Gluten-Free Banana Cake
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This Gluten-Free Banana Cake is soft, moist, and packed with cozy banana flavor! It's sweetened with brown sugar and maple syrup, warmed up with a little cinnamon, and topped with a fluffy maple cream cheese frosting and a gorgeous caramel swirl. It's the best way to use up those spotty bananas on your counter!
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Banana bread's fancier cousin
If you love my gluten free chocolate chip banana bread, you're going to adore this cake! The batter comes together in two bowls with a whisk (no mixer needed for the cake), bakes in one square pan, and stays so tender thanks to the oil and maple syrup. Then it gets a thick layer of maple cream cheese frosting with ribbons of caramel. Nobody will ever guess it's gluten-free!
Here's why you'll love it:
- Great use for ripe bananas: about 3 medium bananas give it tons of flavor and moisture.
- Super moist and tender thanks to oil, maple syrup, and brown sugar.
- Easy, whisk-together batter, no mixer needed for the cake itself.
- Maple cream cheese frosting with a caramel swirl that looks bakery-worthy with zero effort.
- Perfect for sharing: one 9x9 pan cuts into 9 generous squares for brunch, dessert, or snack time.
what you need
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Very ripe bananas: the spottier, the better! Ripe bananas are sweeter, mash easily, and give the cake the most banana flavor. You'll need about 3 medium bananas for 1 ¼ cups mashed.
- Gluten-free all-purpose flour: I used King Arthur gluten-free all-purpose flour. Spoon and level it so the cake doesn't turn out dense. Other 1-to-1 blends with xanthan gum should work too.
- Avocado oil: keeps the cake super moist. Canola or vegetable oil work just as well.
- Brown sugar and maple syrup: this combo gives the cake a cozy, caramel-y sweetness. Use pure maple syrup, not pancake syrup.
- Milk: whole or 2% milk both work. For dairy-free cake, full-fat oat milk is a great swap.
- Cream cheese and butter: use the full-fat block cream cheese and let both soften so the frosting whips up smooth and fluffy.
- Caramel syrup: totally optional, but so pretty! Use your favorite store-bought caramel sauce or the caramel syrup from my apple pudding cake.
How to Make Gluten-Free Banana Cake
Whisk the wet ingredients, whisk the dry ingredients, bake, and frost. Here's how it comes together:
Whisk the wet and dry ingredients
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 9x9-inch pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang. In a large bowl, whisk the mashed banana, oil, brown sugar, maple syrup, milk, eggs, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk the gluten-free flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
💡 Room temperature eggs blend into the batter much more smoothly, so set them out 30 minutes ahead.
Make the batter
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk just until a smooth batter forms. Don't worry about overmixing too much here, gluten-free batter is pretty forgiving!
Bake and cool
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake on the center rack for 35 to 40 minutes, until the cake reaches 200 to 210°F inside. Let it cool in the pan for 20 minutes, then use the parchment overhang to lift it onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
💡 An instant-read thermometer is the easiest way to know a gluten-free cake is done. A toothpick should also come out clean.
Make the maple cream cheese frosting
Beat the softened butter and cream cheese for 1 to 2 minutes until fluffy, scraping down the bowl halfway through. Mix in the maple syrup and vanilla for 1 minute, then add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time on low speed.
Frost and swirl
Spread the frosting over the completely cooled cake. If you like, drizzle caramel syrup on top and drag a knife through it to make swirls.
💡 Make sure the cake is completely cool before frosting, or the frosting will melt and the caramel will run.
Slice and enjoy
Cut the cake into 9 squares and enjoy! For the cleanest slices, chill the frosted cake for about 20 minutes and wipe your knife between cuts.
How Long Does Banana Cake Last?
- Storage: Because of the cream cheese frosting, store the cake covered or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Let slices sit out for 15 to 20 minutes before serving for the softest texture.
- Freezing: wrap individual slices well and freeze for up to 2 months, then thaw overnight in the fridge. You can also freeze the unfrosted cake and frost it after thawing.
my tips
Tips & Variations
- Use really ripe bananas. Brown, spotty bananas make the sweetest, most flavorful cake.
- Spoon and level your flour. Scooping straight from the bag packs in too much flour and makes the cake dense.
- Cool completely before frosting. Cream cheese frosting melts fast on a warm cake.
- Add mix-ins. Fold in ½ cup chocolate chips or chopped walnuts or pecans.
- Top with fresh banana slices right before serving for an extra-pretty finish.
- Make it dairy-free with full-fat oat milk in the cake and your favorite dairy-free butter and cream cheese in the frosting.
Frequently Asked Questions
I used King Arthur gluten-free all-purpose flour. Any 1-to-1 gluten-free blend that contains xanthan gum should work. Just spoon and level it so you don't add too much.
This recipe is made for a 9x9-inch pan. An 8x8-inch pan will give you a thicker cake that needs a few extra minutes in the oven, so start checking at 40 minutes and use a thermometer (200 to 210°F).
The center should be set, a toothpick should come out clean, and the inside should read 200 to 210°F on an instant-read thermometer.
Yes! Bake the cake a day ahead, let it cool, then cover it tightly. Frost it the day you serve it, or frost it and keep it in the fridge.
Nope! The caramel is totally optional. The cake is delicious with just the maple cream cheese frosting, or with a few fresh banana slices on top.
Yes. Wrap slices well and freeze for up to 2 months, then thaw overnight in the fridge. The unfrosted cake freezes even better.
More gluten-free cakes you'll love
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Gluten Free Banana Cake
Ingredients
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line an 9”x9” square baking pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang for easy removal. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the 1 ¼ cups very ripe mashed banana, ⅓ cup avocado oil, ½ cup light brown sugar, ⅓ cup pure maple syrup, ⅔ cup milk, 2 large eggs and 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the 2 cups gluten free all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon cinnamon and ⅛ teaspoon Kosher salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the liquid ingredients and whisk until a batter forms.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan. Bake in the center rack of the oven for 35-40 minutes or until internal temperature is 200-210°F.
- Let cool for 20 minutes in the pan before using the parchment paper overhang to transfer the cake onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
- In a bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a bowl with a handheld electric mixer, beat together the ¼ cup unsalted butter and 4 ounces cream cheese until fluffy, about 1-2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl halfway through to ensure everything is well incorporated.
- Add the 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract and mix for 1 minute.
- With the mixer on low speed, add the 2 cups powdered sugar 1 cup at a time.
- Spread the frosting over the cooled banana cake. If desired, drizzle on caramel syrup and use a knife to create swirls.
- Cut into squares and enjoy!
Did you make this?
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📸 Photography by Jane Campbell for It's Raining Flour
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