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.
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!