Healthy Banana Cake with Chocolate Frosting

THE BIG BLOG NEWS

In December of 2013, my family and I hustled through the hospital doors to visit my grandparents at Christmas. My grandma had entered the ER in the beginning of October, and various post-surgery complications prevented her from healing and going home sooner. Between the nurses’ rounds and doctor’s appointments, I cheered Grandma through her PT sessions, listened to “Law and Order” with Grandpa during another one of her operations, and played Tour Guide in the backseat when we checked her out of the hospital to look at Christmas lights.  

On the plane flight home a few days later, squashed in between my mom and brother, I reflected on the weighty subjects of life and love. After 55+ years of marriage, my grandparents still rose each day with the same passion for each other and their various hobbies, and I contemplated how I wanted to replicate that in my own life.

As I meditated, a tiny seed transplanted itself from my heart into my head. I sensed that blogging was the right path, but as the idea continued to blossom, I realized my name no longer fit.
 

 
I first started blogging as Foods for the Soul in October of 2010. Before writing my very first post, my younger brother had to patiently explain the difference between a blog and a website, as well as walk me — a completely computer-challenged person — through the process of setting one up. I initially treated it as a hobby and a way to stretch myself outside of my comfort zone. I started creating new dishes instead of sticking to my weekly pasta and sandwich routine, snapping pictures in my tiny apartment kitchen and posting my humble recipes afterward.

As motivation to continue blogging, I challenged myself to cook my way through the alphabet. Each week, I cooked a new dish that began with the next letter, and after 26 weeks when I finally reached “Z,” I was hooked. I kept going.
 

 
About two years later, in the beginning of the spring, I put cooking on the back burner and started focusing almost exclusively on baking. I dreamed of cocoa powder and chocolate chips at night, I pondered the flavor profiles of various cookies and cupcakes while running errands, and I brainstormed potential brownie and bar recipes during dinner.

So I decided to change my blog’s name to reflect that. Instead of Foods for the Soul…

It’ll be called Amy’s Healthy Baking.

Amy = me.
Healthy = my lifestyle.
Baking = my passion.

The name already feels like it fits better. But I promise that nothing else about my blog is changing! It’s still me developing, photographing, and writing the recipes and blog posts you so sweetly read.
 

SOCIAL MEDIA

No matter where you’re following me — email, Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram — you still are, even after my blog’s name change. You don’t have to do anything to continue receiving updates! Just to be thorough, here are those links…

Email: Amy’s Healthy Baking Newsletter
Facebook: Amy’s Healthy Baking
Pinterest: @AmyBakesHealthy
Instagram: @amyshealthybaking

If you’d like to start following me — or just want to make sure you still are! — simply click those links above.
 

 
I wanted to celebrate my blog’s new name, and since no celebration is complete without cake, I baked something special… This healthy banana cake with chocolate frosting!

Bright fruit flavor fills every bite of this moist banana cake, accompanied by a decadent dark chocolate frosting and hints of sweet peanut butter. In true “healthy baking” fashion, this delicious cake is made with entirely wholesome ingredients — and it’s also easy to whip up any day of the week!
 

KEY INGREDIENTS TO MAKE A HEALTHY BANANA CAKE

Let’s go over the ingredients you’ll need to make this healthy banana cake! I’m assuming you have typical baking staples like baking powder, salt, and vanilla… So we’ll mainly cover the more interesting and important ones.

Flour. I used whole wheat flour to bake this cake. Although 100% whole wheat baked goods can sometimes garner a bad reputation for turning out dense and dry, this cake is the exact opposite. It’s really moist and soft — and we’ll cover why that is soon!

Tip: If you’d like to make this banana cake gluten-free, then check the Notes section of the recipe. I’ve included my top recommendations there!

Oil. There’s just 1 tablespoon of coconut oil in this entire cake! It’s only there for texture. With all of the other prominent flavors, you can’t actually taste the coconut!

Tip: If you don’t have any, feel free to substitute any other neutral-tasting oil or melted unsalted butter instead.

Bananas. The bananas are the star of this cake! They play three key roles: flavor (obvious, I’m sure!), natural sweetness, and texture.

For the best results, use the spottiest, brownest, ripest bananas on your counter. They should be mostly brown (if not purely black!) with very little yellow. These ripe — or borderline overripe! — bananas have a much stronger and sweeter flavor compared to mostly yellow ones. They also yield a moister, softer, and more tender texture.

Yes, I know it’s hard to wait patiently for your bananas to turn that ripe… But I promise it makes a big difference in the taste and texture of your healthy banana cake!

Greek yogurt. Along with the mashed bananas, this is the other ingredient that makes your cake super moist! Greek yogurt is the secret ingredient in many of my healthy baking recipes because it adds lots of moisture without the extra calories from more butter and oil. It boosts the protein content of baked goods too!

Honey. To amplify the bananas’ natural sweetness, I mixed in a touch of honey. I only added a small amount though! Because you’re using a substantial amount of ripe mashed bananas, the cake batter required very little extra sweetener.
 

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST BANANA CAKE

Let’s quickly talk about how to make the best moist banana cake! As I mentioned earlier, this recipe is very simple and straightforward.

Measure correctly. This is really important! For the flour (and cocoa powder, when you start on the frosting!), use this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own!) Too much flour will make your cake dry, dense, and bland. Too much cocoa powder will make the frosting dry, stiff, and bitter. But if you take a few moments to measure correctly… You’ll have a beautifully moist, tender, and flavorful cake — and a rich and decadent chocolate frosting to spread on top of it!

For the bananas, measure by cups or grams — NOT by the number of bananas! This is the biggest mistake I see people make when baking banana-flavored treats (cakes, breads, muffins, etc). Why?

Not all “medium” bananas are the exact same size!

If you go solely based on the number of bananas, you may end up adding too much mashed banana, making the batter too wet, and causing your cake to collapse if your bananas are on the larger side… Or not adding enough, yielding batter that’s too dry, and resulting in a bland and dry cake if they’re a bit smaller.

So please — pretty, pretty please with a cherry (or banana!) on top — promise me that you’ll measure them correctly!

Use the correct pan. You’ll bake this cake in a 9”-square pan. I wanted the slices to be nice and wide!

If you prefer taller and thicker slices, you can try using an 8”-square pan instead. The bake time may differ by a tad, so use the toothpick test to check. (Look for very few or no crumbs attached!)

Tip: When you measure your square baking dish, measure across the top edge — not the bottom! Some square pans have sloped sides, so their top rim is larger than the bottom. The correct measurement is across the top, so if your pan is 9” across the top but closer to 8” around the bottom, it’s actually a 9”-square pan. (And that’s what you need to make this banana cake!)

Bake. After spreading the batter into your square baking dish (an offset spatula is really handy for this!), pop that in the oven. It doesn’t take very long to bake, so set a timer — and don’t stray too far from the kitchen! With the way this banana cake smells while baking, that wasn’t exactly a problem for me… I nearly planted myself criss-cross-applesauce right in front of the oven door while impatiently waiting for it to finish!

Cool completely. Yes, completely. 100%. All the way to room temperature… Before frosting AND serving. A cake’s structure doesn’t finish setting until it’s entirely cool. If you try to slice into it while it’s still warm, you’ll affect its texture, causing it to collapse some and turn out denser… And if you try to frost it while it’s still warm, its heat often melts the frosting and makes it run down the sides!
 

HOW TO MAKE CHOCOLATE FROSTING

While your cake cools, it’s time to talk about frosting! Surprisingly enough, I usually avoid frosting. Generally too sweet for my tastes, I scrape it off store-bought cakes and cupcakes (or choose cookies or brownies instead)… Unless it’s dark chocolate and super fudgy, almost like ganache.

So I intentionally designed this chocolate frosting recipe to be just like that! I also love this recipe because it’s super simple to make. You only need a bowl and a fork — no mixer required!

Assemble your ingredients. You just need four of them: unsweetened cocoa powder, pure maple syrup, vanilla, and milk.

That’s right… No butter or powdered sugar in this chocolate frosting — yet it’s still luxuriously creamy and smooth!

Stir. Once you’ve measured those ingredients and added them to a bowl, stir them together. I recommend using a fork to do this! The empty space between a fork’s tines allows the ingredients to pass through and mix more efficiently, so it takes less time and yields a beautifully creamy frosting!

Spread + swirl. After your banana cake has fully cooled, it’s time to frost it! I love using offset spatulas, but a regular butter knife works too.

One quick note… With its really rich and decadent taste, a little of this chocolate frosting goes a long way, so the recipe only yields enough for a thin layer. I didn’t want its rich dark chocolate taste to overpower the cake’s fruity banana flavor!

Although the peanut butter swirl looks sophisticated, it’s so simple! I introduced the technique with these fudgy peanut butter brownies, and I thought it turned out even cuter on this cake.

Just warm the peanut butter in the microwave until it’s easy to spread, and spoon it into a zip-topped baggie. Snip off the corner and pipe horizontal lines across the fudgy frosting, between ¼” to ½” apart. They don’t have to be perfectly straight; almost all of mine are slanted because I was so excited about my big blog news! Drag a toothpick in vertical lines, alternating the direction (up to down, then down to up), to create the elegant “V” shapes. That’s all there is to it!
 

FAQS ABOUT THIS HEALTHY BANANA CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE FROSTING

Is this healthy banana cake moist, gluten free, clean eating, low fat, or low calorie?
Yes — to all of the above! This banana cake is really moist and tender, and it’s also naturally clean eating, low fat, and low calorie (compared to more “traditional” cake recipes!). I’ve included my top gluten-free recommendations in the Notes section of the recipe for you as well!

Can I substitute a different flour?
You sure can! White whole wheat flour, whole wheat pastry flour, and all-purpose flour will all work equally well.

What about a different sweetener?
Yes again! You can easily replace the honey with pure maple syrup or agave. I don’t recommend sugar-free maple syrup though. It’s water-based, and that will make your cake collapse while cooling and turn out overly dense. For even more sweetener options, see the Notes section of the recipe!

Can I use a different milk too?
Yup! Just about any milk will work.

What if I want to make this banana cake sweeter? Is there a way to do that?
Absolutely! Just replace some (or all!) of the milk with an equal amount of honey (or your sweetener of choice).

What’s the best cocoa powder for chocolate frosting?
Regular unsweetened cocoa powder, which is also called “natural unsweetened cocoa powder” and “unsweetened cocoa powder.” I don’t recommend using Dutched or special dark cocoa powder. They have a different acidity level, and they also taste more muted and bland in this particular frosting recipe.

My chocolate frosting is too thick and hard to spread. Why is that?
The #1 culprit is too much cocoa powder! Did you remember to measure it correctly?? (Don’t scoop it from the container — see the “Measure correctly” header under the “How to Make the Best Banana Cake” section above for more info!) It’s easy to fix that though! Just stir in more milk or liquid sweetener, about ½ teaspoon at a time, until it’s smooth enough to spread.

What’s the best way to store this banana cake? And how long does it last?
Store this banana cake in the refrigerator, either inside of an airtight container, covered with foil, or covered with plastic wrap. It should keep for at least two or three days — if not longer!

Can I make this banana cake as a smash cake for my baby’s first birthday?
I haven’t personally tried, but other readers have done that and said it turned out beautifully. Some of them substituted pure maple syrup for the honey, just to be safe, but their little ones thoroughly enjoyed the cake — and the adults did too!
 

 
So from the bottom of my heart… Thank you. I wouldn’t be here, blogging and baking and doing what I love, without you. Whether you read through the entire post, just try the recipe, or simply skim through the photos, I truly appreciate you and your support. ♡

And if you make this recipe, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! 🙂 ) I’d love to see your healthy banana cake with chocolate frosting!

Healthy Banana Cake with Chocolate Frosting

© Amy's Healthy Baking

Yields: 1 cake, 9 squares

This moist banana cake is full of naturally sweet fruit flavor and finished with a decadent ganache-like dark chocolate frosting and peanut butter swirl. It’s a symphony of perfect flavor pairings! Leftover cake will keep for at least two or three days (if not longer!) if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

5 from 2 votes

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Ingredients 

FOR THE CAKE

• 1 ½ cup (180g) whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tbsp (14g) coconut oil (melted and cooled slightly)
• 1 large egg (room temperature)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• ¾ cup (200g) mashed banana (about 2 medium – and see Notes!)
• 3 tbsp (45mL) honey
• 2 tbsp (30g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
• ¼ cup (60mL) nonfat milk

FOR THE FROSTING

• ½ cup (40g) unsweetened cocoa powder (measured like this)
• ¼ cup (60mL) pure maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp (15mL) nonfat milk
• 1 tbsp (16g) homemade creamy peanut butter

Instructions

• To prepare the cake, preheat the oven to 350° and lightly coat a 9”-square baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the coconut oil, egg, and vanilla. Stir in the mashed banana, honey, and yogurt until smooth and no clumps remain. Alternate between adding the flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with the flour. (For the best results, add the flour mixture in 3 equal parts.)
• Spread the batter into the prepared pan, and bake at 350°F for 22-25 minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
• To prepare the frosting, combine the cocoa powder, maple syrup, vanilla, and milk in a small bowl, stirring until smooth. Spread on top of the cooled cake. Pipe the peanut butter onto the frosting in lines (as described in the blog post above), and draw lines in the opposite direction using a toothpick to create the “V” effect.

Notes

 IMPORTANT MEASURING NOTES – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: It's extremely important to measure the flour and cocoa powder with this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own and love!) Too much flour will make your cake dry and bland. Too much cocoa powder will make your frosting bitter and stiff.

 

IMPORTANT BANANA NOTES – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: For best results, use the ripest, darkest, most spottiest bananas you have! The ones that are purely brown are ideal. They have a stronger and sweeter banana flavor than pure yellow bananas, and they'll yield a moister and softer texture as well.

 

Measure the bananas by cups or grams, not by “two medium bananas.” Not all “medium” bananas are the same size!

 

FOR A SWEETER CAKE: This cake isn't overly sweet — and that's intentional! If you prefer a sweeter cake, then substitute additional honey for an equal amount of milk. (For example, use an additional 2 tablespoons {30mL} of honey, and decrease the milk to 2 tablespoons {30mL} instead.) Alternatively, replace the milk with honey.

 

FOR A THICKER CAKE: If you prefer taller and thicker slices, you can try using an 8”-square pan instead. The bake time may be a bit longer, so use the toothpick test to check. (Look for very few crumbs attached — or none at all!)

 

FLOUR ALTERNATIVES: White whole wheat flour, whole wheat pastry flour, or all-purpose flour may be substituted for the whole wheat flour.

 

COCONUT OIL ALTERNATIVES: Any neutral-tasting oil may be substituted for the coconut oil. Alternatively, substitute melted unsalted butter or melted stick-style vegan butter (I like this one and this one).

 

HONEY ALTERNATIVES: Pure maple syrup or agave may be substituted for the honey. Alternatively, substitute 3 tablespoons (36g) coconut sugar + 1 ½ tablespoons (22mL) milk.

 

MILK ALTERNATIVES: Any milk may be substituted for the nonfat milk.

 

COCOA POWDER NOTES: I do not recommend substituting Dutched or special dark cocoa powder for the regular unsweetened cocoa powder. Both Dutched and special dark cocoa powder have a different acidity level. They also taste more bland and muted in this recipe compared to the rich chocolate flavor of regular unsweetened cocoa powder.

 

If your cocoa powder is very bumpy and/or clumpy, then sift it into the mixing bowl.

 

MAPLE SYRUP ALTERNATIVES: Honey or agave may be substituted for the pure maple syrup.

 

PEANUT BUTTER ALTERNATIVE: Store-bought creamy peanut butter may be substituted for the homemade.

 

GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: For the gluten-free flour, use as follows: 1 cup (120g) millet flour, ¼ cup (30g) tapioca flour, ¼ cup (30g) brown rice flour, and 1 teaspoon xanthan gum. Many store-bought gluten-free flour blends (I love this one from Bob's Red Mill) will also work, if measured like this.

 

DAIRY-FREE OPTION: Use the coconut oil option (or any other neutral tasting oil), or substitute stick-style vegan butter (I like this one and this one). Substitute your favorite non-dairy milk in place of the nonfat milk. Substitute non-dairy yogurt (ie soy-based or almond-based) in place of the Greek yogurt.

 

HOW TO STORE: Store the unfrosted cake in the refrigerator tightly wrapped in plastic wrap (this is my favorite because it clings much more tightly than other brands!) or sealed inside of an airtight container. It should keep for at least four or five days, if not longer.

 

Store any leftover frosted cake in the refrigerator sealed inside of an airtight container or inside of a cake carrying case (my cases aren't sold in stores anymore, but this one and this one are similar to the ones I own!). It should keep for at least two or three days, if not longer.

 

{gluten-free, dairy-free option, clean eating, low fat}

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?I'd love to hear what you think of it in a comment below! If you take a picture, tag @amys.healthy.baking on Instagram or use the hashtag #amyshealthybaking.

View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
 
 
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡  Healthy Banana Pound Cake
♡  Healthy Banana Oatmeal Snack Cake
♡  Healthy Carrot Cake
♡  Healthy Pumpkin Cake
♡  Healthy Banana Cupcakes
♡  Healthy Banana Oatmeal Cookies
♡  Healthy Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
♡  …and the rest of Amy’s healthy banana recipes and healthy cake recipes!