Banana Snack Cake

Banana Snacking Cake

This banana snack cake recipe is as indulgent as a homemade cake and as easy to eat as cupcakes or muffins. The buttermilk, vanilla, bananas, and combination of white and brown sugar work together to make this a sweet and addicting snack cake recipe. You'll love how easy this is to make too! Just mix the ingredients, pour into the pan, and bake!

I love baking with bananas! They always give everything the perfect amount of moisture and sweetness. This banana bundt cake is popular at bridal showers and baked banana donuts with chocolate glaze are a healthier donut recipe for breakfast. Or, if you really adore chocolate, make double chocolate banana bread. It's super rich and indulgent.

What is a Snack Cake?

If you have ever traveled through the snack aisle at the grocery store, you've probably noticed pre-packed snack cakes. A snack cake is slightly denser than a regular cake. It holds up to being held in your hand - and tastes just as sweet and delicious as homemade cake.

Banana Bread vs Banana Cake

Let's not get this banana snack cake recipe confused with banana bread. Not only is bread baked in a loaf pan, but it has an even denser texture than this cake.

This snack cake is dense enough to hold in your hand, but lighter and spongier than banana bread.

If you tried to bake this in a loaf pan, it will come out tasting more like a pound cake than banana bread.

Why This is the Best Banana Snack Cake Recipe

If you have a sweet tooth, then this is the perfect recipe for banana snack cake out there! It's a crowd-pleaser, so serve it when you are hosting a party or large family get-together.

It's the perfect dessert or appetizer. You don't need to serve it with a fork; these little snack cakes are delicious and cute finger food.

Ingredients

• Butter - make sure it is room temperature for easier mixing
• Light brown sugar - adds moistness and makes the baked cake softer
• White granulated sugar - adds sweetness
• Large eggs
• Bananas - make sure they are very ripe for the best flavor
• Vanilla extract
• All-purpose flour
• Baking soda - for leavening
• Salt
• Buttermilk - for a richer and moister cake
• Powdered sugar (optional topping)

How to Make Banana Snack Cake

1. Place butter in a large mixing bowl.
2. Cream for 1 minute.
3. Add sugars.
4. Beat until light and fluffy.
5. Add eggs.
6. Blend until well incorporated.

7. Combine dry ingredients - flour, baking soda and salt.
8. Add ⅓ to creamed mixture.
9. Alternate with buttermilk until all of the dry ingredients and buttermilk has been used.
10. Blend until incorporated and forms a smooth batter.
11. Pour into an 8x8-inch pan that has been oiled and the bottom lined with parchment paper.
12. Bake for 35-40 minutes at 350 degrees.

Note: The entire recipe is in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. First, I have a bunch of helpful information about the tools you will need and any ways you can change up this banana snacking cake recipe.

Snack Cake Pan Options

• Square Pan - 8x8-inch cake pan
• Round Pan - 9-inch cake pan or springform pan
• Rectangle Pan - Double the recipe and use a 9x13-inch pan
• Loaf Pan - Halve the recipe and use an 8x4-inch loaf pan

Recipe Variations

This banana snack cake recipe is easy to change up with add-ins and other flavors. Try any of the following ideas or come up with your own.

Banana Cake Add Ins

• Banana and Blueberry Cake - Add ½ cup of blueberries. Coat blueberries with flour before adding them to the batter to prevent them from sinking.
• Banana and Cinnamon Cake - Add ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the batter.
• Banana and Coconut Cake - Add ¼ cup of sweetened coconut flakes.
• Banana and Nut Cake - Add ½ cup of nuts. Almonds, pecans, and walnuts are great choices.
• Banana Chocolate Chip Snack Cake - Add ½ cup of chocolate chips. Coat chocolate chips with flour before adding them to the batter to prevent them from sinking.
• Gluten Free Snack Cake - Substitute the all-purpose flour with 1:1 gluten-free baking flour.
• Banana Almond Flour Cake - Substitute the all-purpose flour with blanched finely ground almond flour and not almond meal. Add 1 more egg (total of 3 eggs).

Banana Cake Flavors

• Banana and Honey Cake - Substitute brown sugar with 6 tablespoons of honey and add ¼ teaspoon of baking soda (total of 1¼ teaspoons of baking soda).
• Banana and Maple Syrup Cake - Use ½ cup of brown sugar (instead of ¾ cup) and add 2 tablespoons of maple syrup.
• Peanut Butter Banana Snack Cake - Substitute butter with peanut butter.

Frosting Options

This banana snack cake is great unfrosted or simply topped with a dusting of powdered sugar. But if you want to top with frosting here are some ideas:

Chocolate Peanut Butter Frosting

Ingredients

• ¾ cup creamy peanut butter at room temperature
• ½ cup butter at room temperature
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup powdered sugar
• ¼ cup cocoa powder
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon cream half and half or milk

Instructions

1. In a mixing bowl, cream butter, peanut butter, and salt until smooth and creamy.
2. Add vanilla and beat or stir to combine
3. Add powdered sugar and cocoa powder and beat until smooth.
4. If the mixture is too thick, add more cream. If the mixture is too thin, add more powdered sugar.

Cake Baking Tips

• Always have all the ingredients at room temperature.
• Prepare the cake pan (greasing and flouring) before starting on the batter.
• Cream butter at medium speed so it is smooth and not fluffy.
• Sift powdered sugar to remove any lumps.
• When mixing in powdered sugar, start on low speed until it is incorporated and increase the speed to medium.
• Use quality cake pans that are light in color. Aluminum is best. Dark or black metal pans will cook the cake faster and you'll need to reduce the oven temperature by 25°F.

How to Store and Freeze

To Store: The cake should be stored in an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap. Unfrosted cake can be stored at room temperature. Frosted cake should be stored in the refrigerator. The banana cake will last up to 5 days.

To Freeze: The cake should be placed in a freezer-safe container, plastic freezer bag, or wrapped in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Cake will last up to 3 months in the freezer.

To Thaw: Unfrosted cake can be thawed on the counter. Frosted cake should be thawed in the refrigerator overnight.

More Fruity Cake Recipes

• Berry Upside Down Cake is a nice change from the usual pineapple one.
• Key Lime Pudding Cake is great for making individual dessert cakes.
• Mandarin Orange Cake with pineapple frosting is easy to make with a boxed cake mix.
• Apple Fritter Cake from Miss in the Kitchen has layers of moist vanilla cake and tart cinnamon apples.
• No Bake Banana Split Cake has all the flavors of the ice cream treat in a cake.

Find lots of easy cake recipes here on 2CM!