Gluten-Free Banana Snack Cake with Chocolate Ganache
Follow these steps at home to bake this rich, super moist gluten-free banana snack cake. With heaps of banana flavor and a light and fluffy texture, it’s such a simple sheet cake. The key to the soft & moist texture is a combination of blanched almond flour and gluten-free oat flour. Frost the cake with homemade vegan chocolate ganache frosting, and enjoy this dairy-free banana cake as a snack or for dessert!
Servings 9 large slices
Ingredients
For the cake
- 1⅓ cups overripe bananas mashed, about 3 medium bananas, mine weighed ~375g
- ¼ cup dairy-free milk
- ⅓ cup coconut sugar
- ¼ cup (64g) nut or seed butter of choice I used peanut butter
- ¼ cup (50g) coconut oil melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons flax meal
- 1 cup (120g) gluten-free oat flour
- 1 cup (96g) blanched almond flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅔ cup (4 oz.) chocolate chunks or chips
For the ganache
- 4 oz. dark chocolate chips or chunks make sure they're dairy-free to keep this recipe vegan
- ⅓ cup dairy-free milk of choice I used oat milk
- 2 tablespoons nut butter of choice optional, I used peanut butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Grease a 8x8” pan with coconut oil and/or line with parchment paper.
- Place bananas in a large mixing bowl. Use a potato masher or fork to mash them well. Add almond milk, coconut sugar, nut butter, coconut oil, vanilla extract, and flax meal, stirring to combine.1⅓ cups overripe bananas, ¼ cup dairy-free milk, ⅓ cup coconut sugar, ¼ cup (64g) nut or seed butter of choice, ¼ cup (50g) coconut oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 tablespoons flax meal
- Add oat flour, almond flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Stir until combined. Fold in chocolate chunks.1 cup (120g) gluten-free oat flour, 1 cup (96g) blanched almond flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon sea salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ⅔ cup (4 oz.) chocolate chunks or chips
- Pour into the pan. Add a sliced banana and/or more chocolate chips on top.
- Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until a knife comes out clean and the top of the cake springs back when pressed.
- Once done, let cool in the pan for 20 minutes and then remove from pan and place on a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
- For the ganache, place the chocolate in a bowl with the nut butter, if using. Heat the milk until it begins to simmer and then pour over the chocolate, making sure it's all submerged. Let it sit for about 3 to 5 minutes until the chocolate is melted, and then whisk to combine. Spread the ganache all over the cooled banana cake.4 oz. dark chocolate chips or chunks, ⅓ cup dairy-free milk of choice, 2 tablespoons nut butter of choice
- Store leftovers tightly wrapped in plastic wrap, foil, or in a sealed container on the counter for up to three days. You can also store in the refrigerator for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months. I like to slice it and then freeze and heat a piece in the microwave when I want it!
Notes
- Make it nut-free: use a seed butter in place of the nut butter and replace the almond flour with tigernut flour, sunflower seed flour, or another ⅔ cup oat flour.
- Make it grain-free: if you'd like to replace the oat flour and make this recipe grain-free, use double the amount of almond flour (2 cups or 192g) plus 2 tablespoons coconut flour to help absorb any extra moisture.
- Less chocolatey? Feel free to skip the chocolate chips in the loaf itself if you want the banana cake to be a little less chocolatey.
