Chocolate Banana Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
This easy chocolate banana cake is quick to make, extremely moist, and packed with tons of banana flavor. Topped with a chocolate cream cheese frosting!
Say hello to one of the easiest, most delicious banana cakes you’ll ever meet.
Carrian and Cade from Oh, Sweet Basil just released their first cookbook, Our Sweet Basil Kitchen, and I was so thrilled to get my hands on it. I’ve always loved their blog, especially their focus on family and fresh, delicious meals. In addition to tons of amazing dinner recipes, the selection of desserts in the book is fantastic. I can’t wait to try them all, but this recipe for chocolate banana cake jumped off the page at me and I made it within days of getting the book. I made a banana snack cake with cream cheese frosting a number of years ago, and was excited to try this one with a chocolate spin.
Turns out, it’s fabulous (I know, shocking to no one)!
Easy banana cakes have to be one of life’s simplest pleasures, right? They’re so cozy and always delicious, never dry and always moist, and when you throw in chocolate and frosting? Banana cake perfection!
I served this up for dessert a few Sundays ago and everyone loved it. The most common reaction was, “wow! you can REALLY taste the banana!” My uncle was pleasantly surprised as someone who doesn’t really like cake but LOVES banana flavor – he thought it was phenomenal.
If you need an easy dessert that’s sure to please, bake up this easy chocolate banana cake, and don’t forget the chocolate cream cheese frosting – it’s divine!
Five years ago: English Muffin Bread
Six years ago: Oreo Cheesecake Cookies
Seven years ago: Irish Soda Bread Scones
Chocolate Banana Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (43 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) baking soda
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) salt
- ¼ cup (56.75 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ½ cup (110 g) light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 2 eggs, slightly beaten
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) vanilla extract
- 1 cup (225 g) mashed ripe bananas (about 2 small bananas)
For the Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
- 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar
- ¼ cup (56.75 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 ounces (56.7 g) cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
- Pinch salt
Instructions
- Make the Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9x9-inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking salt and salt.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the butter, both sugars, eggs and vanilla on medium speed until smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low, add one-third of the flour mixture and mix briefly. Add half of the mashed banana and mix again. Add half of the remaining flour mixture and mix briefly, then add the rest of the mashed banana, and the remaining flour mixture. Use a rubber spatula to finish mixing. Do not overmix with the mixer!
- Spread the batter in an even layer and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted 1 inch from the edge of the pan comes out clean. Place the cake on a wire rack to cool to slightly warm or room temperature.
- Make the Frosting: Using an electric mixer, beat the powdered sugar, butter, cream cheese, heavy cream, cocoa powder, and salt on low speed until combined, then increase the speed to medium high and beat until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes, stopping to scrape the bowl once or twice.
- Spread the frosting over the cake and serve. The cake can be stored, covered with plastic wrap, at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
Could you make these in to cupcakes?
This is now my go-to chocolate cake. The bananas make it so moist, and the frosting…. OH MY GOODNESS! Â Can you say perfection? Â Yes, you can!
It was a happy day when I came across this recipe. Â And now I will go and check out Our Sweet Basil Kitchen.Â
Thank you!Â
Is there anything I can do (substitute) since I don’t have heavy cream? I’m so bummed – I was so excited going down the ingredient list, I had everything! Until I got to heavy cream. Sadness ensued. 😉 Any help would be appreciated, thank you!
Hi Ila, It’s just used to thin out the frosting a bit, so if you have half and half or milk, that would work too.
Think I have the bananas and this sound easy to make.. Will give it a try.
This is the first time I am seeing these 2 ingredients mixed together in a cake. I really should try this out to know how it tastes.
https://hacksnap.co
Another amazing recipe…my daughter loves this in her school lunch box. Thank you :)
This is an amazing recipe. Can’t wait to try it. Can I use Dutch processed cocoa here?Â
Hi Shweta, Because baking soda is used, regular unsweetened cocoa powder will work best.
I love having something to do with my over-ripe bananas (aside from my normal banana bread). This cake was moist and delicious. The kids and adults all loved it!
I made these yesterday! Beautiful and delicious! This is a perfect chocolate banana cake for me ????
http://run2.online
Yum! I haven’t had the chocolate banana combo in a while and this looks wonderful! I remember freezing bananas on a stick then dipping them in melted chocolate and sometimes adding sprinkles to give my kids a summertime treat. It is such a great mix of two of my favorite flavors :) Thanks for sharing
I made the Chocolate Banana Cake with Chocolate Cream Cheese frosting. So good! easy, quick, and a great idea when you have a couple of bananas that need to be used up. Very tasty and delicious.
I received your email this morning while lying in bed. Â I saw it was chocolate banana cake and knew I had all the ingredients on hand. First thing I did after breakfast was make it. Â Easy to make and very good. I shared with my neighbors. Thanks for another great recipe. I am making your crockpot mac and cheese this weekend.Â
Oh my goodness this looks amazing!!!
Whoa! Â This sounds delicious! Â I adore banana cakes and anything with chocolate is right up my alley :).Â
This looks absolutely delicious!
Think I have the bananas and this sound easy to make.. Will give it a try.
Banana flavored anything is ALWAYS a go to for me.  And this is chocolate banana!  YUM!  Thank you for an alternative to banana bread (which I love) for over ripe bananas.  It’s nice to have options.  Do you have a copy of  the Three Rivers Renaissance Cookbook IV?  There is an incredibly delicious recipe for chocolate banana muffins in it.  They are full of flavor and so moist.  Thanks for posting a quick option for those bananas  . . .  and I like that it just makes a 9×9 pan which is perfect . . . .  just enough to enjoy yet not have a temptation to thwart weight watching goals sitting on my counter beckoning me to indulge until it’s all gone.
Hi Michelle, Oh I don’t have that book, I’ll have to check it out! It sounds fabulous and I’m pretty sure I NEED those muffins!
This looks delicious! And I love how I already have all of the ingredients at home. I made your Banana Snack cake awhile back and took it to work and it got rave reviews. I’m sure this one will too! Can’t wait to taste that frosting!
Hi Cathy, I’m so happy my banana snack cake was a hit! I think you’ll like this cake, too!