Moist Banana Cake (Printable)

A moist, flavorful cake packed with ripe bananas and just the right touch of sweetness for any occasion.

# What You Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ Wet Ingredients

05 - 3 ripe bananas, mashed
06 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
07 - 1/2 cup vegetable oil
08 - 2 large eggs
09 - 1/4 cup milk
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Optional Add-ins

11 - 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
12 - 1/2 cup chocolate chips

# Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan or line it with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat the mashed bananas with sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
04 - Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the banana mixture until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the crumb tender.
05 - If using, gently fold chopped nuts or chocolate chips into the batter.
06 - Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
07 - Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
08 - Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
09 - Slice and serve plain or with your preferred frosting.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • This cake stays impossibly moist for days, almost better on day two if you can wait that long.
  • It uses pantry staples and those bananas you were about to throw away, so nothing goes to waste.
02 -
  • I once pulled a banana cake from the oven too early and the center collapsed like a sinkhole, so always trust the toothpick test over the timer.
  • Swapping oil for melted butter gives a richer flavor but the cake dries out faster, so eat it the same day if you go that route.
03 -
  • If your bananas are only slightly spotted, roast them unpeeled at 300 degrees F for 15 minutes until the skins turn black and the insides soften dramatically.
  • Fold the dry ingredients in three additions rather than all at once for a smoother batter with less effort.

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