Moist Banana Cake (Print version)
A moist, tender banana cake bursting with sweet flavor, ideal for dessert or afternoon tea.
# Ingredient List:
→ Wet Ingredients
01 - 3 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 1/4 cups)
02 - 1/2 cup vegetable oil or melted butter
03 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
04 - 2 large eggs
05 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Dry Ingredients
06 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
07 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
08 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
09 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
10 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
→ Optional Add-ins
11 - 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
12 - 1/2 cup chocolate chips
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9-inch round or square cake pan, tapping out any excess flour.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, beat together the mashed bananas, vegetable oil, granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth and well blended.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon if using, until evenly distributed.
04 - Gradually fold the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients using a spatula, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix to keep the cake tender.
05 - Gently stir in the chopped walnuts, pecans, or chocolate chips if desired, distributing them evenly throughout the batter.
06 - Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and use a spatula to smooth the surface evenly.
07 - Bake on the center rack for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top is golden brown.
08 - Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It turns spotted bananas into something genuinely magical, and you probably have every ingredient already sitting in your kitchen.
- The crumb stays moist for days, which means it is one of those rare cakes that actually tastes better the next afternoon.
02 -
- Overmixing the batter activates the gluten in the flour and turns a tender cake into something rubbery, so treat folding like a gentle conversation rather than a workout.
- Adding a handful of raisins or coconut flakes to the batter transforms the personality of the entire cake without any extra effort.
03 -
- If your bananas are not ripe enough, pop them in a 150 degree Celsius oven for 15 minutes until the skins blacken and the insides turn syrupy sweet.
- Toothpick testing at 35 minutes rather than 40 can save you from a dry cake, since every oven has its own personality.