Healthy Banana Cake made without butter or oil, but so tender and flavourful that you’d never be able to tell. Topped with a lightened-up cream cheese frosting, this delicious banana-flavoured cake feels decadent but is actually surprisingly healthy.
Oh, hi there! Remember me?
Because I know I’ve been a little MIA from the blog and social media world for the last handful of days, but – you guys – this past week thoroughly kicked my butt. I’m not sure how much detail I want to go into with this being a recipe post and all, but let’s just say it’s hard to create quality blog content when you’re in the middle of making a batch of flourless brownies and have to leave the raw batter sitting on the counter so you can rush your dog to the emergency vet clinic.
Ky hasn’t been doing well and we’re not even 100% sure what’s wrong with her. She’s old, sure, but numerous tests have come back “normal” and we have no explanation as to why she won’t eat, drink, or move around much. They’re tossing around the “C” word, but my mind isn’t ready to go there just yet. I wasn’t even sure I wanted to mention anything on Spoons at all, but I tried going that direction with this post at first and the whole thing felt way too fake. It’s just hard to get super jazzed about a recipe when you’re trying to process the fact that it’s only a matter of time before you lose a member of your family, you know?
But we’re going to try because what else is there? We’re doing everything we can for her at this point, so I guess we’ll just have to wait and see how things play out. I’ll keep you posted. And thanks for letting me vent a little bit.
SO! Chocolate chip banana cake. With cream cheese frosting, because why not?
Would you believe me if I told you that the combination totally works? Because I wasn’t too sure how well the chocolate and cheese would go together, but I had a couple of overripe bananas that needed using up, and I wanted something with a little more pizzaz than plain banana bread. I mean, it’s the holidays after all.
SO! I tossed a healthy handful of chocolate chips into one of my favourite banana bread recipes, swapped out the loaf pan for a square baking pan, and topped the whole thing with a thick layer of cream cheese frosting… which is technically optional but really shouldn’t be.
I mean…
… yeaaaaaaaah.
Normally I’m a cake over frosting kind of girl, but I make an exception for the tangy sweetness of cream cheese frosting. It’s seriously heaven.
And despite how rich and decadent the whole thing might sound, this banana cake is actually on the healthier side. The cake itself is made without any butter or oil, and uses maple syrup to stay refined-sugar-free. For the frosting, I used a light cream cheese, replaced the butter with a few spoonfuls of Greek yogurt, and substantially cut back on the sugar. You could probably even sub in some stevia (to taste) if you wanted to lower the sugar even more, but I’m not a huge fan of the taste so I just went the regular sugar route.
The recipe itself is super easy to whip up, requiring only one bowl for the cake and another for the frosting. Just make sure to let the cake cool completely before you try frosting it, or it’ll just melt right off.
Happy eating!
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Healthy Banana Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
- Total Time: 50 mins
- Yield: 16 pieces
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup (115 g) plain Greek yogurt
- 2 medium-size, ripe bananas, mashed (200 g or 1 cup)
- 6 Tbsp (90 ml) maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup (60 g) quick oats
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 1/4 cup (150 g) white whole wheat flour
- Optional add-ins: 1/2 cup (80 g) chocolate chips/dried fruit/nuts/etc.
For the frosting:
- 4 oz (112 g) low fat cream cheese
- 2 Tbsp (30 g) plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup (60 g) confectioners’ sugar*
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350ºF (176ºC) and prepare an 8×8 (20 x 20cm) baking pan by lining it with a sheet of parchment paper, leaving a few inches of overhang on the sides to allow for easy removal. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, lightly beat the eggs until the yolks break apart. Whisk in the yogurt, bananas, maple syrup, and vanilla, mixing until smooth.
- Stir in the oats, baking soda, and cinnamon. Finally, spoon in the flour and gently stir it in until just combined. If you’re adding any mix-ins, fold them in now.
- Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan, spreading it out evenly. Bake for 35 – 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove the bread from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring it to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Once the cake is cool, prepare the frosting by beating the cream cheese, yogurt, sugar, and vanilla in a small bowl. Spread it on top of the cooled cake prior to slicing. Store the bread in a covered container in the fridge for up to 7 days, or freeze it (unfrosted) for up to 3 months.
Notes
* Feel free to add more sugar to the icing if it isn’t sweet enough for you. Just mix it in by the spoonful until it reaches your desired level of sweetness.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
Looking for more healthy banana recipes? Try one of these!
Banana Oat Greek Yogurt Muffins
Grain-Free Banana Bread Bars
Flourless Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
Blueberry Banana Bread Mug Cake
Greek Yogurt Banana Bread
*Disclosure: Some of the links included in this post may be affiliate links, meaning I’ll earn a small commission if you purchase through them, at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I personally use and believe will add value to my readers. Thank you so much for helping support Spoons!
This banana cake looks really well balanced and not overly complicated, which I appreciate. The texture in your photos looks incredibly soft and moist. I like how you kept it simple with healthier ingredients without losing the comfort-food feel.