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Upcycle ripe bananas with moist Chocolate Chip Banana Cake and scrumptious layers of salted caramel frosting; it’s next-level banana cake!

We love banana treats in this house, especially when we can use up ripe, sweetened bananas. Don’t miss these reader favorites: Easy Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies, Peanut Butter Banana Bread, and Pineapple Banana Hummingbird Cake. No ripe bananas? Don’t “flip out,” whip up a batch of classic, old-fashioned Cream-Filled Banana Flip Snack Cakes, YUM!

banana layer cake with salted caramel frosting topped with chocolate chips on a cake stand

Why You’ll Love This Banana Cake

Waste not, want not, or so they say, but you “want not” to miss this delicious banana cake alternative to the well-worn (yet beloved!) banana bread recipe. Artistically rustic two-layer affair with generous slathers of luscious salted caramel buttercream in the middle and on top.

  • Over-ripe bananas bring a burst of rich, natural sweetness, infusing this cake with a deep, irresistible banana flavor.
  • The moisture content in ripe bananas contributes to a soft and tender crumb, ensuring every bite of the cake is lusciously moist.
  • A chocolate chip banana layer cake recipe is easy to assemble without the hassle of fussy pastry bags or fancy tips.
  • With Salted Caramel Icing, ripe bananas add a sweet touch that perfectly blends with the salty caramel, creating a tasty combo that’ll make your taste buds happy!
  • The easy salted caramel frosting recipe uses caramel ice cream topping for convenience. 
  • Make a gorgeous, standout birthday cake that turns the ordinary into extraordinary with a banana birthday cake.
ingredients for banana layer cake
For Banana Cake
salted caramel frosting ingredients on a counter
For Salted Caramel Frosting

Ingredients For Banana Cake And Salted Caramel Icing

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Anyone who loves banana bread with chocolate chips will love this chocolate chip banana cake recipe! No exotic or hard-to-find ingredients, using the same basics as banana bread!

For specific amounts, please refer to the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.

The Banana Cake

  • Dry ingredients: Flour, Cinnamon, and Baking Soda
  • Creamed stuff: Butter, Sugar, and Brown Sugar
  • Eggs – brought to room temperature.
  • Bananas – over-ripe and mashed.
  • Vanilla Extract
  • Sour Milk Or Buttermilk –  Powdered buttermilk is always great to have on hand, or DIY sour milk* by adding white vinegar or lemon juice to milk.
  • Chocolate Chips – plus extra for garnish. 
  • Banana Chips – are optional for garnish.

*Buttermilk Substitute:

To make a 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) buttermilk substitute, ¼ cup of milk and ¾ teaspoon vinegar or lemon juice. Stir and let sit 5-10 minutes to curdle then add to the recipe.  ~you can use either distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar, which is a little sweeter.

For Frosting

  • Shortening – should be in its solid form, not melted.
  • Butter – softened enough to leave an indent with a fingertip press.
  • Caramel Ice Cream Topping – plus extra for garnish.
  • Kosher Salt – or sea salt.
  • Vanilla Extract
  • Powdered Sugar – even though the buttercream will get very dry before adding the cream, use the total amount listed. 
  • Heavy Cream – creates the creamiest frosting, but Half & Half or milk will also work.
banana cake batter and chocolate chips in a glass mixing bowl
banana cake batter in round cake pans
baked banana cake in round cake pans

Directions

First, pull the butter, eggs, and milk out of the fridge so they can warm while you gather up the rest of the stuff to make your spectacular banana layer cake. Grease and flour 2 (8-inch) cake pans, fit them with circles of parchment paper, and press them into the bottoms. Crank up the oven and get mixin’!

When you are making this recipe, you’ll want to use the full recipe at the bottom of the page.

Banana Cake Instructions

  1. Whisk or sift dry ingredients. 
  2. Cream butter, add sugars and eggs, mixing until light and fluffy.
  3. Blend in mashed bananas and vanilla, then mix in half the dry ingredients and sour milk until combined. Add the rest.
  4. Fold in chocolate chips and divide banana cake batter evenly into prepared pans.
  5. Bake for 30-40 minutes and let the banana cakes cool in pans for 5-10 minutes. 
  6. Turn cakes out on wire racks and cool completely before frosting.
salted caramel frosting in a glass mixing bowl
spreading frosting on the first layer of banana cake.
banana cake with frosting between layers
banana layer cake with caramel drizzle

Frosting Instructions

  1. Cream shortening and butter, then incorporate caramel topping, salt, and vanilla. Add one cup of sugar at a time, beating well and scraping the bowl as needed. Caramel buttercream should appear dry at this point, so add cream one tablespoon at a time and beat until light and fluffy.

Assembling A Banana Layer Cake

  1. Place one cake round on a plate, cake stand, or cardboard cake round, and use an offset spatula to spread half of the frosting over the cake.
  2. Top with the second banana cake layer, mound remaining frosting, and spread within an inch of the edge. Garnish with chocolate chips, banana chips, and caramel topping.
sliced of chocolate chip banana cake with frosting

Recipe Notes and Tips

  • For the very best flavor, you will want to use very ripe bananas. To the point that they are heavy on the black speckles (almost black) and mushy.
  • If your bananas are ripe but you are not ready to make your cake yet, you can prolong the life of overripe bananas a week or so by putting them in a plastic bag and storing them in the fridge, or you can keep them for months in the freezer.
  • To make removing the banana cake from the pan easier, line it with parchment paper after greasing and flouring so it doesn’t stick or crack your cake. 
  • When eggs are too chilled for cake batter, place them in a clean bowl with warm (not hot!) water for a few minutes; this hack has saved me many times.
slice of banana layer cake with a gold fork

How To Store Frosted Banana Layer Cake

Refrigerate/Leftovers

To keep your frosted banana layer cake fresh and delicious, you can store it covered on the counter for a day or two. If you want to stretch its shelf life, popping it in the fridge for an extra day or so is an option. Refrigerate covered or in an airtight container to prevent the frosting from drying out and absorbing any unwanted odors. You might discover it’s even more delightful when chilled

Before serving, allow the cake to come to room temperature for about 30 minutes for the best texture and flavor.

a bit of banana cake on a fork

Banana Cake Recipe FAQs

What can I use instead of the shortening in a salted caramel frosting recipe?

In a caramel buttercream frosting recipe, it’s recommended to replace shortening with a fat that is solid at room temperature, 1:1* ratio, like butter, ghee, or refined coconut oil (tasteless).

Can you use frozen bananas in a chocolate chip banana cake recipe?

Absolutely! As long as the bananas are ripe before freezing, they work great in a banana cake recipe. Frozen bananas must be thawed and brought to room temperature to add to the banana cake batter.

Can you use regular milk instead of sour milk or buttermilk in a banana cake recipe?

While you can substitute regular milk for sour milk or buttermilk in many recipes, you may not have the best results for a banana layer cake. 

The reason for using buttermilk in baking recipes is two-fold. The acidity activates the leavening action of the baking soda to create lift for just the right density. Buttermilk also adds rich moisture and a subtle tanginess to balance sweetness. For banana chocolate chip cake, I recommend adding a touch of white vinegar to regular milk for “sour milk” to activate the baking soda.

slice of banana layer cake with caramel sauce dripping over the sides

Substitutions and Variations

  • Mix it up! Swap regular chocolate chips for mini ones. You can also try white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, toffee bits, or chopped nuts – all fantastic options.
  • Get creative with frosting! Chocolate buttercream or is a perfect match for banana cake. Give it a try!
  • Go for a sheet cake! Instead of layers, make it in a 9×13 cake pan. Keep an eye on baking time; start checking around 20-25 minutes for the perfect sheet cake.
frosted banana cake with chocolate chips

Like This Recipe?

I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a review below and let me know how you liked the recipe!

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banana layer cake with salted caramel frosting topped with chocolate chips on a cake stand

Chocolate Chip Banana Layer Cake with Salted Caramel Frosting

Yield: 10-12 servings
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour

A moist dense banana cake with chocolate chips goes over the top when layered with salted caramel buttercream for a cake any banana bread lover will go wild over!

Ingredients

For the Chocolate Chip Banana Cake

  • 2 1/4 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 cup butter
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2-3 bananas)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup sour milk or buttermilk *see notes
  • 1 cup chocolate chips (extra for garnish)
  • 1/2 cup banana chips for garnish (optional)

For Salted Caramel Frosting

  • 1/3 cup shortening
  • 1/3 cup butter
  • 2/3 cup caramel ice cream topping (extra for optional garnish)
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 pound (4 cups) powdered sugar
  • 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream (or milk)

Instructions

For the Cake

  1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Grease and flour 2 (8-inch) cake pans. Cut 2 circles of parchment paper to fit the bottoms of the pans, then press them in (this will make it easier to remove the cake from the pan)
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together, flour, baking soda, and cinnamon and set aside. In a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (or using a hand mixer), cream the butter until smooth. Add sugars and eggs and mix until fluffy, then add mashed bananas and vanilla.
  3. Add half the dry ingredients and half the sour milk and mix just until combined. Repeat with remaining dry ingredients and milk.
  4. Fold in chocolate chips. Pour batter evenly into prepared pans and bake for 30-40 minutes. Let cakes cool in the pans 5-10 minutes. Turn out onto wire racks and let cool completely before frosting.

For the Frosting

  1. Cream shortening and butter with an electric mixer. Add ice cream topping, salt and vanilla. Gradually add sugar, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Stop to scrape sides and bottom of bowl as needed.
  2. When all sugar has been mixed in, icing will appear dry. Add milk 1 tablespoon at a time and beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.

To Assemble:

Place one cake round on a plate, use an off-set spatula to spread half of the frosting over cake. Then place other cake round on top, mound remaining frosting on top and spread within an inch of the edge. Garnish with chocolate chips, banana chips, and caramel topping.

Notes

*Buttermilk Substitute: To make a 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) buttermilk substitute, ¼ cup of milk and 3/4 teaspoon vinegar or lemon juice. Stir and let sit 5-10 minutes to curdle then add to the recipe.  ~you can use either distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar, which is a little sweeter.

Storage:

To keep your frosted banana layer cake fresh and delicious, store it in the refrigerator if it won't be eaten within a day or two. If you want to stretch its shelf life, popping it in the fridge for an extra day or so is an option. Refrigerate covered or in an airtight container to prevent the frosting from drying out and absorbing any unwanted odors. You might discover it's even more delightful when chilled

Before serving, allow the cake to come to room temperature for about 30 minutes for the best texture and flavor.

Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 504Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 15gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 301mgCarbohydrates: 65gFiber: 2gSugar: 43gProtein: 6g

Nutrition information is estimated based on the ingredients and cooking instructions as described in each recipe and is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Please note that nutrition details may vary based on methods of preparation, origin, and freshness of ingredients used and are just estimates. We encourage, especially if these numbers are important to you, to calculate these on your own for most accurate results.

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© TidyMom
Cuisine: American / Category: Cake Recipes

Originally posted in April 2022. UPDATED May 2024. We spiffed up this post with more information. No changes were made to the recipe.

frosted chocolate chip banana cake with caramel sauce

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