2 Ingredient Extra Easy Banana Cake

An Ultra Easy Banana Cake for All Ages

This super easy banana cake recipe that requires just two ingredients is delicious and suitable for children of all ages. Even babies who have started eating solids can partake of this simple and nutritious treat.

This simple banana cake recipe without flour, eggs, dairy or sugar works for so many diet restrictions without sacrificing taste. And it’s the perfect naturally sweetened kids breakfast, snack or treat.

But honestly, this recipe was not originally created for this website. It originated in my kitchen several years ago as a quick and easy treat for my daughter. Being very healthy and fail-proof to make even without a recipe, it was something I discovered I could throw together when I didn’t have a lot of time to make breakfast or a snack.

The version of banana cake that I’m sharing with you today is modified to be a larger amount so that you can make it into an actual cake if desired. Although I also provide the instructions for how to make it more simple and small as banana bread bars for when you just need a quick and easy snack for your kids.

Additionally, you can make this banana cake into banana mini muffins, which are always fun and the perfect size for the littlest snackers. I also give those instructions in the recipe card.

My daughter has always loved this banana cake with the hardened chocolate coating on top. But it is also delicious without the chocolate, which is likely how you would want to make it for a baby.

In fact, this is an excellent baby-led-weaning food. Moist and soft enough to mash with the gums but just firm enough to hold together when it’s picked up, tiny fingers can easily grab this baby banana cake and feed that hungry mouth.

But don’t be fooled into thinking this is a baby-only banana cake. My kids love this banana cake and they are not babies. They love it because, thanks to very ripe bananas, it is very sweet (without any added sugar). And I love it because it’s super easy, it’s super healthy and it even has protein.

I also really like that this is a no flour banana cake. Even though my kids are not normally gluten free, I like to take breaks from wheat flour and gluten sometimes.

Overall, this healthy banana cake for kids is a super easy win for everyone 🙂

How to Know Which Banana Cake to Make

What’s great about this simple banana cake recipe is that it’s quite versatile. And fortunately for you, I have provided baking instructions for three different ways you can use this recipe.

While the ingredients are exactly the same and have the same ratios in each recipe, how much batter you make and what it is baked in determines which of the following three variations you come out with.

Allow me to explain the differences and what each type of banana cake is ideal for.

1. Large Banana Cake

The large version of this banana cake is baked in an 8×11 inch baking dish. This option is great for making a simple, healthy sheet cake for a special occasion or for slicing into larger squares to be eaten by older children for more filling breakfast and snacks.

You can also top this banana sheet cake with a naturally sweetened frosting to add an extra layer of flavor and some decorative flair.

2. Banana Bread Bars

The banana bread bars are not only baked in a smaller dish, but they are also a much thinner version of the cake. The result is like a breakfast bar that is also great for snacking.

This smaller, thinner banana cake/bar is actually the original banana cake I made for my daughter countless times when she was younger and obsessed with it. Because it only requires two bananas, it is much easier and more realistic to whip this up at a moment’s notice when you have a hungry child.

3. Banana Mini Muffins

The banana mini muffins option requires the same minimal amounts of ingredients and effort as the banana bars. The only difference here is that it is baked up in a mini muffin tin. These are perfect for making individual little snacks or on-the-go-breakfasts for toddlers.

Ingredients

• Bananas: Bananas are the main ingredient in this 2 ingredient recipe. With their natural sweetness and binding qualities, bananas are an incredible fruit for making naturally sweet baked goods. Make sure your bananas are very ripe for the most sweetness.

• Almond Butter: Almond butter adds structure and protein to this healthy banana cake. Make sure there are no added flavors or sweeteners in your almond butter.

• Cinnamon: Cinnamon is optional depending on your child’s preference. It adds a bit of extra flavor to the banana cake.

• Coconut Oil: Coconut oil is the base of the optional chocolate coating on the banana bars. Because it hardens when chilled, it creates a nice crisp topping on the bars.

• Cocoa Powder: Cocoa powder is the chocolate source in the banana bars topping. I like to use cacao powder that is a less processed form of cocoa powder.

Instructions

Banana Cake, Bars & Mini Muffins

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

For the large banana cake, prepare an 8×11 inch baking dish by cutting a rectangular piece of parchment paper and placing it in the bottom of the dish. Then, grease with your preferred oil or butter.

For the banana bread bars, grease a small baking dish, about 8 inches long and 5 inches wide with at least 1 1/2 inch tall sides. A loaf pan would also work.

For mini muffins, grease a 12-cup mini muffin tin well

Step 2

For all banana cake sizes, place all ingredients in a shallow dish and mash up well with a fork or a potato masher, mixing as you go. The banana should be mostly mashed with only a few chunks remaining and completely combined with the almond butter and cinnamon if using.

Step 3

For large banana cake, pour banana mixture into an 8×11 baking dish and bake for 50 minutes. The top will look cooked, the cake will be firm to the touch and a toothpick will come out clean when it is done.

For banana bread bars, pour banana batter into the small greased baking dish and bake for 20-22 minutes. The top should look cooked and a toothpick should come out clean when it is done.

For the banana mini muffins, evenly distribute batter among the cups of the mini muffin tin and bake for 15-17 minutes.

Step 4

Allow to cool for 20 minutes to one hour on the counter depending on which cake option you are making (longer cooling time for larger cake). If you are not using the chocolate coating, ensure the banana cake is completely cooled before serving or covering with plastic wrap to store in the fridge.

To remove the large banana cake from its dish, once it has completely cooled, run a butter knife along the sides to ensure the cake is not stuck to the sides of the dish. Then place a cutting board on top of the baking dish and flip it upside-down so the banana cake falls down onto the cutting board. Use another cutting board to repeat the process to get the cake right side up again.

To remove the small banana cake from its dish, cut into rectangles and then use a fork or small spatula to loosen the sides and bottoms of each piece.

Mini muffins should come out pretty easily, but use a butter knife to loosen the sides if necessary.

Chocolate Coating for Banana Bread Bars

Step 1

To make the chocolate topping, simply mix the coconut oil and cocoa powder until fully combined.

Step 2

Once the banana bread bars have cooled enough that the baking dish can be handled without pot holders, spread the chocolate coating over the top of the banana bars. It will melt and that is okay.

Step 3

Place banana bars in the freezer for 30 minutes or until the chocolate coating has completely hardened.

Step 4

When the chocolate topping has hardened, remove the banana bars from the freezer and use a knife to slice into pieces. Use a fork or small, flat spatula to gently loosen and life the bar slices out of the baking pan.

Step 5

Store banana bars in the baking pan covered with plastic wrap or in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Substitutions & Tips

• This simple banana cake can be eaten plain, with the chocolate coating listed in the recipe for the banana bread bars, or it can be topped with a variety of refined sugar free frostings.

• This sugar free banana cake recipe is very customizable and can be modified to suit your (and your kids’) preferences. You can add an egg for a little extra protein or throw in some refined sugar free chocolate chunks, chopped nuts, chia seeds or shredded coconut.

• Feel free to adjust the amounts in this ultra easy banana cake recipe. You can decrease or increase the amount of almond butter to your kids’ taste or switch it out for another type of nut or seed butter. You can also increase or omit the cinnamon.

• If you do make modifications to this recipe, simply adjust the baking time depending on how much volume or moisture you add to the mixture. But don’t stress about it too much either. Unless you add an egg, there is nothing in this recipe that will harm a child if it is underbaked (or even unbaked). So how “well-done” the banana cake gets is really just about your child’s preference rather than safety.

• Note that the almond butter is what gives this simple banana cake it’s structure. So if you reduce the amount of almond butter, the result will still be delicious but will end up as more of a scoopable soft treat rather than a finger or fork food.