Dairy Free Banana Cake
Soft, fluffy and perfectly moist, this dreamy dairy free banana cake is a fantastic way to use up overripe bananas! Lightly spiced, loaded with banana flavor and topped with the most incredible dairy free peanut butter buttercream, it’s one that the entire family will love.
Got some ripe bananas that need to be used up?
Look no further than this dreamy dairy free banana cake.
Loaded with banana flavor and a hint of cinnamon spice, it’s soft, fluffy and delightfully moist.
But the best part?
The most luscious dairy free peanut butter buttercream for topping. {Seriously, I could eat this stuff with a spoon.}
Silky smooth and ultra creamy, it’s the perfect compliment to the banana base.
And a total match made in dessert heaven.
Tips & Tricks
- When measuring out your flour, fluff in the container then scoop into your measuring cup with a spoon and level off. Don’t dunk the cup straight into the bag as you’ll likely use too much.
- About 2 ½ to 3 medium-large bananas will give you the 1 cup mashed.
- Along those lines, be sure to measure the mashed banana in a dry measuring cup – it won’t level off correctly in a liquid one.
- And finally, wait until your bananas are nice and brown – you really want them to be overripe and mash super easily. This helps with the moisture and flavor of the final cake.
Substitutions
- I think that honey should work just fine in place of the maple syrup, although I haven’t tested this myself.
- If you choose to use coconut oil instead of the avocado oil, be sure that all your ingredients are at room temperature. If they are cold, you run the risk of the batter hardening up. Additionally, melt the oil first and then measure out the correct amount. Once melted, allow to cool for about 5 minutes before using (or you might scramble the eggs).
- You can absolutely use a different dairy free milk in the frosting (although I will say I am partial to the oat milk as it’s a bit thicker and richer than some other options).
How To Store
First things first. I actually think this cake tastes best the second day. Once the flavor and the moisture from the banana settle in, the cake goes from good to great. So if you can find the willpower to hold off on enjoying right away, it’s really worth it.
Now, let’s talk about storage.
Counter: Once frosted, the cake will keep loosely covered with foil at room temperature for about 2 to 3 days.
Fridge: It will also keep covered with foil or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Freezer: The banana cake base can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw in the fridge then bring to room temperature and frost.
Additional Dairy Free Dessert Recipes:
- Dairy Free Carrot Cake
- Dairy Free Blueberry Cake
- Dairy Free Apple Cake
- Dairy Free Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- Dairy Free No Bake Cheesecake
- Dairy Free Chocolate Cupcakes
Did you make this recipe? Rate and review it down below! I’d love to hear from you.
Dairy Free Banana Cake
Soft, fluffy and perfectly moist, this dreamy dairy free banana cake is a fantastic way to use up overripe bananas! Lightly spiced, loaded with banana flavor and topped with the most incredible dairy free peanut butter buttercream, it’s one that the entire family will love.
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup well mashed overripe banana
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup lightly packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup avocado oil (or another neutral oil)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
For the frosting:*
- 6 tablespoons dairy free butter, at room temperature
- ⅓ cup creamy peanut butter**
- 1 ½ cups confectioner’s sugar, plus extra as needed
- 1 tablespoon oat milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
For the cake:
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line a 9×9 inch baking dish with parchment paper, cutting big enough pieces so that the paper hangs over the edges of the pan forming a sort of sling. Grease lightly with nonstick spray then set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, banana, maple syrup, sugar, oil and vanilla until well combined and smooth.
- Add the wet ingredients to the bowl with the dry and mix until just combined, then spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan.
- Bake for about 30 to 35 minutes, or until a cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean.
- Set the pan on a wire rack. Let cool completely, then use the parchment overhang to lift out of the pan.
For the frosting:
- Add the dairy free butter and peanut butter to a medium-large bowl. Using a hand mixer, beat on medium for about 30 seconds to 1 minute, until nice and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.
- Add the 1 ½ cups confectioners' sugar, oat milk and vanilla to the bowl. Beat on low until incorporated, then increase the speed to medium and continue to beat for about 1 minute until fully combined and creamy.
- Add additional confectioners’ sugar to thicken the frosting if needed or extra oat milk (slowly!) to thin out as desired.
- Use a spatula to spread the frosting over the cooled cake.
Notes
*If you don’t like or can’t have peanut butter, this dairy free spiced buttercream would also be incredible here.
**Please be sure to use conventional peanut butter or a natural peanut butter that is 100% no stir (i.e. it has added oils). I have not tested the frosting with drippy peanut butter but my guess is that the consistency will be slightly different.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 258Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 35mgSodium: 196mgCarbohydrates: 37gFiber: 1gSugar: 21gProtein: 4g
Nutrition data shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator and is for informational purposes only. It should not be considered a substitute for a medical professional’s advice.
