Chocolate Chip Banana Cake with Chocolate Frosting
This moist, delicious Banana Cake with chocolate buttercream frosting is packed with flavor and delicious chocolate chips. It’s soft, moist, and rich and sure to be a hit whenever you make it!

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Hi there! My name’s Fiona and today I’m stopping in here at The Happier Homemaker to share this chocolate chip banana cake with chocolate frosting. I blog over at Just So Tasty, and I love sharing recipes that start from scratch but aren’t too fussy. Particularly anything with chocolate.
This banana cake is definitely a favorite of mine. It’s a perfectly moist banana cake that’s filled with big banana flavor and dotted with chocolate chips. Then it’s topped with the creamiest, smoothest chocolate frosting.
If you love banana bread – then this one’s for you.
Why I love this recipe
What I love about this recipe is that it’s the perfect way to make something a little more special with your brown bananas. Plus since we’re making this chocolate chip banana cake in a 9×13 inch pan, there’s no fancy decorating needed.
I love that this cake is filled with chocolate without being too rich. And if you’re looking for the perfect way to use up old bananas – then this chocolate chip banana cake with chocolate frosting is the perfect recipe for you!
Ingredients
The key to making an awesome banana cake is to amp up the flavor. The banana cake is filled with flavor for a few key reasons.
- We’re starting with real butter.
- Using brown sugar adds a caramel hint.
- Lots of vanilla extract.
- A pinch of cinnamon.
- And lots of ripe bananas.
The mashed overripe bananas add moisture so the cake is super soft. Then a combination of milk and sour cream keeps it extra moist too.
The chocolate frosting is a simple buttercream made with butter, cocoa powder, icing sugar, and cream. Nothing fancy, just creamy delicious homemade chocolate frosting. I recommend using whipping cream for the best flavor and fluffiest texture, but if you only have milk on hand it’ll work too.
Step by step
- Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Grease and flour a 9×13 inch pan.
- In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set the dry ingredients aside.
- In a separate large bowl or stand mixer (affiliate link) beat together the butter and sugars until fluffy. Add in the eggs and vanilla and continue beating.
- Turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Then beat in the mashed bananas followed by the sour cream.
- With the mixer on low beat in the flour mixture, followed by the buttermilk. Stir in the mini chocolate chips.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45-50 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool before frosting.
- When you are ready to make the frosting, beat the butter until fluffy in a large bowl using an electric mixer.
- Sift together the cocoa powder with 3 cups of powdered sugar and the salt, then carefully beat it into the butter.
- Then beat in the whipping cream 1 tablespoon at a time until you get the desired consistency and sweetness level, adding the rest of the powdered sugar as needed.
- Frost the cooled cake and serve.

Variations
- use our peanut butter buttercream frosting instead of chocolate
- omit the chocolate chips
- add chopped pecans or walnuts to the cake batter for a banana nut bread-style cake
Storage
Store leftover cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
If you try this recipe please comment and rate it below, I love hearing from you!
PrintChocolate Chip Banana Cake with Chocolate Frosting
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 18 1x
Description
This moist, delicious Banana Cake is packed with flavor and filled with delicious chocolate chips. It’s soft, moist, and rich and sure to be a hit whenever you make it!
Ingredients
For the Chocolate Chip Banana Cake
- 2 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
For the Chocolate Frosting
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
- 3–4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4–6 tablespoons whipping cream
Instructions
For the Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350F degrees. Grease and flour a 9×13 inch pan.
- In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- In a separate large bowl beat together the butter and sugars until fluffy. Add in the eggs and vanilla and continue beating
- Turn off the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Then beat in the mashed bananas followed by the sour cream.
- With the mixer on low beat in the flour mixture, followed by the buttermilk. Stir in the mini chocolate chips.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 45-50 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool before frosting.
Make the Chocolate Frosting
- In a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat the butter until fluffy.
- Sift together the cocoa powder with 3 cups of powdered sugar and the salt, then carefully beat it into the butter.
- Then beat in the whipping cream 1 tablespoon at a time until you get the desired consistency and sweetness level, adding the rest of the powdered sugar as needed.
- Frost the cooled cake and serve.
Notes
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 449
- Sugar: 40.1 g
- Sodium: 171.8 mg
- Fat: 22.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 59.3 g
- Protein: 5.7 g
- Cholesterol: 79.2 mg
This cake was a big hit and tasted so good, thank you!!!!!
Glad you enjoyed it!
so delicious!
Made this for a co-worker’s bday because she requested a banana cake with chocolate frosting. This did not disappoint. Everyone loved it! Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Yay! I’m so glad everyone liked it. I haven’t made this one in a while, now I’m craving it! Have a great day, ~Melissa
This cake is great summer alternative to banana nut bread! For some reason, banana bread always makes me think of fall. Love too that it’s made with simple, wholesome ingredients. Thanks for sharing it, Fiona!
I shouldn’t have opened this post before breakfast. everything looks so good and now I want something sweet.