Moist Banana Snack Cake with Creamy Nutella Frosting

Luscious and fuss-free, this banana snack cake topped with a Nutella buttercream is one you’ll want to save whenever ripe bananas appear.

When bananas get very ripe, many people reach for banana bread or freeze them for smoothies. I’m often team smoothie, but sometimes you want something you can slice and serve — cake fits that bill perfectly. With fruit in the batter it’s practically breakfast, and with a smear of chocolate-hazelnut buttercream it becomes an indulgent treat that’s still not overly sweet. Moist, flavorful, and quick enough for a weeknight, this banana snack cake is an everyday winner.

banana snack cake on a cutting board ready to serve

I’ll admit it freely: I’ll eat cake for breakfast simply because I want to. That’s one of the perks of adulthood. Some days we eat vegetables and fish, other days we choose cake. When a banana snack cake is in the house, it quickly becomes a daily favorite.

What is a snack cake?

A snack cake is an easy-to-make, modest-sized cake that doesn’t require elaborate decoration. It’s smaller than a traditional sheet cake and fast enough to bake on a weeknight. Snack cakes are the kind of from-scratch cakes you make just because — simple, satisfying, and elegant enough to serve to guests. I typically bake mine in an 8×8-inch square pan or an 8- or 9-inch round pan.

Banana snack cake baking tips

Banana cake is different from banana bread: both are moist and rich with banana flavor, but cake has a lighter texture. That comes from creaming butter and sugar to incorporate air and adding milk to thin the batter. For best results, use very ripe bananas — the ones with brown spots or nearly brown skins. Those extra-ripe bananas are sweeter and softer, so you need less sugar and they mash more easily. For cake you want a smooth banana mixture rather than large chunks.

Another tip: bake this cake at a lower temperature, around 325°F. A gentler bake prevents the edges and bottom from over-browning while allowing the center to cook evenly, which helps retain moisture. Because the batter is fairly substantial, it needs time in the oven — typically 40–45 minutes — until a tester comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

gold knife slicing into the banana snack cake with nutella buttercream frosting

Which frosting is best?

My top pick is the Nutella buttercream shown here — the chocolate-hazelnut flavor pairs beautifully with banana. If you prefer something different, chocolate buttercream, salted caramel buttercream, or a classic vanilla frosting would also work well. The cake is flexible, so pick a frosting to suit your mood.

Store leftover cake covered in the refrigerator for 3–4 days, though it’s likely to disappear sooner.

bite of banana cake on a fork close to the camera

I hope you enjoy this banana snack cake. Happy baking!

Banana Snack Cake with Nutella Buttercream Frosting

Yield:
8 servings

Prep Time:
20 minutes

Cook Time:
45 minutes

Total Time:
1 hour 5 minutes

Luscious and fuss-free, this banana snack cake with a chocolate-hazelnut frosting is a recipe you’ll want to save the next time ripe bananas appear.

Ingredients

Banana Cake

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk, room temperature
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup mashed bananas (about 2 large)

Nutella Buttercream Frosting (see notes)

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup Nutella chocolate hazelnut spread
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
pinch salt
1 tablespoon milk (only if needed to thin frosting)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease an 8×8-inch pan, line with parchment, and set aside.
In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Scrape the bowl sides.
Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla.
In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
Combine the milk and lemon juice in a measuring cup.
Add one-third of the flour mixture to the butter mixture, then half the milk. Repeat, finishing with the last third of flour and stirring until combined.
Fold in the mashed bananas and transfer the batter to the prepared pan.
Bake 40–45 minutes, or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
Cool the cake on a wire rack while you make the frosting.
For the frosting, cream the butter, salt, and Nutella together. Add the powdered sugar in 2–3 batches, stirring slowly to incorporate.
Beat the frosting on medium speed 1–2 minutes until light and fluffy. If it’s too thick, add up to 1 tablespoon milk to thin.
Spread frosting over the cooled cake and serve.
Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for 3–4 days.

Notes

The frosting yields enough to ice the cake as pictured. If you prefer more frosting, double the frosting recipe. A single batch is usually sufficient for this cake.