Gluten-Free Banana Cake with Chocolate Chips

Name: Gluten-Free Banana Cake Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 130 min
Ingredients: ¾ cup golden brown sugar; ¼ cup granulated sugar; ½ cup grapeseed oil ((or other neutral oil, like vegetable)); ½ cup unsalted butter, (softened to room temperature); 2 cups banana, ( mashed (from about 3 bananas)); ¼ cup sour cream; 1 tablespoon vanilla extract; 1½ teaspoons cinnamon; 1 teaspoon allspice; 1 teaspoon salt; 4 large eggs; 1¾ cups Cup4Cup gluten-free all-purpose flour, (divided); ½ teaspoon baking soda; 1¾ cup banana, (diced (from about 2 bananas)); 1¾ cups semisweet chocolate chips

March 7, 2019 By valentina 39 Comments

Jump to Recipe

This Gluten-Free Banana Cake with chocolate chips is one of the best cakes ever. And it’s THE best gluten-free cake, for sure. Delicious for any occasion, it’s rich, unbelievably moist, and subtly spiced.

What can you make with overripe bananas besides banana bread?

Cake, of course. 😉

A lot of people who try this gluten-free banana cake will put it right up there with their favorite cakes.

Not necessarily in the gluten-free category either. In other words, it’s right up there with all cakes.

Ingredients for Gluten-Free Banana Cake

golden brown sugar
granulated sugar
grapeseed oil (or other neutral oil)
butter
banana
eggs
sour cream
pure vanilla extract
cinnamon
allspice
salt
baking soda
Cup4Cup gluten-free all-purpose flour (or other 1 to 1 gluten-free flour)
chocolate chips

Don’t be deterred by the lengthy ingredient list — this cake is very easy to make, and it’s this combination of ingredients that makes it so good.

This may look more like banana bread than banana cake, but that’s simply because of its shape. One bite in, and you’ll know there’s a whole lot more going on here.

How to Make it

(More detailed instructions are in the recipe card below.)

– Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line 2 approximately 8½-inch loaf pans with parchment paper.
– In a large bowl, combine both sugars with the oil and butter. Then mix in the mashed banana, sour cream, vanilla, cinnamon, allspice and salt. Mix until smooth. Add the eggs and continue to mix until they’re fully incorporated.
– Now mix in 1½ cups of the gluten-free flour and baking soda.
In another bowl, toss diced banana and chocolate chips with the remaining ¼ cup gluten-free flour. Fold this into the batter. (This can help prevent them from falling to the bottom.)
– Evenly divide the batter between the two prepared pans, and bake in the 350°F preheated oven until the cakes are golden brown along the edges, and are beginning to crack on top.
– Let the cakes cool for at least 1 hour in the pans before removing and slicing.

Recipe Tips and Substitutions

I like the way this gluten-free banana cake bakes in the loaf pans, but you can also use a round cake pan or a bundt pan.
Feel free to add nuts — walnuts or pecans would be great. You can substitute them for the chocolate chips, or use cup nuts and 1 cup chips.
This cake does not require frosting. In fact, it would take away from it.

Why is this the best gluten-free banana cake?

There are bananas two ways: mashed and chopped. There are overripe bananas in the batter, and there are also small bites of very ripe banana throughout the cake. The mashed bananas add sweetness, flavor and moisture, and the bites add another dimension to the texture.
Both oil and butter are used in this recipe. Cakes are typically more moist when oil is used, but by using both, we also get the delicious butter flavor.
The final texture is absolutely dreamy! I think it’s what makes this cake stand out from others.
You would never know this cake is gluten-free.

I’m telling you, if you ever need to make a gluten-free dessert for someone, they’ll love you forever if it’s this gluten-free banana cake!

More gluten-free banana treats:

Gluten-Free Banana Cake Recipe

Valentina K. Wein

Loaded with chocolate chips, this Gluten-Free Banana Cake is one of the best cakes ever. And it's THE best gluten-free cake, for sure.

Makes 2 (8½-inch) loaf cakes

4.93 from 13 votes

Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 50 mins

Cooling Time 1 hr

Total Time 2 hrs 10 mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings

Calories 379 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

¾ cup golden brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
½ cup grapeseed oil (or other neutral oil, like vegetable)
½ cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
2 cups banana, mashed (from about 3 bananas)
¼ cup sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1½ teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs
1¾ cups Cup4Cup gluten-free all-purpose flour, divided
½ teaspoon baking soda
1¾ cup banana, diced (from about 2 bananas)
1¾ cups semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

Set oven and prepare pans. Preheat the oven to 350°F, and line 2 approximately 8½-inch loaf pans with parchment paper. Set aside.
Make the batter. In a large mixing bowl, combine both sugars with the oil and butter. Then mix in the mashed banana, sour cream, vanilla, cinnamon, allspice and salt. Use an electric mixer to blend until it's as smooth as possible. Add the eggs, and continue to mix until they're fully incorporated.
Now mix in 1½ cups of the gluten-free flour and baking soda, just until you no longer see dry spots.
In another bowl, gently toss the diced banana and chocolate chips with the remaining ¼ cup gluten-free flour. Then fold this into the batter. (This can help prevent them from falling to the bottom.)
Bake. Evenly divide the batter between the two parchment-lined pans, and place them both on a baking sheet. Bake in the 350°F preheated oven until the cakes are golden brown along the edges, and are beginning to crack -- about 50 minutes.
Cool. Let the cakes cool for at least 1 hour in the pans before removing and slicing.

Notes

The cakes can be made up to 2 days ahead of time -- and you can keep them out at room temperature, in a tightly sealed container. (After 2 days, they can be refrigerated or frozen, wrapped tightly.)

Calorie count is only an estimate.

Keywords cake for breakfast, gluten-free cakes

Have you tried this recipe?I'd love to see it on Instagram! Tag me at @cookingontheweekends or leave a comment & rating below.

Cooking On The Weekends is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.