Banana-Chocolate Chip Snack Cake
This banana snack cake is fluffy and moist, loaded with chocolate chips, and topped with a simple cream cheese frosting. It’s easy to make, which makes it perfect for last-minute company or an after-school snack!
Let’s talk banana cake. More specifically, banana snack cake.
Is it just me, or does referring to something as a snack cake make it so much more forgiving to have a piece in the middle of the afternoon, or even for breakfast? As in, it’s not just dessert, to be eaten after dinner, right? This is an all-occasion, any time of day cake, and I absolutely love it. Plus, there are chocolate chips, so double win. Oh, did I mention cream cheese frosting? Triple win.
If you have a few ripe bananas sitting on your counter, I’m pretty sure that your day needs this banana-chocolate chip snack cake.
Four years ago, I also made a banana snack cake that I totally loved. I still do love it, but these are two very different snack cakes, and I think I love this one just a smidge more.
The old one was quite dense, much like my grandma’s banana bread recipe, so it was kind of like eating banana bread, but as a sheet cake. Which isn’t bad, but this one is so much more cake-like; it’s tall and fluffy while still being super moist thanks to the bananas. And I don’t need to tell you that the addition of chocolate chips puts it over the edge for me.
The recipe calls the cream cheese frosting “optional”, but I mean, do you know me? Frosting is NEVER optional! It’s a very small amount of frosting compared to the height of the cake, so it’s not like you’re drowning the cake in it – go ahead and slather it on and don’t look back.
This banana-chocolate chip snack cake shot right on up to the top five of go-to easy recipes that can be made quickly should you need a fabulous dessert on short notice.
I’d like to play around with it to see how it would hold up as a layer cake; my mom made a banana layer cake one weekend when I came home from college with a friend, and I’ve thought about it ever since, but I’ve asked her and I don’t think she still has the recipe. I’ve yet to find a banana layer cake recipe that was as good! I’ll need to experiment!
In the meantime, GO MAKE THIS CAKE!
One year ago: Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Two years ago: Coconut Bundt Cake with White Chocolate-Coconut Glaze
Five years ago: Homemade Butterscotch Sauce
Six years ago: S’mores Cupcakes
Banana-Chocolate Chip Snack Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon (0.75 teaspoon) salt
- ½ cup (113.5 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1½ cups (300 g) granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 to 3 medium bananas)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup (122 ml) whole milk
- 1 cup (180 g) semisweet chocolate chips
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 ounces (113.4 g) cream cheese, cut into 4 pieces, at room temperature
- ¼ cup (56.75 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup (120 g) powdered sugar
- ¾ teaspoon (0.75 teaspoon) vanilla extract
Instructions
- Make the Cake: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
- Beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until combined. Add the bananas and vanilla extract and beat until incorporated.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk in two additions, scraping down the bowl as needed. Using a rubber spatula, stir in the chocolate chips.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top into an even layer. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking. Allow the cake to cool completely.
- Make the Frosting: Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter and cream cheese on medium speed until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the powdered sugar; beat until thoroughly combined, then add the vanilla extract, increase the mixer speed to medium and beat until completely smooth, an additional 1 to 2 minutes.
- Spread the frosting evenly over the top of the cake and serve. The cake can be stored, covered, at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 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!
This is fantastic! I figured it would be good, but this is absolutely delicious! The cream cheese frosting is perfect with this cake. Great for brunch.
This is the absolute best banana cake recipe I have ever made! I have been trying to find a good recipe for a long time, because I always seem to have a stash of ripe bananas in the freezer. The cake is light and fluffy with just the right amount of bitterness from the chocolate (I used 70% dark chocolate pieces), and the cream cheese frosting is light and not too sweet. Absolutely perfect and I know I’ll be making this over and over. Thank you!
Can I double this and make as 2-9” rounds?
Yes, that would work!
Best banana snack cake! Dense and moist loaded with banana flavor. So rich I did not bother to make the frosting – family agreed it was perfect on its own. This will replace all other banana bread recipes – thank you!
I generally do not like banana cake but I really want to see how the Banana-Chocolate combination is like. Perhaps I might like it. Thanks for the recipe.
fortnite-hack.co
Scored a bunch of reduced priced bananas at the grocery store and decided to try this recipe. It was delicious. My husband said make sure you don’t lose this recipe. I did not use the icing because the term snacking cake reminded me of the mixed I used to buy and they never came with icing. My only concern is that I had to bake it about 10 minutes longer than the recipe called for so I started to over cook at the edges but now worries it was not dry it was still moist and delicious. Will definitely make this again and again and again……….
I made this to have New Years Day. Followed recipe exactly and it was delicious! Loved the chocolate chips in the cake, and I sprinkled some extra on top. Nice banana flavor. Cream cheese frosting was so good. It was enough to cover top of cake with a bit left to spread around the sides. Will definitely make again.
Really nice banana chocolate cake. You have really done a nice job. As you have shared the best things for me. Even this recipes can be made in busy time also. It’s really special for me. thanks for sharing it here on this site.
This cake is outstanding. It’s quick and easy to make and it’s light, fluffy, moist and delicious. The finished product looks exactly as it does in your photos. Another winner!
I made this cake. I liked the flavour, especially with the cream cheese icing. But, I found this cake to be much to heavy and dense. I ate about half and finally threw the rest of it out.
Would you recommend this as a morning snack !
I made this delicious cake & frosting exactly as written; however, I used an 8″ metal pan (not glass). When I tested the middle of the cake, the toothpick came out clean, so I thought it was done. Once it cooled, it sunk in the middle, so I became suspicious it was not completely cooked. The edges were perfect, but the middle was a loss. Can anyone tell me why?
I will most definitely make this cake & frosting again, it’s a yummy recipe!!
I have a few bananas on the counter that were about to go into your peanut butter chocolate chip banana bread today, then I saw this recipe! I love the peanut butter flavor in the bread; how would you recommend tying it in with the snack cake? Do you think it would be better to try to incorporate it into the cake or into the frosting?
Hi Chrissy, Ahhhhh I LOVE that bread! If you wanted to add a peanut butter spin to this snack cake, I think I’d do it in the frosting. I’m not sure how adding peanut butter would affect the cake, but you could swap out some of the butter for peanut butter if you want to experiment!
Thank you! I figured it might make mess with the texture of the cake.
By the way, the peanut butter chocolate chip banana bread turns out fabulously in a bundt pan!
I love the snack cake idea, but bananas are pretty much verbotten in our house. Substitution ideas? Applesauce? Pumpkin?
Hi Diana, I’ve never tried either substitution but they might work. If you give it a try, let us know how it turns out!
I’m wondering if the cream cheese frosting is too rich? What about chocolate frosting? Thank you.
Hi Caren, I don’t think so at all. I think the chocolate would be richer than cream cheese; the cream cheese is a little tangy, which complements the sweetness of the cake.
Can I double this recipe and put it into a 9x 13 cake pan?
Hi Debbie, Yes, I think that would work just fine! You may need to increase the baking time slightly, but otherwise wouldn’t need to change a thing.
Looks yummy. Your mention of a banana layer cake made me remember one I made almost 30 years ago as a teen for my dad’s birthday. I think I got it from my trusty ol’ Betty Crocker recipe book. I also remembered one I had pinned on Pinterest that looks stunning. I may have even seen it first on your site when you share recipes from other blogs? Anyway, thought I’d share, and I now look forward to seeing a banana layer cake one day on your blog! http://www.countrycleaver.com/2017/05/banana-cake-cinnamon-brown-sugar-buttercream.html
Thanks so much, Maria! I wonder if my mom got hers from that cookbook, as well?!
This just might be my weekend baking endeavor . . . the bananas on my counter should be just about right for this come Saturday. I adore anything banana flavored! But for today, I’m on your slow cooker ribs. It’s what’ for supper tonight, and I can not wait for that to happen. So excited to be trying them.
I hope you enjoy both! Those ribs are a favorite in our house – I make them quite often!