Gluten-Free Banana Cake

This gluten-free banana cake is one of my absolute favorite desserts. It’s soft, fluffy, and loaded with banana flavor balanced with warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.

I love topping this cake with brown butter cream cheese frosting and toasted walnuts. The nutty brown butter frosting pairs perfectly with the sweet banana cake. Whether you’re bringing dessert to a dinner party or just want something sweet after dinner, this is the cake you need.

Why You’ll Love this Recipe

• It uses those too-ripe bananas. The really spotty, brown, soft bananas you’d normally throw away? Those are exactly what makes this cake amazing. The riper the banana, the better the flavor.
• It feeds a crowd. A 9×13 pan makes 12 generous servings. Perfect for potlucks, family gatherings, or having cake for breakfast all week.
• It’s incredibly moist. The combination of oil, sour cream, and mashed bananas creates the softest, most tender cake. It stays moist for days.

Ingredients

Ingredient Notes

• Gluten-Free Flour Blend – I have tested this recipe with both Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour and King Arthur Baking Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour. Both of these blends already contain xanthan gum and are meant to be used as a 1-for-1 swap with regular all-purpose flour.
• Ripe Bananas – Be sure you are using ripe bananas that have lots of brown spots on the skin. The browner the skin, the better. As the bananas get riper, they are sweeter and have tons of flavor. That’s exactly what we want to make the best gluten-free banana cake! I like to freeze leftover ripe bananas so that they are ready to go for making any banana baked goods.
• Eggs: Use room temperature eggs so they blend smoothly into the batter. Cold eggs can create a lumpy mixture.
• Vegetable Oil – Oil adds so much moisture to this delicious banana cake, so it’s not to be skipped. You can use any neutral-tasting oil. Besides vegetable oil, you can use avocado oil, grapeseed oil, canola oil, sunflower oil, or light olive oil. I personally would not use extra virgin olive oil as that will have too much flavor.

How to Ripen Bananas Fast

You can ripen bananas in the oven. Place unripe bananas (peels on) on a baking sheet and bake at 300°F for 30-40 minutes. The peels will turn almost black and the insides will get soft and sweet. Let them cool completely before peeling and mashing.

Recipe FAQs

Can I use a different gluten-free flour blend?

This recipe was tested with Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour. I can’t guarantee results with other flour blends since they all absorb liquid differently and have different ratios of starches.

What type of frosting should I use for banana cake?

I love brown butter cream cheese frosting (included in the recipe card), but regular cream cheese frosting or chocolate cream cheese frosting are both amazing. You can also serve it unfrosted if you prefer.

Can I add chocolate chips or nuts to the batter?

Absolutely. Fold in 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips or chopped walnuts after mixing the batter. Chocolate and banana is an amazing combination.

Expert Tips

• Weigh your bananas for consistent results. Bananas vary wildly in size. This recipe uses 360g of peeled bananas, which is usually 3-4 bananas. Weighing them ensures your cake turns out the same every time.
• Use room temperature ingredients. Room temperature eggs, sour cream, and oil blend together much more smoothly than cold ingredients. Set them out 30 minutes before baking.
• Check for doneness with a thermometer. The most accurate way to know your cake is done is with an instant-read thermometer. It should read 200-205°F in the center. You can also insert a toothpick (it should come out with just a few moist crumbs) or press the top lightly with your finger (it should spring back).

Storage Instructions

Room Temperature: Store unfrosted banana cake covered at room temperature for up to 3 days. Once frosted with cream cheese frosting, store in the refrigerator.

Refrigerator: Store frosted cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving so the frosting softens.

Freezer: Slice unfrosted cake into individual portions and wrap each slice tightly in plastic wrap. Place in a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature and frost before serving.

Serving Suggestions

Whenever I make this cake, I’m usually trying to use up a bunch of overripe bananas at once. If I have enough, I’ll also make a loaf of gluten-free banana bread at the same time since they both bake at 350°F and use almost identical ingredients. The cake gets frosted and served for dessert, and the banana bread is breakfast for the week.

Method

For the banana cake:

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 350℉. Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan or line with parchment paper. Set aside.

2. 2

   In a large bowl, whisk together 2 ½ cups gluten-free flour blend, 2 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg, and ½ teaspoon ground ginger.

3. 3

   In a separate bowl, add 1 ½ cups mashed ripe bananas. Mash with a fork until thoroughly mashed and liquidy. Some lumps are okay.

4. 4

   Add 1 cup sour cream, ½ cup vegetable oil, ¾ cups granulated sugar, ¾ cups brown sugar, 2 large eggs and 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract to the mashed bananas. Whisk until smooth and well combined.

5. 5

   Gradually add in the dry ingredients, mixing until no more streaks of flour remain.

6. 6

   Pour the banana cake batter into the prepared baking pan.

7. 7

   Bake at 350F for 45-50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with a few moist crumbs. An instant-read thermometer should read 200-205°F in the center. Cool completely in the pan before frosting, at least 1 hour.

For the Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting:

1. 8

   Cut ½ cup unsalted butter into small pieces. This will help it melt quicker and more evenly.

2. 9

   Add the butter cubes to a saucepan over medium-low heat. Let the butter melt slowly. It will begin to foam as it does. Use a spatula to stir the butter frequently to keep the milk solids from burning on the bottom of the pan.

3. 10

   The butter will slowly turn golden brown and take on a nutty aroma, which can take anywhere from 10-15 minutes on medium-low heat.

4. 11

   Remove from the heat and pour into a heat-proof bowl, including the browned milk solids on the bottom of the saucepan. Allow to solidify completely before using in the brown butter cream cheese frosting.

5. 12

   Add the softened cream cheese and solidified browned butter to a large mixing bowl. Using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix 8 oz cream cheese and browned butter until smooth and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.

6. 13

   Then, add in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and ½ teaspoon kosher salt. Mix until combined.

7. 14

   Gradually add in 3 cups powdered sugar, until smooth and silky.

8. 15

   Spread frosting over cooled cake. Sprinkle with ½ cup chopped walnuts if using. Slice and serve. Store in refrigerator; let sit at room temperature 30 minutes before serving for best texture.