Vegan Banana Cake

Key Ingredients

One of the reasons I love this vegan banana cake is that it uses everyday, pantry staple ingredients that you may already have on hand.

Note all ingredients and their quantities are laid out in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

• Plain flour – also known as all purpose flour in the US.
• Baking powder and bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) – the combination of both not only allow the cake to rise, but also creates the soft, light fluffy texture.
• Spices – I am using a combination of both ground cinnamon and nutmeg to give this cake a warm spiced taste.
• Bananas – it’s so important for the taste and texture of this cake that you use overripe, spotty bananas.
• Canola oil – will give the cake the softest texture and keep it moist. Any vegetable oil will work.
• Vanilla extract – I always recommend using vanilla extract not imitation vanilla for the best flavour.
• Sugar – I like to use a combination of both white sugar and light brown sugar in this cake for the best taste. The sugar also plays a key role in locking in the moisture so I don’t recommend reducing the amount.
• Dairy free milk – almond milk or oat milk is usually my preference when baking but any dairy free milk including soy milk will work so use your favourite.
• White vinegar – is added to the milk to create a dairy free buttermilk substitute that is the key to the soft texture of this cake without any eggs.

Step-By-Step Instructions

This cake could not be simpler to make. All you’ll need are a couple of large mixing bowls, a whisk, a spatula and 2x 7inch baking pans. If you don’t have 7 inch pans, you can size up to 8 or down to 6 and this will still work, you will just have to adjust your baking time.

Step 1: In a small bowl, mix together the dairy free milk and white vinegar to create your vegan buttermilk and set aside.

Step 2: In a mixing bowl, whisk together the plain flour, baking powder and soda, salt and the spices. Set aside.

Step 3: In a large mixing bowl, mash the bananas until smooth using your whisk or a fork.

Step 4: Add the vanilla, canola oil and both brown and white sugars, to the bowl with the bananas and whisk up until it’s all combined.

Step 5: Alternate adding the milk mixture and dry ingredients to the bowl with the bananas and make sure to give a mix between each addition until you have a smooth batter.

Step 6: Pour the batter into your 2 prepared cake pans and bake for 30 minutes or until the tops spring back when lightly touched.

💡 To prepare the pans I just give them a spray all over with cooking oil, add a layer on the base of baking paper and then give that another light spray with oil. Doing this I never have an issue with the cake sticking.

Step 7: Let the cakes cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before turning them out. This is also an important step to make sure the cake doesn’t crumble and break or stick to the sides while you’re trying to release it. Let the cakes cool completely before frosting.

Assembling the cake

While this cake certainly is delicious enough on it’s own, what really makes this layer cake is the creamy lashings of cinnamon flavoured buttercream in each bite. It perfectly complements the lightly spiced banana cake and is just super delicious.

For more information and step-by-step instructions, you can read the full post for my vegan cinnamon buttercream recipe, but for this cake, I have scaled down the recipe which is included in the recipe card below.

The quantity of buttercream is the perfect amount for a light coating in the middle and around the sides and top. I like serving it like this personally as I don’t find it needs a lot of buttercream, but if you want to do some decorations you will need to double the recipe.

If you’re looking for a more traditional cream cheese frosting, you can also just add some cinnamon to my vegan cream cheese frosting recipe.

Storage Instructions

If you’re planning to eat the cake the same day, you can leave it out in an airtight container at room temperature. Just keep it somewhere cool and away from direct sunlight.

For longer storage, put it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days so it doesn’t dry out.

This cake also freezes really well. You prepare the cake layers ahead of time by freezing them individually wrapped in plastic and then aluminium foil for up to three months. Allow to defrost at room temperature before assembling as normal.

You can also freeze slices of frosted cake if you have leftovers. Again wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and allow to defrost at room temperature before eating.

Recipe FAQs

If you do make this recipe, please be sure to leave a comment and ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below! And tag any of your creations on Instagram with @eightforestlane as I would love to see.

More vegan cake recipes

Cookies and Cream Cake (Vegan)
Vegan Coconut Cake
Vegan Caramel Cake
Vegan Red Velvet Cake

Vegan Banana Cake

This vegan banana cake is soft, moist, and full of natural banana flavour, with a hint of cosy spices. Made with pantry staple ingredients and topped with a thick, creamy cinnamon buttercream, it’s a simple cake that always turns out beautifully and tastes delicious. Make this cake for family gatherings or a just for a special treat at home!

5 from 3 votes

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Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Australian

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes minutes

Servings: 8 people

Author: Sally

Equipment

• mixing bowls
• stand mixer
• offset/angled spatula

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

For the banana cake:

• 2 cups plain flour/all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda/baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 medium overripe bananas approx 200-220grams
• ¼ cup canola oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup white sugar/granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup brown sugar
• 1 cup dairy free milk such as oat milk or soy milk
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar

For the cinnamon buttercream:

• 60 grams dairy free butter
• 3 cups icing sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1-2 tablespoons dairy free milk

Instructions

For the banana cake:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease and line two 7-inch round cake pans with baking paper and a light spray of oil.
• In a small bowl, mix together the dairy free milk and white vinegar to create your vegan buttermilk. Set aside while you prepare the other ingredients.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk together the plain flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
• In a large mixing bowl, mash the bananas until smooth using a whisk or fork.
• Add the vanilla extract, canola oil, white sugar, and brown sugar to the bowl with the mashed bananas. Whisk until smooth and well combined.
• Alternate adding the milk mixture and the dry ingredients to the banana mixture, whisking gently between each addition until you have a smooth, thick batter. Be careful not to overmix.
• Pour the batter evenly into the two prepared cake pans. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the tops spring back when lightly touched and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
• Allow the cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes before carefully turning them out onto a wire rack. Let them cool completely before frosting.

For the cinnamon buttercream:

• In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using a handheld electric mixer), beat the dairy free butter and vanilla extract together until light and creamy.
• Add the icing sugar and cinnamon, and continue beating on low speed until the sugar is mostly incorporated.
• Increase to medium speed and slowly add 1 tablespoon of dairy free milk. Continue beating for a few minutes until smooth and fluffy. If needed, add more milk, a teaspoon at a time, until you reach a thick and creamy consistency. If the buttercream becomes too soft, add a little more icing sugar.

To assemble the cake:

• Place a small amount of buttercream on your cake stand or serving plate to hold the base in place. Position the first cake layer and spread a generous layer of frosting over the top.
• Place the second cake layer on top and spread the remaining buttercream over the top and sides of the cake, using a metal spatula or palette knife to smooth it out.
• Store the cake in the fridge to allow the buttercream to firm up before serving to make it easier to cut into.

Notes

Dairy Free Milk: I used oat milk in this recipe, but almond or soy would work perfectly.

Storage: This cake will keep at room temperature for a day, otherwise in the fridge in an airtight container for 3 days. For longer storage, you can freeze the cake for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Calories: 523kcal | Carbohydrates: 99g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Sodium: 404mg | Potassium: 202mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 70g | Vitamin A: 430IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 92mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional information is provided as a guide only and is calculated using automated online tools, therefore we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We encourage you to make your own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe.

Have you made this recipe?Leave a comment and a rating below and tag your creations with #eightforestlane on Instagram!

Not from Australia? Check out my US Conversion Guide

This recipe was originally published in May 2021 and has been updated in 2025 with new photos and more helpful information. The recipe remains the same.