One-Bowl Moist Gluten Free Banana Cake
This gluten free banana cake comes together in one bowl with simple pantry ingredients.
It’s tender, deeply banana-flavored, and perfect for a quick weeknight dessert or a lazy weekend breakfast.
What Makes This Banana Cake So Reliable
Banana bread loves to sink in the middle, and gluten free versions can be the worst offenders. This one stays high and evenly moist because of the yogurt and a generous measure of very ripe bananas.
The crumb stays soft for days. It never turns dusty or crumbly the way some gluten free bakes do. I keep coming back to it because it takes less than 10 minutes to stir together and uses ingredients I almost always have.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups gluten free all-purpose flour (with xanthan gum): a 1-to-1 blend like Bob’s Red Mill works perfectly. If your blend does not include xanthan gum, add 1/2 teaspoon.
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 3 very ripe bananas: the peel should be heavily speckled or black for the sweetest flavor
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar: light or dark both work
- 1/4 cup neutral oil: vegetable, avocado, or melted coconut oil
- 1 large egg: at room temperature
- 1/3 cup plain yogurt: regular or Greek, full fat keeps the cake extra tender
Variations / Substitutions
- Dairy-free: use coconut yogurt and your favorite neutral oil. The cake will still be moist and richly flavored.
- Lower sugar: swap the brown sugar for coconut sugar, but the cake will be a little less sweet and slightly denser.
- Crunchy add-ins: fold in 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans, or a handful of chocolate chips, after the flour goes in.
- Extra spice: a teaspoon of cinnamon or a pinch of nutmeg stirred into the dry ingredients gives a warm, cozy note.
If you want a heartier loaf, I also make a simple gluten free banana bread with oat flour when I am craving something with more chew.
How to Make One-Bowl Gluten Free Banana Cake
Step 1: Mash the Bananas
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper so the ends hang over the sides. In a large bowl, mash 3 very ripe bananas with a fork until mostly smooth, then stir in 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup oil, 1 egg, and 1/3 cup yogurt until the mixture looks uniform.
The batter will be a little lumpy from the banana bits, and that is exactly what you want. Those small flecks of fruit melt into the crumb as the cake bakes.
Step 2: Fold in the Dry Ingredients
Sprinkle 1 1/2 cups gluten free flour blend, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon salt over the wet mixture. Switch to a spatula and fold everything together just until no dry streaks remain. Stop as soon as the flour disappears, even if the batter still looks slightly lumpy.
The batter will be thick. Overmixing can turn a quick bread tough and gummy, so a few tiny flour pockets are far better than a perfectly stirred bowl.
Step 3: Bake the Cake
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with the spatula. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick poked into the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs clinging to it.
The top will rise and crack down the middle, the classic sign of a well-made banana bread. If the loaf browns too fast, tent it loosely with foil after about 40 minutes.
Step 4: Cool and Slice
Let the cake rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then lift it out using the parchment overhang and set it on a wire rack to cool completely. Slice with a serrated knife and serve warm or at room temperature.
A full cool gives the crumb time to set, so each slice holds together cleanly. The banana flavor deepens as the cake sits, too, making it even better the next day.
A Few Tips for the Best Banana Cake
- Banana ripeness matters more than you might think. Use fruit that is heavily speckled or black all over. The natural sugars concentrate as the skin darkens, so the cake tastes sweeter and more banana-forward without any extra sweetener.
- If you pull the cake too early, it will sink in the middle. Look for a toothpick with a few moist crumbs, not wet batter, and count on the full bake time. Ovens vary, so check at 50 minutes.
- For a taller, more dramatic loaf, bake in an 8×4-inch pan instead of a 9×5. Add 5 to 10 minutes to the bake time and keep an eye on it.
- Leftover slices taste fantastic lightly toasted with a smear of salted butter or nut butter.
Bake times by pan size:
| Pan | Bake time |
|---|---|
| 9×5-inch loaf pan | 50–55 mins |
| 8×4-inch loaf pan | 60–65 mins |
| 12-cup muffin pan | 18–22 mins |
Storing Leftovers
- Refrigerate: wrap the cooled loaf tightly in plastic wrap or stash slices in an airtight container. It stays soft at room temperature for 3 days, or up to a week in the fridge.
- Reheating: warm individual slices in the microwave for 10 to 15 seconds, or pop them in a toaster oven until the edges crisp a little.
- Serve cold: the chilled cake tastes dense and fudgy, almost like a banana bar. It works beautifully straight from the fridge with coffee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a different gluten free flour blend?
Yes. Any 1-to-1 cup-for-cup blend that contains xanthan gum will work. Avoid using pure almond flour or coconut flour alone, because they would throw off the liquid balance and give you a heavy, wet loaf.
Why did my cake sink in the middle?
The most common cause is underbaking. Even a couple of minutes short can leave the centre too soft to hold its rise. Opening the oven door before the 40-minute mark can also cause a sudden drop. Use the toothpick test and wait until only moist crumbs stick.
Can I make this cake sugar-free?
You can swap the brown sugar for a granulated sugar-free alternative like monk fruit sweetener. The cake will bake up a little less moist and the top may not turn quite as brown, but the banana flavor will still carry it.
Gluten Free Banana Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment.
- In a large bowl, mash the bananas until mostly smooth. Stir in the brown sugar, oil, egg, and yogurt until combined.
- Sprinkle the flour, baking soda, and salt over the wet mixture. Fold with a spatula just until no dry streaks remain; the batter will be thick and a little lumpy.
- Scrape batter into the pan and smooth the top. Bake 50 to 55 minutes, until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool in the pan 10 minutes, then lift out and cool completely on a wire rack. Slice with a serrated knife and serve.
Notes
