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 Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Gluten-Free Chocolate Banana Hazelnut Waffles
- Banana Ice Cream
Gluten-Free Banana Cake Recipe
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
- loaf pans
- parchment paper
- 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
-
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.
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.
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Bijouxs
Valentina - Wow, this bread does look amazing and it's gluten-free!
Colette
Good god, woman. This cake looks killer yummy!
angiesrecipes
The cake looks phenomenal!
valentina
Thank you, Angie. 🙂
David
Valentina - another of my blog friends just posted a chocolate-banana bread, and I had to admit to her that I really dislike banana bread, especially banana-not bread. However, as odd as it may seem, I absolutely love chocolate-banana bread! Thanks for this recipe – it looks scrumptious! I have saved to my gluten-free recipe file, which is growing by leaps and bounds thanks to you! Happy weekend…
valentina
My gluten-free baking is all thanks to my son with Celiac. If not for him, I don't think I would have come so far with it. It makes me so happy when the GF baked good just taste like "regular" baked goods. 🙂 Enjoy and thank you!
Diana
That looks incredibly moist and dense, which I like in a banana bread/cake. I like the idea to experiment with a bundt pan!
valentina
Me too. Hope you give it a try. Enjoy!
Monica
This cake has the absolute most perfect texture - so moist and dense, just what you want in a banana bread! And of course the chocolate chips are always the answer. Perfection!
valentina
Thanks, Monica. I'm with you on the chocolate chips.
Natalie
Looks so delicious and perfect for the weekend!
valentina
Yes! Thank you.
Jere Cassidy
I love seeing the banana pieces in this and it looks so moist.
valentina
Thanks so much. 🙂
Jeff the Chef
This definitely lookslike one of those I-don't-care-if-it's-gluten-free recipes. It just plain looks delicious!
valentina
It is!!! Thank you. 🙂
Kelly | Foodtasia
Valentina, this cake is just perfect to fuel my chocolate and banana obsession! It looks wonderful! I can just imagine getting a bite with a little chocolate and a little chunk of banana - heavenly flavor explosion!
valentina
Thanks so much, Kelly! Yes, the banana chunks are key. 🙂
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry
We love using up our bananas in banana bread and this banana chocolate chip loaf cake looks so moist and delicious. Even better, my husband can enjoy it too because it is gluten free!
valentina
Yay!Thank you. I think he will love it!
James
Just a perfect looking moist cake. Overripe bananas are perfect in these types of cakes!
valentina
Thanks, James. Good thing there's a home from overripe bananas -- we always have too many of them. 🙂
Nancy
I honestly wanted to reach through the screen and snatch a piece of this cake! Growing up, we always had a "bread" around - banana bread, zucchini bread, apricot bread, you name it! But we DID NOT have this one.... and I'm still not sure if that was a good or bad thing since I know I wouldn't have been able to keep my hands off it!!!!
valentina
Thanks so much, Nancy! It's my favorite! 🙂
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Oh, this looks so good, Valentina! Looks super rich, banana-ey and chocolate-ey.....just what I'd want! I can only imagine how good this is freshly made, with a big ol' cuppa coffee. Happy Monday to ya 🙂
valentina
Yes! Love my coffee! Hope you try it. Enjoy and hope you're having a great week. 🙂
David @ Spiced
I absolutely love banana bread! It's one of my favorite childhood memories as I feel like the kitchen always smelled like fresh banana bread. I can't wait to give your gluten-free version a try, Valentina. It sounds awesome!!
valentina
Thanks so much, David. I love childhood food memories (when they're delicious). 😉
Ron
Your timing is impeccable Valentina as we're having a birthday gathering next weekend and we have one that can't do gluten and one that can't eat nuts. So your yummy looking chocolate chip banana cake will be made. Of course, we'll have the tradition Prinsesstarta (Princess Cake) for those who don't have gluten and nut issues. Question please; we don't get chocolate chips here, can I sub with a good 70% Swedish chocolate that's chopped up?
valentina
Of course! Who doesn't love Swedish chocolate!? Right? I know I do.:-) Sounds perfect. The smaller the chunks, the less likely they'll fall to the bottom. I hope you love it -- and that your GF and nut free friends do too! Thanks for visiting, as always, and enjoy!
Balvinder
This is calling out to me, but how do i get to it? It looks so delicious and moist. I can almost feel it in my mouth.
valentina
Ha! I guess you'll have to bake it. 🙂 Thanks!
Kathryn
Lovely...thanks Valentina, I'm sending this to my celiac friend....😊
Dimana
Hi,
I'm going to make the recipe, but I'm not using US measurements, so i find it veery hard to convert to Metric units.
Can you tell me the 1 3/4 cups of choc chips how much is it in grams if you know?
Thank you for the recipe, it really looks delicious and I cannot wait to try it 😉
x
valentina
Hi Dimana, Thanks for writing in. I believe 1 3/4 cup of chocolate would be about 308 grams. I hope you love this cake! 🙂 ~Valentina
Dimana
I not only loved it, but I am absolutely obsessed with it! My husband even loved it and he's not the type that eats cakes :)) Thank you! x
valentina
Hi Dimana, You've made my day! I'm so happy you loved this cake. And it's always the best compliment when someone likes something they typically wouldn't, so I'm thrilled your husband loved it, too. 🙂 ~Valentina
Sharon
This cake does not taste like it is gluten free. It’s delicious! I have gone through my fair share of unsuccessful gluten free baking, so I am so happy I have stumbled upon this recipe. My son said the banana chunks taste fudgy, definite stamp of approval.
valentina
Hi Sharon. Thanks so much for writing in. I'm so happy you and your son loved this cake. I make it practically every time I have a lot of bananas. It's funny, my older son can't eat gluten (Celiac), so it's one of the recipes I initially created for him -- he likes it a lot, but my younger son, who can eat gluten, says it's his favorite cake ever. Thank you again, and I hope you have a great week. 🙂 ~Valentina