Chocolate Banana Cake and Chocolate Frosting

This chocolate banana cake and chocolate frosting recipe combines a moist, tender gluten-free chocolate banana sheet cake with rich, homemade chocolate buttercream frosting.

Chocolate and banana are two of my favorite ingredients to use in my gluten-free desserts. Recipes like rich chocolate strawberry cupcakes and tender protein banana bread are always in my rotation.

This delicious dessert combines my favorite flavors, adding cocoa powder to my moist, tender banana cake and topping it with rich homemade chocolate buttercream frosting.

It's so incredibly tender and moist that everyone will come back for seconds, and it's so easy, you won't mind!

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Limited Ingredients: This cake uses simple pantry staples. Even gluten-free flour can be found in most grocery stores.
• Easy: There are no hoops to jump through with this easy chocolate cake recipe. It's so easy that even beginners can make it. Oh, and a stand mixer is entirely optional!
• Moist and Tender: The cake is super moist and tender with a wonderful crumb, thanks to the addition of sour cream.
• Deep Chocolate Flavor: I used Dutch process cocoa in the cake for an incredibly deep chocolate flavor.
• Ultra-Rich: The tender chocolate banana cake and chocolate buttercream frosting make for a rich, decadent dessert.

Key Ingredients

You'll find a full list of ingredients and their exact amounts in the recipe card at the end of the post.

• Bananas: Super ripe bananas add the key flavor to the cake.
• Sour Cream: Sour cream makes the cake extra moist and tender.
• Cocoa Powder: I prefer OliveNation 22/24 Fat Dutched Cocoa Powder (use code NK15 for 15% off) because it delivers a rich, deep chocolate flavor.
• Butter Olive Oil: Butter olive oil adds moisture and rich, buttery flavor to the cake. I prefer CostabileBrand butter olive oil (Use Code: 15GoldenGK for 15% off) for its quality and purity.
• Olive Oil: Olive oil adds moisture to the cake without any kind of strong flavor. Like butter olive oil, I prefer CostabileBrand olive oil (Use Code: 15GoldenGK for 15% off) for its quality and purity.

Variations

• Make this cake gluten and dairy-free by using dairy-free butter, sour cream, and plant cream or almond milk.
• Make a chocolate peanut butter banana cake by using this cake recipe and my peanut butter cream cheese frosting recipe.
• Try adding chopped walnuts or pecans to the batter for banana nut cake.
• Chocolate Chips: Sprinkle mini chocolate chips over the frosted cake for a fun finish.

How to Make Chocolate Banana Cake and Chocolate Frosting

Step 1: Combine the dry cake ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside. Then whisk all the wet ingredients, including the mashed bananas and vanilla extact.

Step 2: Slowly mix in the dry ingredients until the cake batter is just combined.

Step 3: Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Step 4: Beat the butter until creamy. Then, add the vanilla and salt and mix again.

Step 5: Gradually beat in the powdered sugar, followed by the heavy cream and cocoa powder.

Step 6: Frost the cooled cake liberally and enjoy!

Expert Tips

• Bring all of your cold ingredients to room temperature for easier mixing and a better texture for the cake.
• Fully soften your butter for easier creaming and to prevent little bits of raw butter in your frosting.
• It's much easier to remove the cake if you line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
• Mix your cake ingredients until combined, but don't overmix. Overmixing will make a dense, tough cake.
• For the most intense banana flavor, use super-ripe bananas if possible.

Chocolate Banana Cake and Chocolate Frosting FAQs

Great Meal Pairings for This Chocolate Banana Cake

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📖 Recipe

Chocolate Banana Cake and Chocolate Frosting

1x2x3x

This gluten-free chocolate banana cake with chocolate buttercream frosting is easy to make and ultra-rich. It's a decadent treat everyone will love.

5 from 23 votes

Nicole Kendrick

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Video

1x2x3x

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Cool Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Total Time 2 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 15

Calories 601 kcal

Equipment

• ▢
  Measuring cups
• ▢
  Measuring spoons
• ▢
  Mixing Bowls
• ▢
  stand mixer
• ▢
  9x13 baking dish
• ▢
  Wire cooling rack
• ▢
  Parchment Paper

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

Chocolate Banana Sheet Cake

• ▢ 3 ½ cups Bob's Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour
• ▢ 1 ½ cups sugar
• ▢ ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ 3 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ ½ cup OliveNation 22/24 fat Dutched cocoa powder
• ▢ ¾ cup sour cream room temperature
• ▢ 3 large eggs room temperature
• ▢ 3 teaspoon Singing Dog Vanilla extract
• ▢ ¾ cups Costabile olive oil plus 2 tablespoons
• ▢ 3 tablespoon Costabile butter olive oil or the olive oil of your choosing
• ▢ 1 ¾ cups mashed bananas 4 medium or 3 very large bananas
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ▢ ½ tsp salt

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

• ▢ 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
• ▢ ½ cup OliveNation 22/24 fat Dutched cocoa powder
• ▢ 1 tablespoon dark cocoa powder
• ▢ 2 sticks butter room temperature
• ▢ 2 teaspoon Singing Dog Vanilla extract
• ▢ ⅛ tsp salt
• ▢ 5 tablespoon heavy cream

Instructions

 

For the Chocolate Banana Sheet Cake

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Then, using a pastry brush, lightly coat a 9x13 pan with coconut oil. I like to add parchment paper to the bottom of the pan for easy removal.
• Combine the flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a medium bowl. Set aside.
• Combine the sugar, both olive oils, sour cream, and eggs in a large mixing bowl or stand mixer. Mix for 30 seconds on medium with the whisk attachment.
• Add the mashed bananas and vanilla extract and mix on medium for another 60 seconds until completely combined.
• Add ⅓ of the dry ingredients at a time to the wet ingredients, mixing for 30 seconds after each addition until the batter is just combined.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake on the center rack for 35 to 42 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool for 30 to 45 minutes, then turn it out onto a wire cooling rack. Alternately, cool the cake for at least 1 ½ hours before frosting.

For the Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

• Cream the butter on high in a large mixing bowl or stand mixer with the paddle attachment for about 90 seconds until creamy.
• Add the vanilla extract and salt and mix on low speed until just combined.
• Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing on low until combined.
• Add 2 tablespoons of heavy cream and mix until combined.
• Add both cocoa powders and mix on low. Then, increase to medium and continue mixing until combined.
• Add 2 more tablespoons of heavy cream and mix for 2 minutes or until you reach your desired consistency. Adjust with more cream to thin out the frosting if necessary.
• When the cake has fully cooled, frost it liberally with the chocolate buttercream.

Notes

Tips

• Your butter should be room temperature but not warm for this recipe. 
• Bring all cold ingredients to room temperature for easy, even mixing. 
• Mix the cake batter until just combined. Overmixing can cause a tough cake. 
• Your bananas should be as ripe as possible. As long as they aren't oozing, moldy, or have an off smell, the darker the peel, the better. 

Nutrition

Calories: 601kcalCarbohydrates: 79gProtein: 6gFat: 33gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 78mgSodium: 447mgPotassium: 225mgFiber: 6gSugar: 52gVitamin A: 587IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 62mgIron: 2mg

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