This vegan banana cake is moist, light and fluffy and loaded with banana flavor. Can be made as a sheet cake or a layer cake. Topped with a delicious lemon frosting.
So banana cake. It’s similar to banana bread, but not the same.
This vegan banana cake with lemon frosting and walnuts, let’s not forget the walnuts, is so delicious I am struggling to find the words to describe it right now.
I absolutely adore banana bread already, which is why I’ve made vegan banana bread, vegan chocolate chip banana bread, vegan chocolate banana bread and vegan banana bread muffins.
But this was my first go at a vegan banana cake. And it came out incredibly well. Just a few small changes from a banana bread recipe to a banana cake recipe and you get light, fluffy cake rather than the slightly denser banana breads.
And this cake can be made as either a sheet cake or a layer cake. So it’s versatile too.
Sheet Cake or Layer Cake?
I was inspired by Sally’s Baking Addiction (a non-vegan blog, but full of great baking tips) to go with a sheet pan version of the cake.
I love a good sheet cake, it’s great to feed a crowd, so if you need to get more slices out of it, it’s a great option. We have a delicious chocolate sheet cake and a vanilla sheet cake too.
However, you can also make this as a two layer 8-inch cake or a two layer 9-inch cake. So I’ll also include instructions for that in the recipe card (and there are some photos of the layer cake further down below).
Ingredient Tips
Ripe bananas. It’s very important that you use ripe bananas when you make this. They must be spotty! Don’t go using green bananas or even yellow bananas that don’t have any spots yet. You want the spotty bananas, this is perfectly ripe which means they are at the perfect sweetness for baking.
Coconut oil. The great thing about this vegan banana cake is I was able to use relatively little oil. Just a quarter cup of coconut oil for the whole recipe. And it was deliciously, perfectly, moist. The moistness comes from those bananas, the coconut oil, some homemade vegan buttermilk and the addition of applesauce to the recipe.
Walnuts. Other than using them on top for decoration, I didn’t use walnuts in the actual recipe. But this would be a good addition if you fancy it. Just chop up some walnuts (about 1 cup should be fine) and add it to the batter right at the end.
How To Make A Vegan Banana Layer Cake
You can easily adapt this recipe to making a layer cake. The recipe stays exactly the same, you just divide the batter between two 8-inch cake pans or two 9-inch cake pans.
Make sure your cake pans are sprayed with non-stick spray and cut out circles of parchment paper to line the bottoms of the cake pans.
Bake for 30 minutes.
Frosting The Layer Cake
The amount of frosting in the recipe is designed for the sheet cake version of the cake, so as you can see it is enough for the top and middle of a layer cake, but it’s not quite enough for the sides.
If you want to be able to frost the whole cake including the sides, then use our vegan lemon buttercream frosting instead.
Storing and Freezing
Keep your cake covered at room temperature where it will stay good for 2-3 days or store it covered in the fridge for 5 days. Let it come to room temperature before serving.
It’s also freezer friendly for up to 3 months. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge and bring to room temperature before serving.
More Vegan Cakes
- Vegan Carrot Cake
- Vegan Vanilla Cake
- Vegan White Cake
- Most Amazing Vegan Chocolate Cake
- Vegan Lemon Cake
- Vegan Coconut Cake
Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and rating below!
Vegan Banana Cake
Ingredients
For the Vegan Banana Cake:
- 2 ¾ cups All Purpose Flour (344g)
- 1 cup White Granulated Sugar (200g)
- ½ cup Light Brown Sugar (100g)
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- ½ tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- ⅔ cup Vegan Buttermilk (160ml) 1 Tbsp lemon juice + soy milk up to the ⅔ cup line
- 3 Large Ripe Bananas (360g) peeled weight
- ¼ cup Coconut Oil (60ml)
- 1 Flax Egg 1 Tbsp Ground Flaxseed Meal with 3 Tbsp Hot Water
- 2 Tbsp Applesauce
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
For the Vegan Lemon Frosting:
- 3 ½ cups Powdered Sugar (420g)
- ⅓ cup Vegan Butter (75g)
- 2-3 Tbsp Lemon Juice freshly squeezed
For Decoration:
- Crushed Walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Spray a 9×13 inch pan with non-stick spray and set aside. For layer cake instructions see notes*.
- Sift the flour into a mixing bowl and add the white and brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon and mix together.
- Prepare the vegan buttermilk by placing 1 Tbsp of lemon juice into a measuring jug and then adding soy milk up to the ⅔ (160ml) line. Allow to sit for a minute to curdle.
- Add the bananas, vegan buttermilk and coconut oil to a blender jug and blend briefly until combined. Don't overblend.
- Pour the blended bananas, buttermilk and coconut oil over the dry ingredients and mix in.
- Prepare your flax egg by mixing 1 Tbsp flaxseed meal with 3 Tbsp Hot Water and allowing to sit for a minute to become gloopy.
- Add the flax egg, applesauce and vanilla extract and whisk briefly with a hand whisk to remove any lumps.
- Pour the batter out into the prepared 9×13 pan and spread out evenly.
- Place into the oven and bake for 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Place the whole sheet pan onto a cooling rack and leave it to cool completely before frosting.
- Prepare your frosting by adding the powdered sugar, vegan butter and 2 tablespoons of lemon juice to the bowl of your stand mixer and starting at slow speed, gradually increase speed until perfectly thick and smooth. If the frosting is too thick, add the remaining lemon juice a drop at a time until you get the right consistency.
- Frost the cooled cake, and decorate with crushed walnuts.
Video
Notes
- Bananas. If you have a food scale then it will be most accurate to weigh your bananas. If you don’t have a food scale then this works out to around 1 and ½ cups (packed) of mashed banana.
- Make a layer cake. You can make this cake as a two layer 8-inch cake or a two layer 9-inch cake. The recipe stays exactly the same. Just pour it out into two 8-inch cake pans or two 9-inch cake pans that have been sprayed with non-stick spray and lined with circles of parchment paper on the bottom. Bake for 30 minutes at 350°F. The frosting is enough to frost the top and middle but not quite enough to frost the sides. If you want enough to generously frost the whole layer cake including the sides, then you can use our vegan lemon buttercream frosting recipe instead.
- Storing: Keep your cake covered at room temperature where it will stay good for 2-3 days or store it covered in the fridge for 5 days. Let it come to room temperature before serving.
- Freezing: It’s also freezer friendly for up to 3 months. Let it thaw overnight in the fridge and bring to room temperature before serving.
Ida says
I was so impressed by this recipe. To tell the truth, I usually just slump ingredients together with a ratio flour, sugar, fat 1/3 each, and it turns out pretty well. This time, I needed some guidance to ratio and frosting. Didn’t really sift the flour, added a teaspoon cardamom and half a teaspoon nutmeg and used pretty black bananas and some extra in placement of applesauce. Added half a cup walnuts. Turned out so juicy and fluffy at the same time!
Alison Andrews says
So glad it turned out well. Thanks for the great review Ida! 🙂
Rashida says
I have a question if I may? Can I use Almond Flour instead of all purpose flour? I’m eager to make this cake..????
Alison Andrews says
Hi Rashida, unfortunately that wouldn’t work well, if you want to make it gluten-free then I recommend using a gluten free all purpose flour blend. 🙂
Marylyn Heng says
I did not have applesauce instead added 2 tablespoons smashed bananas puree. And cut down some sugar. It worked well!! Made this for my mum’s birthday, she was delighted.
Alison Andrews says
So happy to hear it was a success! Thanks so much for sharing and the great review. 🙂
Eurika says
All the way from South Africa, made this banana cake today for my vegan son. Will absolutely make it again. A winner! Thank you so much for sharing your recipes.
Alison Andrews says
Awesome Eurika! So glad it was a success! Thanks for the amazing review. 🙂
Suzie says
Hi,
I’d love to make this, but cut out or swap out some of the sugar. Could I add some extra bananas for sweetness?
Alison Andrews says
Hi Suzie, I would try just reducing the sugar, no other changes and see how it goes! We have had other readers try this with certain recipes and it has worked well. 🙂
Leslie says
Super moist and absolutely delicious! Will be making again!
Alison Andrews says
Awesome! So happy to hear! Thanks for the awesome review. 🙂
Golly says
I made this banana cake recipe. If my teenage grandaughter says it’s good, then it’s perfect. I used egg replacer powder and a half cup of club soda instead of the flax egg. Club soda because my late mother used it in her delicious vegan cakes. Half of it has been eaten up by non vegans. Thank you for this sweet tooth recipe. It did the trick even without the frosting.
Alison Andrews says
Thanks so much for sharing and your wonderful review! I must definitely try club soda! 🙂
Nina Wigman says
Hello, I accidentally came across your site and I just loved the recipe hence I am cooking it now. As I am watching my cake rising gently in the oven, I got carried away with your site and I just read your previous reply from Golly mentioning club soda. Apologies for my intrusion but what is Club soda? Regards, Nina
Alison Andrews says
Hi Nina, it’s carbonated water. Hope your cake came out great! 🙂
Mrs A says
This is so tasty…I’ve been making it about once a week (not for our kids, but for my hubby since he loves cake!) My cakes don’t turn out to be as fluffy as yours (I use the fluff with a spoon method as I measure & level the flour). I noticed that you sift the flour, should I sift the 2 & 3/4 c of flour or sift until I have 2 & 3/4 c?
Alison Andrews says
Hi! So glad you enjoy the recipe! Thanks for the awesome review. To answer your question, measure the flour with the spoon and level method as you are doing and then sift it after that. 🙂
Jacey says
can I use self-raising flour for this recipe instead?
Alison Andrews says
Hi Jacey, self raising flour contains salt and baking powder, so it doesn’t work well as a direct swap for plain/all purpose flour.
ana says
Delicious, thanks!
Diana says
This cake is delicious!! Had ripe bananas & found this…The icing makes it!! So fresh tasting with the lemon juice! I’m so proud of this! Plan to share with my friend! I love to see what you post! Really awesome!! Thanks so much for all the hard work you put into all this!
Alison Andrews says
So happy to hear you loved it Diana! Thank you so much for the wonderful review! 🙂
Zak says
Great cake! Thanks for the recipe. I have trouble with vegan baking and this came out delicious.
Alison Andrews says
Awesome! Thanks for sharing Zak! 🙂
Karen says
Hello. Can this cake be frozen?
Thanks for the recipe.
Alison Andrews says
Yes it can be frozen! 🙂
Arti says
Do you weigh the coconut oil in its melted form or solid form?
Alison Andrews says
Hi Arti, either/or is fine. You don’t have to specifically melt the coconut oil first in this recipe since it is going to be blended. But if it is melted then it would be 60ml which is the liquid measure, but if you are using the gram measure, that would be around 56g, and whether it’s firm or melted should not make a difference to the gram measure. All the best! 🙂
sunny says
Such a nice recipe, I tried it in my restaurant, and people told me it’s a superb recipe and a nice looking cake. Thanks for sharing this recipe with us..
Alison Andrews says
Wonderful! So happy you enjoyed it and so did your guests! Thanks so much for posting. 🙂