One Bowl Banana Cake

This easy one bowl banana cake is a simple, no-fuss bake that’s made with just 7 ingredients. It uses self-raising flour, and skips the buttermilk and baking soda entirely. But the best part is, you don’t even need to mash the bananas! This recipe yields a light, tender cake that’s easier (and fluffier) than traditional banana bread. It’s reliable, delicious, and exactly what you need when you want a sweet treat without the kitchen cleanup.

As a busy mum of three, I am always looking for ways to streamline my baking. And I love a good kitchen experiment, but only if the risk ratio makes sense, because wasting ingredients is never the goal! One night the urge to finally get rid of those overripe bananas kicked in, and I found myself baking just short of my bed time. Raise a hand, is anyone else like this? 😂 I looked at my standard banana cake recipe and thought: What if I just skip the mashing and let the hand mixer do all the heavy lifting? Any little time saver is welcome, not to mention less dishes, too. I found that by adding the whole, peeled bananas straight into the creamed butter and sugar, the mixer perfectly pureed the fruit while keeping the batter light and aerated. It turns a classic bake into a true one-bowl winner.

And here is the real win: You don’t need an expensive, heavy-duty stand mixer to pull this off. I firmly believe baking should be accessible for everyone, from beginners to pros. I actually developed and tested this shortcut using a basic, everyday electric hand mixer so you can do it too.

Easy One Bowl Banana Cake

You are going to love this method because it completely eliminates the messy, extra step of pre-mashing. By dropping the bananas in right after the eggs have been incorporated, you use the mechanical force of your hand mixer to instantly puree the soft fruit while continuously whipping air into the batter. (A quick baker’s note: Because bananas are so wet, your batter might look a little curdled or split at this stage. Don’t panic! This is completely normal and it will smooth out perfectly after you stir in the flour).

To get that perfect, fluffy rise, using the right baking tin for this aerated batter is key. I always bake this in a deep 20cm (8 inch) round cake tin like this simple non-stick one here. It ensures the centre bakes completely through in that 1 hour and 20-minute window, leaving you with beautifully golden edges and a tender centre. You definitely don’t need fancy, expensive equipment for this bake to turn out perfectly every time!

Ingredients

Here’s everything you need to make this one bowl banana cake. (Scroll down to the recipe card for exact measurements!)

• Ripe Bananas: Make sure they are heavily spotted or entirely brown on the outside. The riper they are, the sweeter they are, and the easier your hand mixer will puree them into the batter.
• Caster Sugar: I highly recommend caster sugar over regular granulated sugar. Because the crystals are finer, they dissolve much faster into the butter during the creaming stage. It creates a really stable, fluffy base that yields a lighter, finer cake crumb.
• Softened Butter: Make sure your butter is at room temperature so it creams smoothly and effortlessly with the caster sugar. I use salted butter to skip adding salt to my batter.
• Eggs: Use standard large eggs here, not extra-large. Tip: room temperature eggs will blend into your butter mixture much faster and smoother!
• Self-Raising Flour (known as Self-Rising Flour in the US): This is the star ingredient that turns this from a dense loaf into a fluffy cake. Because the leavening agent is already perfectly balanced within the flour, it does the heavy lifting for you.
  (Only have plain/all-purpose flour? Don’t panic! Check the FAQ section below for a simple DIY substitute).
• Ground Cinnamon: A small amount of cinnamon adds warmth that pairs perfectly with the sweet banana.
• Vanilla: Like salt in savoury cooking, a good splash of vanilla enhances the natural sweetness of the bananas and ties the whole flavour profile together.

One Bowl Banana Cake Method

The best part about this recipe is its simplicity! Everything comes together perfectly in just a single bowl and a few easy steps.

Preheat your oven to 160°C fan forced. Grease and line a 20cm round cake tin with baking paper. In a large bowl, add your softened butter, and caster sugar. Beat with your electric hand mixer until the mixture is pale, soft, and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well with the mixer after each addition to keep the emulsion as smooth as possible. Take your whole, peeled ripe bananas, break them into chunks, and drop them directly into the bowl.

Use your hand mixer to beat the bananas right into the wet ingredients until the bananas are pureed. (Baker’s Note: Do not panic if the batter suddenly looks a little split or curdled here! The bananas are very wet and can temporarily break the butter emulsion. It is completely normal and the flour will fix it in the next step.) Beat in the vanilla and cinnamon (this can also be done while beating the butter and sugar). Next, add your self-raising flour directly over the wet batter.

Using a wooden spoon or a silicone spatula, gently stir everything together just until the flour is incorporated and the batter pulls back together into a smooth mix. Pour the batter into your prepared tin and smooth the top. Place it into the oven and bake for approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes. Because all ovens vary, do the skewer test at the 60-minute mark. If a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean, your cake is ready!

Banana Cake FAQ

Here are the answers to the most common questions I get about making this simple everyday cake.

Can I use plain flour if I don’t have self-raising flour?

Yes, but you’ll need to add your own leavening agent! If you only have plain flour (all-purpose flour) in the pantry, it is incredibly easy to make a DIY substitute. For this recipe, simply measure out your 2 cups of plain flour, add 4 teaspoons of baking powder, and sift them together well before adding them to the batter. This will give you the exact same fluffy lift as store-bought self-raising flour.

Help! My batter looks curdled after I added the bananas. Is it ruined?

Not at all! In fact, this is completely normal. Because we are adding heavy, wet fruit directly into the butter base, the mixture might temporarily separate or look curdled (you’ll often see this same thing happen when making carrot or hummingbird cakes). Do not panic and do not throw it out! The moment you stir in your self-raising flour, the starches will absorb the moisture and bind everything right back together into a beautifully smooth batter.

Can I use frozen bananas for this recipe?

Yes! Frozen bananas are fantastic for baking because they become incredibly sweet. The only catch is that they release a lot of excess liquid when they thaw. To use them in this one-bowl method, I recommend letting them defrost completely at room temperature on a couple of sheets of paper towel. Just before using, pat the tops gently with another paper towel to absorb any extra moisture before dropping them into your mixing bowl.

Can I bake this in a loaf tin instead?

You technically can, but I highly recommend sticking to the round cake tin. A 20cm round cake tin allows the batter to spread out and bake evenly into a light, fluffy cake crumb. If you put this same batter into a loaf tin, it sits much deeper in the pan, making it trickier to bake perfectly.

If you do go this route, you will absolutely need a large, high-sided loaf tin because this recipe makes a generous amount of batter and will easily overflow a standard, shallow tin. You will also likely need to drop the oven temperature slightly and bake it for closer to 90 minutes so the thick centre cooks all the way through without burning the top.

How do I know when the banana cake is perfectly baked?

Because all ovens run a little differently, the baking time of 1 hour and 20 minutes is just a guide. The easiest way to check without any special tools is the “touch test.” Gently tap the centre of the cake with your fingertip, if the sponge springs right back up, it is ready. You can also use a classic skewer test. At the 60-minute mark, gently insert a wooden skewer into the very center of the cake. If it comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached, the cake is done. If it comes out with wet batter, leave it in for another 10 minutes and test again.

How to Store and Freeze Banana Cake

Because this one-bowl banana cake is so incredibly moist, it stores beautifully and is perfect for making ahead of time.

Room Temperature or Fridge?

Because of the high moisture content from the bananas, this cake needs to be stored in an airtight container to keep it from drying out. If the weather is quite mild, it will stay perfectly soft on the kitchen counter for 2 to 3 days. However, if it is a particularly hot or humid week, I highly recommend popping that airtight container straight into the fridge. It will keep the cake fresh for up to 5 days without getting gummy. Just let your slice sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before eating so the butter in the cake softens back up!

How to Freeze

Banana cake is one of the best baked goods for freezing! You can freeze the entire cake or individual slices.

For individual slices: Wrap each slice tightly in cling wrap, then place them all into a freezer-safe ziplock bag or airtight container. This makes it incredibly easy to pull out a single slice for a lunchbox.

For the whole cake: Once the cake is completely cooled, wrap it tightly in a double layer of cling wrap, followed by a layer of aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn.

It will keep beautifully in the freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw, simply unwrap the slices/the whole cake and leave on the kitchen counter at room temperature for a couple of hours until soft and ready to eat.

One Bowl Banana Cake

Mix up this easy one bowl banana cake recipe in minutes using just a hand mixer and basic pantry staples. The self-raising flour yields a perfectly light and fluffy banana cake every single time!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr 20 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Course Brunch, Dessert

Cuisine American, Australian

Servings 8 serves

Ingredients

  

• 250 grams (1 cup) butter, softened to room temperature
• 225 grams (1 cup) caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 large eggs
• 3 overripe bananas
• 250 grams (2 cups) self raising flour
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 180°C / 355°F conventional, or 160°C / 320°F fan forced. 
• In a large bowl, cream the butter, sugar, and vanilla together using an electric mixer until light and fluffy, for approximately 3 minutes.
• Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
• Add the peeled bananas in chunks, and beat until they are pureed and thoroughly mixed through the batter.
• Use a wooden spoon or sturdy spatula to gently fold in the flour and cinnamon until just combined.
• Pour the batter into the cake tin and bake on the centre rack of your oven for about 1 hour and 20 minutes. All ovens vary, so consider checking for doneness at the 60 minute mark.

Notes

DIY Self-Raising Flour: If you only have plain flour (all-purpose flour) on hand, you can easily make your own for this recipe! Simply combine 250g (2 cups) of plain flour with 4 teaspoons of baking powder, and sift them together well before folding them into your batter.

Keyword Easy Banana Cake Recipe

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