You can make the best Chocolate Banana Cake with a box of cake mix! This deliciously moist cake is covered in a rich chocolate frosting that’s guaranteed to satisfy your sweet tooth. With just a few ingredients, this is an easy banana cake recipe for all occasions!
Chocolate Cake meets banana cake! Words can’t do justice to how delicious this easy chocolate banana cake recipe turned out. You’ll have to try it for yourself!
Why we love Chocolate Banana Cake
This Chocolate Banana Cake is amazingly moist. It’s filled with rich cocoa and real banana flavor. The cake itself is covered in a heavenly thick chocolate frosting, that also contains bananas. To keep it quick and easy, it’s made with boxed cake mix for the ultimate convenience!
Chocolate Banana Cake
I’m a big proponent of from-scratch baking. But I have no qualms whatsoever about using boxed cake mixes from time to time!
The best cake mix recipes are ones that build on the simple flavor of the cake with other ingredients. In this recipe, we added mashed bananas and buttermilk to a chocolate cake mix.
The result is a rich and decadent cake that stays moist even the next day! With a hint of cinnamon and vanilla, it’s a dessert that tastes bakery quality you can make at home. No special ingredients, skill or equipment needed.
Banana Cake Frosting
If the cake alone weren’t enough to satisfy your chocolate cravings, let’s talk about this chocolate banana frosting!
This creamy and sweet banana cake frosting is so much better than anything from a can. Using mashed banana in the thick cocoa frosting gives the cake even more banana flavor.
A word of warning: you’ll have to stop yourself from eating the frosting straight out of the bowl with a spoon. It’s THAT delicious.
How To Make Banana Cake
What Ingredients Do I Need?
Ingredients at a glance, full printable recipe found below.
- Chocolate cake mix: A standard size cake mix (approx. 15 to 17 ounces). Feel free to substitute the chocolate cake mix with your favorite type of cake mix. Banana tends to go really well with chocolate and vanilla, but you can also get really creative with the type of cake that you use.
- Vegetable oil
- Eggs: Make sure to use large size eggs.
- Buttermilk: If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, you make your own version with this easy buttermilk substitute.
- Bananas: For this recipe you want to make sure that you have very ripe bananas and that you fully mash them. If there are still chunks of banana left in your batter, it will sink to the bottom and create soggy banana pieces on the bottom of your cake. You want almost a puree consistency with your bananas.
- Vanilla
- Confectioner’s sugar
- Cocoa powder: Natural or Dutch process will work.
- Espresso powder: The espresso powder will not make your frosting taste like coffee. It simply adds more depth to your chocolate flavor. You can even add an additional teaspoon into the cake itself. However, it is also completely optional.
- Heavy cream: The cream can be replaced with milk or half and half
What Supplies Do I Need?
- Mixer – I highly recommend a stand mixer for the frosting recipe if you have one.
- Mixing bowl
- 2 (9-inch) baking pans
Steps To Making This Cake
Steps at a glance, full printable recipe found below.
- Mix together cake ingredients then fold in bananas.
- Bake and allow to cool.
- Prepare frosting using a mixer.
- Assemble and frost cake.
- Chill in the refrigerator or freezer for 15 minutes to set (optional).
How do I store my chocolate banana cake?
Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Or wrap it well in plastic wrap and aluminum foil, or put in an airtight Ziplock bag, and freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw at room temperature.
Does this cake taste like bananas?
In the cakes themselves, there is only a slight, subtle banana taste. The bananas mainly bring moisture to the cakes. If a store-bought chocolate frosting is used, it overpowers the bananas and there is very little banana taste. If the chocolate banana frosting is used, however, there is more of a pronounced banana taste. If you love that banana taste, make sure to also try my Banana Bread Pudding!
Take Note:
The frosting is best when made with a stand mixer, but it’s not completely necessary. If using a stand mixer, use the whisk attachment. If making the frosting with a hand mixer, you’ll need a little more time.
You can replace the homemade frosting with store bought chocolate frosting if you are in a pinch. The cake is delicious both ways.
More Recipes You’ll Love
If you love all things banana and chocolate, try these other tasty recipes next!
- Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
- Chocolate Banana Muffins
- Dark Chocolate Banana Muffins
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Muffin Tops
- Marble Cake Recipe
Don’t you love when the easiest cake recipes are also the tastiest? This Chocolate Banana Cake recipe is a hit with everyone who tastes it.
Chocolate Banana Cake
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 1 15 oz. box chocolate cake mix
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup buttermilk or homemade buttermilk substitute
- 1 tbs vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas about 3 ripe bananas, fully mashed
For the Frosting
- 1/2 cup salted butter 1 stick
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1/2 cup mashed ripe banana
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp espresso powder optional
- 2-3 tbsp heavy cream or whole milk
Instructions
Cake Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease and flour two 9” round baking pans. (I like to use this flour coating baking spray)
- Whisk or beat together cake mix, buttermilk, eggs, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and cinnamon.Fold in mashed bananas until just combined.
- Pour cake batter into the prepared baking pans. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a toothpick tests clean.Take cakes out of the oven and set aside to cool.Once the cakes have finished cooling, make the frosting.
Frosting Instructions
- In a large bowl or using a stand mixer, mix together the butter, salt, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and bananas until combined.
- Turn the mixer on low and add in 3 cups powdered sugar, cocoa powder, espresso powder, and 2 Tablespoons heavy cream. Mix until ingredients are completely incorporated together. You may need to add in 1 additional Tablespoon cream if the frosting is still dry and the powdered sugar isn’t incorporating.
- Turn mixer on high and beat frosting for 5 minutes, scraping down the sides halfway through. The frosting should be light and fluffy.
To Assemble the Cake
- Place one of the cooled cakes on top of a flat plate or serving platter.Spread ⅓ of the chocolate frosting on the cake. Lay the other cake on top of the frosted cake.Use the remaining frosting to frost the tops and sides of both cakes. Let chill in the refrigerator or freezer for 15 minutes to set (optional). Slice and enjoy!
Nutrition
Disclaimer
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Roxanne says
I assume this cake can also be made with a bundt pan?
Karen says
Can a 9×13 pan be used? What would be the bake time?
Sary says
Are we using bananas and the eggs? Also, the butter for the frosting have to me room temp?
Christi Johnstone says
Sary, yes, follow the directions as written with the ingredients listed. Butter is easier to beat at room temp, but can be beaten cold, it just takes a few more minutes.
Liz says
This turned out great was a good way to use up bananas.
Charity says
The post states that this recipe doesn’t require eggs, but 3 eggs are listed in the ingredients. Are we substituting the banana for the eggs, or using both?
Christi Johnstone says
Charity, whoops, that was a definite mistake, apologies.