Banana Chocolate Chip Cake

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Amazing FROM SCRATCH BANANA CAKE with the BEST milk chocolate frosting! I via chelseasmessyapron.com from Sally's Baking Addiction

Double-layer Banana Chocolate Chip Cake combines miniature chocolate chips speckled throughout and a rich, creamy chocolate frosting covering the cake.

Try some other popular banana desserts, such as the practically famous Banana Cupcakes or these vanilla-custard-filled banana crepes!

A finished and gorgeous banana chocolate chip cake on a cake stand.

Banana Chocolate Chip Cake

This delicious cake combines sweet banana bread and chocolate chips, topped with creamy milk chocolate frosting, a family favorite. Inspired by Sally’s Baking Addiction, it’s adapted from her first cookbook, which includes new cookie recipes. Perfect for banana and chocolate lovers, this cake proves that chocolate and banana are a heavenly match. You can read more about her cookbook here, and grab your own copy here.

QUICK TIP

Quickly ripen bananas for this cake by baking them. Place bananas on a parchment-lined tray and bake at 350°F for 7-8 minutes until the skins turn black, flipping if necessary. Let them cool, discard any liquid, and mash for the Banana Chocolate Chip Cake. 

Mixing wet and dry ingredients together, pouring into a prepared cake pan, and baking.

Ingredients In Banana Chocolate Chip Cake

  • Ripe Bananas: Provide moisture, natural sweetness, and banana flavor.
  • Lemon Juice: Enhances the banana flavor and helps maintain color.
  • Butter: Adds richness and helps with the cake’s texture.
  • White and Brown Sugars: Sweeten the cake; brown sugar also adds moisture and a caramel-like flavor.
  • Sour Cream/Yogurt: Adds moisture and creaminess, contributing to a tender crumb.
  • Vanilla Extract: Enhances overall flavor.
  • Eggs: Provide structure, richness, and help with leavening.
  • Flour: The main structure of the cake. (Here’s a video tutorial for how to properly measure flour for this recipe.)
  • Baking Powder and Baking Soda: Leavening agents that help the cake rise.
  • Salt and Cinnamon: Enhance and balance flavors.
  • Chocolate Chips: Add sweetness and texture.
  • Buttermilk: Adds moisture, tenderness, and a slight tang to the cake.

Making and spreading the delicious and creamy frosting over the cake.

How To Make Banana Cake With Chocolate Chips

  1. Preheat oven and prepare the pan.
  2. Mix mashed bananas with lemon juice.
  3. Cream butter and sugars, then add sour cream or yogurt, vanilla, and eggs.
  4. Combine dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon.
  5. Alternately add dry ingredients and buttermilk to the creamed mixture.
  6. Fold in banana mixture and chocolate chips.
  7. Pour into pan and bake until a toothpick comes out clean.

A slice of chocolate chip banana cake with a bite missing, revealing its fluffy interior

STORAGE

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Banana Chocolate Chip Cake

5 from 5 votes
Double-layer Banana Chocolate Chip Cake with miniature chocolate chips speckled throughout and a rich, creamy chocolate frosting coating the cake.
A finished and gorgeous banana chocolate chip cake on a cake stand.
Print Recipe

Banana Chocolate Chip Cake

A finished and gorgeous banana chocolate chip cake on a cake stand.
5 from 5 votes
Double-layer Banana Chocolate Chip Cake with miniature chocolate chips speckled throughout and a rich, creamy chocolate frosting coating the cake.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword Banana Chocolate Chip Cake
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Chilling Time 2 hours
Total Time 3 hours 15 minutes
Servings 12 servings
Chelsea Lords
Calories 1025kcal
Cost $8.12

Ingredients

Cake

  • 1 and 1/2 cups very ripe bananas, mashed (about 3 large bananas)
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated white sugar
  • 1/2 cup dark brown sugar tightly packed
  • 1/4 cup full-fat sour cream or full-fat honey vanilla Greek yogurt
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 3 cups white, all-purpose flour (See Note 1)
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 cup miniature chocolate chips
  • 1 and 1/2 cups buttermilk, at room temperature

Milk Chocolate Frosting

  • 1 and 1/4 cups unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 3-4 cups powdered sugar
  • 3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder (See Note 2)
  • 3-5 tablespoons heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/16 teaspoon (tiny pinch) fine sea salt
  • Optional: additional miniature chocolate chips for decorating

Instructions

  • PREP: Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Generously grease two 9-inch round cake pans. Line the bottom with a circle of parchment paper (essential to get these cakes out of the pan nicely!). See Note 3. Grease the parchment paper and lightly dust the entire cake pan with flour.
  • BANANAS: Thoroughly mash the bananas so no chunks remain; I like to mash them quickly by beating with a hand mixer. Measure to get a level 1 and 1/2 cups mashed bananas and then toss with lemon juice to prevent browning.
  • WET INGREDIENTS: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, cream together the butter, white sugar, and dark brown sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add in the sour cream, vanilla, and 1 large egg. Beat to combine. Add the next egg; beat to combine. Add the final egg and beat. Stir in the mashed bananas.
  • DRY INGREDIENTS: In a separate bowl, add in the spooned and leveled white flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and miniature chocolate chips. Stir together to combine, making sure the chocolate chips are coated in flour to keep them from sinking in the batter.
  • BUTTERMILK AND DRY INGREDIENTS: With the mixer set on low speed, slowly add 1/3 of the flour mixture and then 1/3 of the buttermilk. Mix until just combined, being careful to not over mix. Repeat with the second and third portions of the flour and buttermilk. Mix until just incorporated. Stop mixing as soon as ingredients are combined.
  • BAKE: Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans. Bake in the preheated oven for 45-50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. Allow to cool for 15 minutes in the cake pans and then invert the cakes onto a wire cooling rack to finish cooling completely. Do not frost until fully cooled.
  • FROSTING: Using a hand-held or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed for 3-4 minutes. Add 3 cups of powdered sugar and cocoa powder and mix on low. Add 3 tablespoons of heavy cream and the vanilla extract. If the frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar (up to 1 cup) until you get the desired consistency. If the frosting is too thick, you can add more heavy cream (up to 2 tablespoons). Add in the salt. If the frosting is still too sweet, add a dash more salt.
  • ASSEMBLE: If the cake layers are slightly domed on top, carefully level them off with a sharp serrated knife or cake leveler. To build the cake, smear a tiny bit of frosting in the center of your cake stand/plate (to keep the cake from sliding). Next, place the first layer bottom side up. Using a knife or offset spatula, spread the top of the cake evenly with the chocolate frosting. Place the second layer on top, top side up, and spread more frosting evenly over the top. Frost the top and sides of the cake. Decorate with additional miniature chocolate chips, if desired. Slice and serve. This cake is best enjoyed within 2-3 days.

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Make sure to spoon and level the flour measurement. If you scoop a measuring cup into a bag of flour you will pack in too much flour (creating a drier and less-flavorful cake)
Note 2: Use Dutch-process (not natural cocoa powder) for the frosting, for best flavor and texture.
Note 3: Make a parchment paper round bottom for the cake pans by following these steps:
  1. Tear off a sheet of parchment, slightly larger than the cake pan.
  2. Fold the parchment in half.
  3. Then fold the parchment in half again.
  4. Fold into a triangle.
  5. Fold the triangle in half again.
  6. Hold the triangle against the bottom of the pan from the center outwards.
  7. Cut the parchment right where it meets the edge of the cake pan along the curve of the cake pan.
  8. Unfold the parchment and press into the bottom of the cake pan.
Note 4:
Banana Cake recipe adapted (with permission) from Sally's Baking Addiction Cookbook.
Note 3: Calories include the frosting.

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12servings | Calories: 1025kcal | Carbohydrates: 164g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 128mg | Sodium: 309mg | Potassium: 484mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 105g | Vitamin A: 1120IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 138mg | Iron: 5mg

We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.

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14 Comments

    1. 5 stars
      I’ve made this cake many times and it always comes out amazing! I want to make it again but add some rum to it, any suggestions as to how?

  1. I’m making this tomorrow night for a brunch potluck on Saturday morning. Do you think I could turn it into cupcakes, for easy sharing?

  2. This cake looks absolutely amazing. The chocolate chips throughout and the milk chocolate frosting!! I love banana and chocolate together!

      1. It must be popular because it’s still available in stores…snagged one today! Thanks for responding! This cake will be the first thing I use it for!

  3. Made this last week and it was a HUGE HIT! I used chocolate whipped cream frosting from a different recipe.

    The cake caramelized around the edges. Trimmed those off and had them with left over frosting. A sweet snack later for the baker 😉

  4. I made this as a sheet cake for a birthday this past weekend. I don’t like my icing super sweet, so I used closer to 2 C sugar and added a TBSP of coffee to bring out the chocolate flavor. It was delicious! Thank you so much for the great recipe.

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