• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to footer navigation
  • Skip to privacy navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Fit Mitten Kitchen

balanced baking and real food recipes

Subscribe to receive my FREE Healthy Nut Butter eBook!
Free eBook!
  • Recipes
    • Course
      • Breakfast
        • Egg Dishes
        • Oatmeal & Granola
        • Pancakes & Waffles
        • Scones
        • Smoothies
      • Desserts
        • Bars & Brownies
        • Cakes & Cupcakes
        • Candy
        • Cookies
        • Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts
        • PIes, Tarts & Crisps
        • Cinnamon Rolls
      • Healthy Drinks
      • Lunch & Dinner
        • Appetizers
        • Bowls
        • Salads
        • Sandwiches & Wraps
        • Sides
        • Soups & Chili
      • Snacks
        • Bars & Balls
        • Muffins & Breads
        • Nut & Seed Butters
    • Dietary
      • Dairy Free
      • Gluten-Free
      • No Added Sugar
      • Nut-Free
      • Oil-Free
      • Paleo
      • Vegan
      • Vegetarian
      • Whole30
    • Method
      • Food Processor & Blender
      • Freezer
      • Grill
      • Instant Pot
      • No-Bake
      • Oven
      • Slow Cooker
      • Stovetop
    • Protein
      • Chicken
      • Plant Based
      • Pork
      • Seafood
      • Turkey
    • Recipe Videos
  • About
    • Meet Ashley
    • Work with Me
      • Partnerships
    • Contact
  • Lifestyle
    • Real Talk
    • Travel
    • Workouts
  • Shop
Home Recipes Course Desserts Banana Bread Cake
VG Vegetarian NF Nut-Free OF Oil-Free

Banana Bread Cake

Jump to Recipe Rate Recipe
Posted:5/19/22
Updated:5/17/22

Here is the best Banana Bread Cake recipe made in a sheet pan and finished with a creamy coconut peanut butter frosting! This snack cake is ready in less than 30-minutes and a delicious healthier sweet treat for banana lover’s!

plate of banana cake topped with peanut butter frosting and banana slices on top

Sometimes you go through those phases when all you crave is banana bread. Well I can assure you, this twist on banana bread takes the cake – literally! 🙂

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Great use for leftover bananas – or extra ones you have stashed in the freezer.
  • Bakes in half the time of traditional banana bread thanks to small sheet pans!
  • Perfect combo of peanut butter and banana, thanks to our uniquely flavored, creamy frosting!

If you love this twist on banana bread, be sure to check out banana bread energy bars, banana bread overnight oats and banana bread protein bars.

Recipe Ingredients

The ingredients for this easy banana cake from scratch is what you would typically find in a banana bread recipe, with the added bonus of icing. Here’s a list of what we need:

Banana Snack Cake

  • butter – softened butter is easier to mix than fridge-cold butter. Leave out on the kitchen counter while you gather and prep the rest of the ingredients.
  • granulated sugar – for straight-forward sweetness.
  • eggs – to help bind and lift the batter.
  • Greek yogurt – use full-fat, plain Greek yogurt for the richest texture and best flavor. Either buttermilk or sour cream can be used in it’s place. Skyr may also be used.
  • vanilla extract – for floral, vanilla-scented sweetness.
  • extra ripe bananas – make sure to use bananas with plenty of brown and black spots. The riper the bananas, the sweeter and moister the cake.
  • whole wheat pastry flour – whole wheat pastry flour has a more delicate texture than all-purpose flour. It’s the flour I stick with for most of my healthy baking recipes.
  • cinnamon – just a touch for warmth and spice.
  • baking soda + baking powder – to add browning on the outside and lift the cake to new heights.
  • fine sea salt – to enhance all those sweet banana flavors.

Peanut Butter Frosting

  • Coconut cream – full-fat canned coconut cream is your best go-to. Chill the can in the fridge overnight to make sure it’s super cold (it will need at least 6 hours for best results). If looking to make a cream cheese frosting, swap out the coconut cream for one block (8 oz) of room temperature cream cheese instead.
  • Peanut butter – for nutty flavor and creamy texture. Use a a natural peanut butter that has peanuts listed as the only ingredient.
  • Honey – for sweetness and to balance all the rich flavors. Maple syrup is also a great substitute.

How to Make Banana Cake

I can assure you the banana cake batter will be ready before your oven is done preheating. It’s an easy recipe where you mix the dry into the wet ingredients, and then let the oven do the rest of the work for you.

Preheat Oven

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly butter a quarter sheet pan or 9×13 inch cake pan and set aside.

Mix Wet Ingredients

In a large bowl using an electric hand mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 1 minute or so. Then add in eggs, yogurt and vanilla, mixing on low speed until combined.

Fold in 3 Bananas

Mash the bananas and fold into the wet ingredients

Add Dry Ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk together whole wheat pastry flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Gently mix into the wet ingredients with a spatula, being careful not to overmix the batter.

  • flour stirring into glass mixing bowl for banana snack cake recipe
  • banana cake batter in sheet pan next to banana sliced in peel

Bake

Pour batter into prepared baking pan and spread into an even layer. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Make the Frosting

While the cake is cooling, make the frosting by whipping together chilled coconut cream, peanut butter and honey with an electric hand mixer until light and fluffy.

TIP: Use a chilled bowl to keep coconut cream really cold.

  • baked banana cake in sheet pan next to banana slices and whole banana
  • peanut butter frosted banana snack cake in half sheet pan next to ripe bananas, peanut butter and bowl of empty frosting

Frost the Cake

Spread the frosting onto the cooled banana cake. Make sure it’s cooled or your coconut cream frosting will melt. Then cut the cake into squares and top with extra banana slices if you’d like!

banana bread cake squares with peanut butter frosting and banana slices on top

Serving Suggestions

Frosted banana bread cake is such as indulgent treat, I serve it any way I can. I love to enjoy it as:

  • Breakfast: Hop out of bed and enjoy as a sweet start to your morning.
  • Afternoon Snack: It is called snack cake after all. Enjoy a piece in the late-afternoon with your favorite cup of joe.
  • Dessert: Top it off with some coconut whipped cream or your favorite dairy-free ice cream for the ultimate after dinner treat.

Optional Mix-Ins

While I love the simplicity and straight-forward banana flavor, you can toss in a 1/2 cup of any of the following:

  • Chocolate chips
  • Walnuts
  • Blueberries

If going this route, I personally would skip the frosting, but the choice is yours!

banana bread snack cake on small plate with pan and bananas in background

How to Store

Leftovers: Leftover banana cake will keep, frosted or unfrosted, covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, keep it covered in the fridge for up to 1 week.

Freeze: If looking to freeze, you can freeze the whole unfrosted cake wrapped in a double layer of plastic wrap and then aluminum foil. OR, freeze individual squares on a baking sheet small enough to fit in your freezer for 1 hour, then transfer the now-frozen cake to a plastic freezer storage bag. Keep for up to 1 month. Thaw to room temperature before enjoying.

Recipe Tips:

  • Extra ripe bananas provide make for an extra moist cake. This keeps the moisture level right and naturally sweetens the cake without having to add too much sugar.
  • Chill the coconut cream and the mixing bowl. This keeps it chilled during mixing so the cream whips up smooth and creamy.
  • Cool the cake before frosting. The icing will melt if spread onto a hot cake.

More Banana Bread Recipes You’ll Love:

  • Almond Flour Banana Bread
  • Carrot Cake Banana Bread
  • Double Chocolate Banana Bread
  • Banana Zucchini Bread
  • Cassava Flour Banana Bread

If you make this Banana Bread Cake recipe, be sure to leave a comment and review on the blog! I love hearing from you, and it helps others learn more about the recipe too! Xx Ashley

Print

Banana Bread Cake

plate of banana cake topped with peanut butter frosting and banana slices on top
Print Recipe
Pin Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 1 reviews

Here is the best Banana Bread Cake recipe made in a sheet pan and finished with a creamy coconut peanut butter frosting! Ready in less than 30-minutes, it is an award winning sweet treat for banana lover’s! A healthier banana snack cake made with yogurt, less sugar and whole wheat pastry flour.

  • Author: Ashley
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 12 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale
  • 6 tablespoons butter, softened, plus more for greasing
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup full-fat Greek yogurt, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3 medium extra ripe bananas, equal to 1.5 cups mashed very well
  • 1.5 cups whole wheat pastry flour 
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¾  teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Frosting

  • 1 (13.5 ounce) can coconut cream, chilled for at least 8 hours
  • ⅓ cup all-natural creamy peanut butter
  • ¼ cup honey

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350ºF and grease half sheet or 9×13 inch cake pan with butter; set aside.
  2. Mix wet ingredients: In a large bowl using an electric hand mixer, beat butter butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add in eggs, yogurt and vanilla, mixing on low speed until combined.
  3. Combine: Fold in bananas and dry ingredients, stirring gently until combined.
  4. Bake: Pour batter into prepared baking pan and bake for 18-22 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
  5. Make frosting: While the cake is cooling, make the frosting by using an electric mixer to whip together chilled coconut cream, peanut butter and honey until light and fluffy. Use a chilled bowl if possible to keep coconut cream really cold.
  6. Serve: Spread onto cooled cake and serve!

Notes

This cake is delicious on it’s own too, if you prefer to leave out the frosting. Feel free to add in ½ cup mini chocolate chips in its place or in addition to!

STORAGE –  Cake (frosted or unfrosted) will keep, covered, for up to 3 days at room temperature or 1 week in the fridge.

Keywords: banana snack cake, banana bread cake, banana cake recipe

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @fitmittenkitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #fitmittenkitchen

About Ashley

"Ashley Walterhouse is the founder of Fit Mitten Kitchen, based in the Greater Lansing Area of Michigan, AKA “the Mitten.” Ashley grew up as a picky eater but later discovered that eating healthy was actually easy and fun. She started FMK in 2015 as a way to share her newfound love of developing healthier recipes for all to enjoy."

bite shown in chocolate covered stuffed date, surrounded by other dates on wooden board
Previous Post
Stuffed Chocolate Covered Dates
Next Post
Grilled Veggie Kabobs

Reader Interactions

Rate this Recipe Cancel reply

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

  1. Ellen says

    5/27/2022 at 1:30 pm

    Fantastic cake. Not too sweet. Very easy and fast preparation.

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      5/31/2022 at 7:34 am

      Happy you like it! Thank you for your review!

      Reply
  2. R. B. says

    5/31/2022 at 7:23 am

    Delicious cake! So easy to make.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Ashley says

      5/31/2022 at 7:34 am

      So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for taking the time to leave a review!!

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

More...

31 Holiday Cookies for Your Cookie Exchange

baked gingerbread bundt cake

Gingerbread Bundt Cake

bowl of pear salad with fresh pomegranates and candied pecans and orange poppyseed dressing jar

Pomegranate Pear Salad

Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese

overhead view of honey glazed carrots on rectangle baking dish with fresh thyme

Honey Glazed Carrots

stacked gingerbread truffles on green plate next to red gingerbread cookie cutter and red towel in background

Easy Gingerbread Truffles

pieces of cranberry orange baked oatmeal on oval plate

Cranberry Orange Baked Oatmeal

mocha mini cheesecake with whipped topping on black plate and dessert forks

Mini Mocha Cheesecakes

Free recipe ebook!

Subscribe and get a FREE healthy nut butter ebook!

Thank you for subscribing!
Trending Now
butternut squash, feta and kale salad in bowl Lunch & Dinner
chai latte in mug with cinnamon and star anise Cozy Drinks
banana peanut butter cinnamon rolls on small white plates with banana slices Cinnamon Rolls
As Featured On
  • Browse by Diet
  • Gluten-Free
  • Dairy Free
  • Vegan
  • Paleo
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
Exclusive Member of Mediavine· © 2023 · All Rights Reserved · Site Credits Designed by Melissa Rose Design Developed by Once Coupled Back to Top

Subscribe & receive a free nut butter ebook!

Thank you for subscribing!