. If you give it a try, I’d LOVE to know how it turns out for you!
We’ve been making this constantly for a couple months now, obsessed. The cakiness of it really emulates a non GF cake!!? So delicious!
Ours don’t come out as banana’y as other paleo banana cakes we’ve tried, I’m guessing because it’s blended as opposed to smooshed in. What would actually happen to the texture if we didn’t blend the banana? Would it be too dense and not rise as much?
Damian – I haven’t tried it with just smooshing the banana since my kids HATE having the banana texture in the cake, but my guess is that it’d probably fine. My best guess is that, if anything, it might be *slightly* more compact, but it probably wouldn’t be hugely noticeable. I’d love to know how it turns out if you give it a try!
I’ve made it twice using smooshed bananas and it came out fantastic. And just mixing with a wire whisk followed by wooden spoon when it got too thick for whisking. I used my potato masher for smooshing, so it was like slightly chunky mashed potatoes. I just took a new version out of the oven- apple cake! Can’t wait to try it with whipped cream.
Jen – YUM! I’ve been working on an apple version myself!
Can I use 8inch round cake pan ?
Song – I haven’t tried this in an 8″ round pan. It makes a pretty thick 8×8 cake, so I’m not totally sure it would fit. If you do give it a go, I’d love to know how it turns out for you!
I forgot too put in cornstarch! It’s in oven now. What will happen to it?!??
Belinda – Oh dear! It probably won’t be as soft and won’t hold together as well. I’m so sorry!
I don’t have enough corn starch. Can I replace it with tapioca starch? Thanks in advance.
I think that sounds like a great substitute for this situation!
Thanks for this recipe, Emily! It was a huge hit with my friend’s daughters 🙂
YAY! I’m so glad to hear that!
Can I use the same recipe and substitute the banana with mango pulp? Worth a shot?
Thanks!
Deepa – Mango tends to be more wet than banana. I’m not sure it would work… I’m sorry!
I absolutely love my grandmother’s recipe for banana bread, though have been hesitant to make gluten and dairy substitutions in the fear that the taste would change 😔 Thus, I look forward to trying your paleo recipe! Thank you for sharing 💕
On a side note: May I bake this in 2 loaf pans so that I get banana bread? I have no intention of frosting the tops …
Cassandra – I haven’t cooked it in loaf pans, so I can’t guarantee it’d rise the way you want it to, etc. But I think it’s worth a try! Otherwise, this gluten & dairy free banana bread is super delicious and definitely works in a loaf pan (you can skip the swirl if you want!). I hope that helps! 🙂
What can I substitute for the coconut oil or coconut milk for the ganache.
Michelle – That depends on your dietary needs. If you’re following paleo, I’d go with ghee or grass-fed butter (depending on what you include) for the coconut oil and another non-dairy milk that you like (the ganache will be a bit more thin).
If dairy isn’t an issue, you could totally sub butter and cream/milk/half-and-half. 🙂
Hi! I’ve got this cake in the oven and wondering if i should make the ganache and pour over it tonight or wait till
Tmr until before i serve it at work ? Thanks in advance!!
Jamie – I’d go for it now! It’ll keep beautifully. Hope you love it!
One quick question before I make it. You said to oil the pan and put parchment paper on the bottom. At no point do you say to remove the cake from the pan and remove the parchment. What is the reason for the parchment paper?
Joyce – Sorry for the confusion! Parchment paper helps the cake not to stick to the pan. It makes for the easiest removal from the pan and can protect your pan if you choose to slice it while it’s still in the pan. It’s your choice if you remove the cake (using the parchment) before slicing, or keep it in the pan to slice (which some prefer). Hope that helps!
Thanks for the delicious recipe! My extended family really enjoyed this cake today – only crumbs left! Gluten-free and non gluten-free eaters alike devoured it! The only issue I had was my ganache seizing up / being difficult to spread, but I used chocolate chunks and cheated by melting in the microwave. Maybe that’s my fault. Will definitely bookmark to make again!
Oh, I’m so glad everyone enjoyed it! And sometimes that happens to me, too when I microwave it. Sometimes adding a little extra milk or coconut oil will help loosen it back up. I also recommend the “defrost” setting if you use the microwave, since it’s lower power. 🙂
What’s a substitute for eggs for gluten free banana bread and a also if you don’t have baking soda or powder
You can use a flax or chia egg instead of chicken eggs, or use more mashed banana instead of eggs (about 1/4 cup per egg), though it’ll be a bit more dense.
Sadly though, without baking soda or powder, your bread will not rise or puff. Without it, the bread will be very dense, tough, overly wet and close-textured. I don’t think you can get away without it. I’m sorry!
What nut free flour could I look into substituting?
Sara – This recipe only really works with nut flour. If you need a GF version or nut free version, you may like something like these muffins or this chocolate swirl banana bread.
Emily, this is the fourth recipe of yours that I’ve made and it’s as wonderful as the others: chocolate pudding, chocolate chip cookies and brownies. This cake is perfectly moist, has great banana flavor and easy to make! For my personal preference, the next time I make the cake, which will be often, I will add one Tbs. of maple sugar to add a touch more sweetness.
Thanks again for another winner! You’re site is my go to resource for recipes.
Joanne – That’s SO KIND OF YOU! You just made my whole day! Thank you so much for sharing this with me.
So good!!! What about storing it?!
Marsha – Sorry for the belated reply! I store most leftover gluten-free baked goods in the refrigerator for best results 🙂
I have a TON of ripe bananas! This is the perfect recipe to help use up some of them😀 Thanks for sharing!
Yay! I hope you LOVE it!