Banana Chocolate Chip Cake

Name: Banana Chocolate Chip Cake
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups flour; 2/3 cup sugar; 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1 egg; 1/2 cup melted butter; 1/4 cup milk; 1 cup mashed ripe bananas; 3/4 cup chocolate chips

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Got ripe bananas and some chocolate chips? It’s time to make banana chocolate chip cake with this easy recipe – it’s the best snack cake ever!

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Why we love this recipe
What’s the difference between banana bread and banana cake?
Ingredients you need
Ingredient notes and substitutions
How to make this recipe
Recipe FAQs
Want to round out your snack?
Other banana recipes we love!
We want to know what you think!
Banana Chocolate Chip Cake

Why we love this recipe

Every now and then I get into a Situation with some over-ripe bananas, and it usually begins like this. Someone who shall remain nameless says “Mommy, I really really want bananas. Can we get bananas when we go to the supermarket?”

And so I purchase a lovely large bunch of bananas.

One gets promptly eaten. The rest of them languish on the banana hook. And as soon as they develop one infinitesimal speck of brown on them — well, that’s all she wrote. And out comes this recipe.

This banana snack cake is what I call a pantry recipe – it can be mixed together in about 15 minutes from ingredients you probably have in your pantry right this minute. Pop it in the oven and 30 minutes later…well let’s just say this cake will NEVER languish for long.

What’s the difference between banana bread and banana cake?

They are both great ways to use up elderly bananas! Banana bread tends to be denser and a little less sweet than banana cake (especially banana cake with chocolate chips).

Ingredients you need

Ingredients needed for banana chocolate chip cake.

Ingredient notes and substitutions

Bananas: You need nice ripe bananas for this recipe so they will mush up softly into the cake batter.
Chocolate Chips: You can use either regular or mini chocolate chips.
Baking Powder: It’s always good to check the expiration date on baking powder. Expired baking powder won’t give us the nice fluffy texture we want for our banana cake.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities and nutritional information.

How to make this recipe

STEP 1: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spray an 8 x 8 pan with cooking spray (you can also butter it if you like).

Flour mixture in a mixing bowl with a whisk.

STEP 2: In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

Banana and egg mixture in a mixing bowl.

STEP 3: In a separate bowl, combine bananas, egg, melted butter and milk.

Banana chocolate chip batter in a mixing bowl.

STEP 4: Stir banana mixture into flour mixture until just blended. Stir in chocolate chips.

Banana chocolate chip cake batter in a pan.

STEP 5: Pour batter into pan and bake until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes. (It may have some melted chocolate on it but no crumbs)

Vow not to listen to children who swear they will eat all the fruit you buy. Until the next time they ask. In the meantime, enjoy some banana chocolate chip cake!

Recipe FAQs

What is the best way to mash bananas?

I like to squish them up a little while they are still inside the peel and then squeeze the banana out on to a plate where I finish up the mashing with a fork. But you can also peel them without squishing and mash them with a fork or a potato masher.

Can I use not-so-ripe bananas for this recipe?

Nope. You need them to be totally, completely ripe – as in lots of brown on those peels – or you won’t have the super soft consistency you need to make this cake. I promise it will be worth the wait!

Can I use mini chocolate chips?

You can! Or white chocolate chips. All chocolate works!

How long will this cake keep?

It will last for three to four days – cover it up with plastic wrap or keep it in a cake safe.

Have a question that I didn’t cover?

Pop your question or suggestion in the Comments section below and I will answer pronto!

Want to round out your snack?

Other banana recipes we love!

Looking for more cake recipe inspiration? Here is our complete collection of cake recipes!

We want to know what you think!

If you try this recipe, we would love to hear how it came out for you! I’d be super grateful if you could leave a star rating (you pick how many stars! 🌟 ) and your thoughts in the Comments section.