This Banana Snack Cake is tender, fluffy, and bursting with banana flavor.  It’s made with whole grain oat flour and is gluten-free, refined sugar-free, and is perfect any time of day!

Slice of banana snack cake on a plate.

I’m always happy when I have overripe bananas so that I can bake a loaf of banana nut bread or banana oatmeal muffins. Both recipes make me excited for breakfast!

This Banana Oat Snack Cake is a great way to change things up. It’s moist, fluffy and studded with dark chocolate chips.

This is a gluten-free version of my blackberry snack cake. It’s made with whole grain oat flour, which lends a soft, fluffy texture, and rolled oats add a bit of chewiness as well. 

A full cup of mashed bananas adds so much banana flavor to the cake, plus moisture and sweetness.

Ground cinnamon and dark chocolate chips round out the recipe to create a simple banana cake your whole family will happily snack on any time of day!

You just can’t beat bananas and dark chocolate, can you? 🙂

Banana chocolate chip cake on a plate with bite removed.
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Why you’ll love this recipe

  • It’s tender, fluffy, and packed with banana flavor and dark chocolate chips.
  • This recipe is includes whole grain oat flour to make it gluten-free, and it’s dairy and refined sugar free as well.
  • It’s an easy recipe that comes together in minutes and is made in just one bowl.
  • It’s a great meal prep recipe that’s also freezer-friendly.

Recipe ingredients

All of the ingredients needed for this chocolate chip banana snack cake can be easily substituted with what you have on hand in your pantry.

  • Bananas. Use overripe bananas in this recipe for maximum sweetness and flavor. The more brown spots, the better! 
  • Eggs. Two large eggs provide structure to the snacking cake.
  • Coconut sugar. Has a mild sweetness that I love, and it’s lower in the glycemic index. Feel free to substitute it with granulated or brown sugar if you prefer.
  • Coconut oil. Coconut oil yields a moist, tender crumb and a delicious flavor. You can certainly substitute it with your favorite oil.
  • Almond milk. I use unsweetened almond milk, but it may be substituted with your favorite dairy or dairy-free milk.
  • Oat flour. Be sure to use certified gluten-free oat flour if you are gluten intolerant. Oat flour is a great whole grain alternative for gluten-free baking, lending a soft, tender crumb to this cake. See my post on how to make oat flour to use rolled oats that you already have in the pantry.
  • Rolled oats. I’ve added rolled oats for a bit of texture and chewiness. The oats may be substituted with the same amount of oat flour.  
  • Baking powder. Leavening agent that causes the cake to rise.
  • Cinnamon. Adds a nice warm flavor to this banana snack cake. Sub with my homemade chai spice mix or your favorite spices.
  • Baking soda. Another leavening agent that is also used to neutralize the acids and add tenderness to this recipe.
  • Salt. A small amount of salt is used to enhance the flavors in the snack cake.
  • Dark chocolate chips. I used dairy-free dark chocolate chips, but use your favorite! 

See the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and quantities.

How to make banana oat cake

This banana oat cake is extremely easy to make. It comes together in just minutes in one bowl!

Pro tip: Use very ripe, spotty bananas for the best banana flavor!

See the recipe card below for full instructions.

How to make banana oat cake.
  1. Mash the banana in a large bowl.
  2. Add the eggs, coconut sugar, melted coconut oil and almond milk, and whisk well to combine.
  3. Add the oat flour and rolled oats to the wet ingredients, then whisk in the baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Fold in the chocolate chips.
  4. Pour the batter into a greased 8×8-inch baking dish and bake 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.
Banana oat snack cake cut into squares.

Recipe FAQs

Can the coconut sugar be substituted?

Yes, you may replace it with an equal amount of granulated sugar or brown sugar.

How many bananas equal 1 cup of mashed banana?

Two large bananas or three medium bananas typically produce 1 cup of mashed banana.

How should the snack cake be stored?

Store leftover cake at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to one week. You may also freeze it for up to 3 months.

Recipe notes

  • Pro tip: Use very ripe, spotty bananas for the best banana flavor!
  • The oat flour yields a very soft crumb, so I’ve added rolled oats for a bit of chew. The oats may be substituted with the same amount of oat flour if desired.
  • Store chocolate chip banana cake at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months.
Banana oat cake on a plate with fork.

More banana recipes you’ll love

Did you try this recipe?  If so, be sure to leave a review below and tag me @flavorthemoments on Facebook and Instagram

Slice of banana snack cake on a plate.

Banana Snack Cake

This Banana Snack Cake is tender, fluffy, and bursting with banana flavor.  It's made with whole grain oat flour so it's gluten-free, contains no refined sugar, and is perfect any time of day!
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup mashed banana 2 large or 3 medium bananas
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup coconut sugar substitute with granulated or brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil melted
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk substitute with your favorite milk
  • 1 1/2 cups oat flour
  • 1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats see note 2
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips sub with your favorite variety

Instructions 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line an 8×8" baking dish coated well with cooking spray.
  • Mash the banana in a large bowl. Add the eggs, coconut sugar, coconut oil and almond milk, and whisk well until combined.
    1 cup mashed banana, 2 large eggs, 1/2 cup coconut sugar, 1/4 cup coconut oil, 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
  • Add the oat flour and oats to the bowl of wet ingredients, then sprinkle the baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda and salt over the top. Whisk until well incorporated, then fold in the chocolate chips.
    1 1/2 cups oat flour, 1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
  • Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 30-40 minutes until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean.
  • Cool completely on a wire rack, then slice, serve and enjoy!

Notes

  1. Pro tip: Use very ripe, spotty bananas for the best banana flavor!
  2. The oat flour yields a very soft crumb, so I’ve added rolled oats for a bit of chew. Sub the rolled oats with the same amount of oat flour if you prefer.
  3. Swap out the chocolate chips with your favorite chopped nuts if you prefer.
  4. Store leftover cake at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to one week. You may also freeze it for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice, Calories: 274kcal, Carbohydrates: 37g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 12g, Saturated Fat: 7g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Cholesterol: 42mg, Sodium: 259mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 18g

Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.

Did you try this recipe?Be sure to tag @flavorthemoments with the hashtag #flavorthemoments on Instagram so I can see what you made!

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