This is the Best Vegan Banana Cake ever! It’s incredibly moist and fluffy and topped with a simple vegan cream cheese frosting. If you have a few overripe bananas, make this easy cake!
When you have a few overripe bananas sitting on your counter, put them to good use! You could make Vegan Banana Bread, Vegan Banana Pancakes or Vegan Banana Muffins.
You could also slice and freeze them for Peanut Butter Banana Smoothies and Green Smoothies. Or you can make this amazing Vegan Banana Cake!
This cake is delightful and so easy to make. It’s full of banana flavor and ultra moist. I just know you will love it!
Frequently asked questions about vegan banana cake
- Can I make it gluten free? Yes. To make the cake gluten free, substitute an all purpose gluten free flour, such as Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 or King Arthur brand.
- Can I turn the cake into cupcakes? Sure! For cupcakes, simply fill liners about 1/2 full and bake for 18-22 minutes until done. You will end up with about 2 dozen cupcakes.
- Can I make a layered banana cake? Yes. To make a double layered cake, divide the batter between 2 greased 8 or 9 inch cake pans. Bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- I want to use another frosting. If you want an option that isn’t vegan cream cheese based, I recommend my Vegan Vanilla Frosting instead.
More delicious vegan cakes
- Vegan Chocolate Sheet Cake
- Vegan Coffee Cake
- Peanut Butter Cake
- Vegan Coconut Cake
- The Best Vegan Chocolate Cake
Best Vegan Banana Cake
This is the Best Vegan Banana Cake ever! It's incredibly moist and fluffy and topped with a simple vegan cream cheese frosting. If you have a few overripe bananas, make this easy cake!
Ingredients
- 3 large ripe bananas (1 1/2 cups mashed)
Vegan Buttermilk + Flax
- 2 cups unsweetened soy milk
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 3 tablespoons ground flaxseeds
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 3/4 cup vegan butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces vegan cream cheese
- 1/2 cup vegan butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- chopped walnuts, optional for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ and grease a 9×13 inch pan.
- Mash the bananas in a medium bowl and set aside. I just use my stand mixer for this, then set them aside in a bowl.
- In a large measuring cup, add the soy milk, apple cider vinegar and ground flaxseeds. Whisk to combine, then set aside.
- In medium bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt and whisk to combine. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl using a handheld mixer, beat the vegan butter for about a minute until creamy. Now add the sugars and beat for 2 minutes until combined. Add the vanilla and mashed bananas and mix in.
- Alternate adding the milk/flaxseed mixture and the dry ingredients, in about three additions, mixing until each addition is just incorporated. Do not over mix.
- Transfer the cake batter to the pan and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove from oven and let cool in a wire rack. Let it cool completely before frosting. I usually stick it in the refrigerator to speed this up.
Make the frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer using a whisk attachment or a large bowl using a handheld mixer, beat the vegan cream cheese and butter together until smooth. Then add the powdered sugar and vanilla and beat, starting on low speed and increasing to high, for about 2 minutes.
- Frost the cooled cake, sprinkle with chopped walnuts or sliced bananas if desired and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Enjoy!
Notes
- Gluten free? Try a gluten free all purpose mix, like Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Flour or King Arthur brand.
- May use another milk, such as almond, cashew, oat or coconut.
- You could likely substitute coconut oil for the vegan butter, or perhaps another oil if desired.
- You can fold some chopped walnuts or other nuts into the cake if you’d like, I would suggest 1 cup chopped nuts.
Nutrition
Serving: 1of 16 servings | Calories: 434kcal | Carbohydrates: 68g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 1g | Sodium: 325mg | Potassium: 231mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 45g | Vitamin A: 754IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 83mg | Iron: 2mg
Did you make this recipe?Mention @nora_cooks_vegan_ or tag #noracooks!
Absolutely delicious cake with an amazing texture, thank you so much for this wonderful recipe!
You are welcome, Sara! I’m glad you loved the cake! Thanks for your fabulous review!
Hi Nora,
I found your site by searching google for a vegan banana cake recipe. I made it and it came out Great! My husband is vegan; I am not, but I try to make things that he can enjoy. At first he thought it wasn’t sweet enough but as he kept taking more (and more) he changed his mind and he loves it! I put walnuts in the mix which we both love. I did not make the frosting; that would probably have made it sweeter; next time… Thank you!
Hi Esther. Welcome to my site! I am thrilled that you and your husband loved the banana cake! I hope you enjoy your journey through my recipes! Please reach out with any questions. Happy cooking!
I made these as cupcakes and OMG they were sooooo good. I ALWAYS trust Nora to have the most wonderful recipes. I’ve never been disappointed with anything on this site. Thanks for all of these delicious recipes, Nora!!! 😊
You are welcome, Haley! I am thrilled your cupcakes turned out wonderful! Great idea! Thanks for sharing your wonderful feedback and review! Happy cooking!
I’ve made a lot of banana cakes and this one is simply the best. Light, fluffy and delish. I added chocolate chips. so good!
Hi Lillian. The chocolate chip addition sounds superb! I am thrilled that you loved the cake! Thanks for your wonderful review and feedback!
I must have baked a cake similar to this when I was a little girl. I’m getting comfort-food vibes from it. I adjusted the sweetness and used half of the amount for the granulated and brown sugar. It is still very moist and flavorful. Next time I will add some walnuts and/or pecans Of course there will be a next time!
I’m so glad you loved the cake and it gave you comfort vibes! Thanks for sharing your awesome review and feedback! Happy cooking!
What would you do for cooking time/temp to make this cake as cupcakes?
20-24 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
I’ve made this cake before but I am not sure how long I should bake an 8” or 9” cake
Thank you.
All your recipes are incredible. Love them all.
xoxo
Hi Susan, thank you for the kind words! Bake the cake for 25-30 minutes when using an 8″ or 9″ round pan. Happy baking!
Would it be okay to substitute butter with oil and Apple cider vinegar with regular vinegar?? I’ve been craving this so bad but I don’t want to buy a whole bottle of APV just for it and vegan butter are a tad bit expensive where I’m from.
Hi Mimi. You could likely substitute coconut oil for the vegan butter, or another neutral oil if desired. You could use regular vinegar. Lemon juice is also a good substitute for the ACV. I hope this helps!
Is it okay to substitute butter with oil and Apple cider vinegar with regular vinegar…?
I’m a professional pastry friend and had NEVER made a vegan cake until a friend begged me to make him one. So I made this vegan banana nut cake and had no idea what to expect. He went wild over it! He has ordered 3 more, one for Thanksgiving and 2 for Christmas. I’m going through other noracooks.com recipes to see which ones I can try next!
Her chocolate cake is a family favourite here.
I love this recipe! I made cupcakes instead and put chocolate frosting on them. I also used allulose for a sugar substitute. They were fantastic! Curious tho, I didn’t get much rise on the cupcake. Does the cake tend to have a rise or no? If not, I may increase the leavening agent to help get the cupcake fluff.
I’m thrilled you loved the recipe, Kim! Thanks for sharing the changes you made. The cake does rise, so the lack of rise here could have been caused by the leavening agents, overworking of the batter, opening the oven door, etc. Next time, it would be worth a try to increase the leavening agents. Hope this helps!
Which vegan cream cheese do you like best?
I prefer tofutti brand for all my baking.
gréât cake. made it twice now.
nora, i’m wondering how well does it freeze? how many days will it last in the fridge or at room temperature before freezing is a better option?
Hi Alastair. You can store the cake in the fridge for about 1 week or 3-4 days at room temperature (keep it covered to prevent it from drying out). It freezes well, too!
This truly is an awesome cake!! Moist, flavorful, just yummy and irresistible. I made it for my grandson’s 1st birthday since he has a milk allergy, and everybody loved it. It will now be his birthday cake every year!!
How fun! Happy birthday to your grandson! Thank you for sharing your fabulous feedback and review!
Great, flavorful banana cake with just the right amount of icing. My family all indulged in a small square for breakfast. The portions are big enough for gatherings like potlucks. Glad it keeps well in the fridge or freezer so we can enjoy it all week. I used oat-based cream cheese, which turned out ok for the frosting. I’m usually a Tofutti fan. Thanks for the recipe!
I’m thrilled you and your family loved the cake, Lesley! Thanks so much for your wonderful review and feedback!
Fabulous! I am allergic to eggs and baking has been challenging because of it and this cake was perfect in every way. Good banana flavor, moist, and a new favorite. Thank you for sharing!
You are welcome! I’m thrilled you love the cake! Thanks for your stellar review and feedback!
This cake was delicious. I made two 8” layers and topped in with cream cheese frosting. Decorated it with both white and chocolate frosting. Wish I could have posted a photo.
Sounds wonderful! Thanks so much for your review and feedback 🙂
Hi! Can I sub the oil for applesauce?
You probably could yes, though the cake will turn out a bit different without oil. It will have that “low fat” taste, but if you don’t mind it then you’ll probably like it. Thanks!
Can I use ripple milk? Or almond? Vs soy?
Any plant based milk will work! Enjoy!
Tastes delicious but I’ve now made this twice and the cake has fallen both times. When I take it out of the oven it’s nice and high, then 5 minutes later it deflates all over not just in the center. Perhaps both times I’ve made an error?!
It’s hard to know what exactly went wrong without being there. If you try mixing the batter on a lower speed, this might help you avoid whipping too much air too quickly into the batter (thus causing the cake to deflate as soon as it’s out of the oven). Hope this helps!
Hi Nora.
For the cream cheese frosting, am I able to use monk fruit or possibly honey?
Thanks!
It might work but I’m not sure as I haven’t tested it. If monk fruit is gritty at all, that may come through in the frosting.
Hello!!! I have baked this cake quite a few times now and everyone loves it. I have used AP flour like the recipe calls for but I was wondering if cake flour would be ok to use. Thoughts???
Hi Kat. I’m glad you are enjoying the cake! Thanks for your awesome feedback! I have never tried it with cake flour, however, I think it would work. Happy baking!
How will using whole wheat flour be with this cake? Or perhaps half and half with AP?
Whole wheat flour will make the cake very dense and it will taste very “wheaty”. If you don’t mind that, no problem. I like to use whole wheat pastry flour if you can find it; it’s still whole wheat but is lighter and good for baking. Half and half would be a better choice if you can.
I am making your banana cake for the third time. It is really as described, fluffy, moist and delicious!
Thank you for your wonderful description of my banana cake! I’m so happy it turns out wonderful for you, and that you love it! I appreciate you sharing your wonderful review!
Hi, Is it ok to skip the flaxseed part? Or any other alternative for that?
I haven’t tried making the cake without it, so I’m not sure, but I’m guessing it will be okay to leave it out if needed.
Hi, Have made this once and very pleased with it, but it is not clear whether to take the cake out of the tin to cool it on a wire rack. Thanks
I don’t take the entire cake out of the pan, instead I let the pan sit on the wire rack to cool. You could take the cake out by lining the pan well with parchment paper, but with 9×13 inch cakes I tend to just leave them in the pan and serve from there. Hope that helps!
Would the bake time change for a 9×9 pan?