Banana Chocolate Chip Cake

I’m a banana fan through and through. I always have a banana every morning, and any banana baked goods and banana desserts are always my preferred sweets. This banana chocolate chip cake recipe is one of my new favorites.

The easy banana cake features notes of brown sugar, a touch of cinnamon and plenty of flavor from mashed ripe bananas. It’s super moist and fluffy, and chocolate chips dot every bite. Make this cake for any occasion–enjoy it as-is as a breakfast pastry or an afternoon snack cake, or add frosting to decorate it for a celebration that calls for a scrumptious sliced treat.

Ingredients for Banana Chocolate Chip Cake

• Butter: Soften your butter to room temperature before baking for the easiest incorporation.
• Brown sugar and granulated sugar: Use brown sugar for a depth of flavor and granulated sugar for more sweetness. Both are creamed with the butter until light and fluffy.
• Eggs: Add three room-temperature eggs to the batter for rich texture and flavor and to help the cake rise while baking.
• Vanilla extract: Enhance the overall flavor of the cake with a splash of your favorite vanilla extract.
• Bananas: Choose very ripe bananas for this banana recipe. Ripe bananas will provide the best flavor and lend themselves for a moist cake. If you don’t have any spotted or brown bananas on hand, you can ripen bananas quickly and easily by popping them in the oven at 250°F for 15 minutes.
• All-purpose flour: All-purpose flour is used to create structure in a wide variety of baking recipes, including this one.
• Baking powder: Test your baking powder to make sure it’s still fresh. Baking powder will help the cake rise and give it a fluffy texture.
• Cinnamon and salt: A small amount of each helps amp up the flavor of this cake.
• Milk: Use either 2% or whole milk to add extra moisture to the cake batter.
• Mini chocolate chips: Semisweet mini chocolate chips help add little bites of chocolate throughout the cake.

Directions

Step 1: Cream the butter and sugars

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 13×9-inch baking dish.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, two to three minutes. Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract until incorporated. Mix in the mashed bananas.

Step 2: Add the dry ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Mix the flour mixture into the creamed mixture alternately with the milk in three portions until the batter is smooth.

Stir in 2/3 cup mini chocolate chips.

Editor’s Tip: Don’t want chocolate chips on top of the cake? Feel free to stir the full cup into the batter.

Step 3: Bake the cake

Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan. Sprinkle with the remaining mini chocolate chips. Bake the cake until the tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 34 to 38 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

Banana Chocolate Chip Cake Variations

• Use other chips: I love to use mini chocolate chips for this cake, but you can certainly use any preferred chocolate chips. Use regular-sized semisweet chocolate chips, or try it with dark chocolate chips for bolder flavor.
• Add nuts: Chopped pecans or walnuts would be a wonderful addition to this cake. Stir 1 cup of nuts into the cake batter before baking for extra flavor and a touch of crunch.
• Top with a frosting: This cake doesn’t necessarily need a frosting on top, but there are plenty of flavors that would pair well with it. Try it with chocolate frosting, peanut butter frosting or vanilla frosting.

How to Store Banana Chocolate Chip Cake

Preserve the flavor and moisture of this cake by storing it in an airtight container. Alternatively, store slices wrapped in storage wrap or in a zip-top bag.

How long does banana chocolate chip cake last?

Keep banana chocolate chip cake stored at room temperature for up to three days or in the fridge for up to one week.

Can you freeze banana chocolate chip cake?

Most cakes freeze very well, and this banana chocolate chip cake is no different if you have leftovers. Keep the cake stored in an airtight container or a freezer bag, or wrap it in a layer of storage wrap and then a layer of aluminum foil. Store the cake in the freezer for up to two months, and let it thaw in the fridge or at room temperature.

Banana Chocolate Chip Cake Tips

Can you bake banana chocolate chip cake in a different size pan?

This cake is baked in a 13×9-inch pan for plenty of servings, but you can use a different size cake pan if you like. Try dividing the batter into two 8-inch round cake pans or bake it in a Bundt pan.

Can you bake cupcakes with this banana chocolate chip cake recipe?

Bake a batch of flavorful cupcakes with this recipe. Instead of using a rectangular cake pan, divide the batter between 12 greased muffin pan wells. Bake the cupcakes for 20 to 25 minutes. Once cooled, top them with your favorite frosting.

Can you use non-ripe bananas for banana chocolate chip cake?

As bananas ripen, they develop better flavor and an increased sugar content, so it’s best to use ripe bananas for this cake for the ultimate moist texture and bold banana flavor. Unripe bananas won’t add as much banana taste as desired.