Gluten-Free Banana Cake Recipe

This easy gluten-free banana cake recipe makes a cake that’s moist and tender. It’s a great way to use overripe bananas. Made with gluten-free flour, brown sugar, and melted butter. (Dairy-free variation included.)

Let’s talk about gluten-free banana cake. The first thing you need to know is that it’s not banana bread. Think of it more like a buttery yellow cake with a lovely banana flavor. It’s moist, flavorful, and best of all, really easy to make. 

Ingredients and Substitutions

Here’s what you’ll need to make this gluten-free banana cake. The most important ingredient are the overripe bananas. They give the cake a wonderful flavor! The full recipe with amounts is at the bottom of the post. This explains what role the ingredients play in the recipe—and substitutions for dairy.

• Ripe Bananas. Use bananas that are deep brown or very spotted.The riper the banana, the more flavor in the cake.
• Gluten-Free Flour. I tested the recipe with Bob’s Red Mill’s 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour. If you use a different blend, that doesn’t contain xanthan or guar gum, whisk a ½ teaspoon into the flour before using it.
• Granulated and Brown Sugar. A combination of granulated and brown sugar sweetens the cake and keeps it light. Blending the two adds the perfect amount of flavor from the brown sugar and gives you a nice light texture. 
• Butter. Butter brings a nice richness and flavor to the cake. After melting the butter, cool it for a minute or two before adding it to the batter. This prevents the heat from cooking the eggs. For a dairy-free substitute, use dairy-free butter or neutral oil, like canola or soy
• Eggs. Three eggs give this cake lift and flavor. Use room-temperature eggs for the best results. I haven’t tested the recipe with an egg replacer. So I can’t say if one works. 
• Milk. A little milk helps make the batter smooth. A dairy-free milk can be substituted for the milk. Full-fat coconut milk is not recommended. It’s too rich for this recipe.
• Vanilla Extract. Two teaspoons of vanilla extract adds a nice flavor.
• Baking Powder. The baking powder helps the cake to rise and gives it a nice “cakey” texture.
• Salt. Salt enhances the flavors of the other ingredients. Use table (fine) salt. It blends easily into thebatter.

Variations

This cake tastes great as-is. It’s also wonderful with nuts, chocolate chips, or dried fruit. Here are some suggestions.

• Nuts. Use chopped walnuts.
• Chocolate Chips. Dark, milk, or white chocolate chips work.
• Raisins or Dried Cranberries. If your raisins or dried cranberries are dry, cover them with warm water and soak for 15 minutes. Then drain and use in the recipe.
• Spice:.Add two teaspoons of pie spice or ground cinnamon to the batter.

How to Make a Gluten-Free Banana Cake

After you gather all the ingredients, this is how you make the cake. You’ll need two mixing bowls for this recipe.

1. Prep Your Oven and Pan. Preheat your oven to 350℉ and grease a 9×13-inch pan. This way, both the pan and oven are ready after you mix the batter.
2. Mix the Dry Ingredients. Combine the gluten-free flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. Mash the Bananas. In a large bowl, mash the bananas. Once they’re almost smooth, add the granulated sugar and brown sugar. Mix until the sugars are combined. Then add the melted butter and eggs. Stir until smooth.
4. Add the Dry Ingredients. Add the whisked dry ingredients to the mashed banana mixture. Stir until the gluten-free flour is combined.

5. Make the Batter. Add the milk and vanilla. Blend until the batter is combined and you no longer see any dry flour in the bowl. If you’re adding chocolate chips, nuts, or dried fruit, stir them in now.

6. Spread the batter into the pan. Since the batter is thick, use the back of a spoon or a small spatula to get the batter into the corners of the pan.
7. Bake. This cake takes about 30 minutes to bake. It’s done when a cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
8. Cool and Frost. You can let this cake cool right in the pan. If you prefer removing it from the pan, let the cake cool for about 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack. Once the cake is completely cool, frost it. If you frost a warm cake, the frosting melts and runs off the cake.

Storage Tips

Store the cake in the refrigerator for up to five days.

Freeze the cake for up to three months. You can frost it before or after freezing. The cake freezes great frosted. Be sure to let the cake cool before freezing.

Recipe Questions and Answers

Recipe originally shared in 2021. Last updated to include new photos and information March 2024