If you’re a fan of banana bread, then you’ll definitely want to try this Banana Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake recipe! It’s moist, flavorful and perfect for any occasion, whether you are hosting a dinner party, celebrating a birthday, or just looking for a sweet treat to enjoy with friends and family.
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If you’re looking for a twist on classic banana bread, I’ve got you covered! This bundt cake stars ripe mashed bananas, mini chocolate chips and a moist cake batter that’s baked to golden brown perfection.
If you follow along on Instagram, you know that banana bread is a staple in my household. From mini muffins and mini loaves to cream cheese swirls and studded with peanut butter chips, we can’t get enough. That’s why I decided it was high time to elevate my go-to quickbread by baking it in my favorite bundt pan. So next time you have some overripe bananas lying around, don’t throw them away – use them to make a delicious and moist banana cake!
Why You’ll Love It
- Perfect for any occasion, from a weekend brunch to a special celebration.
- Easy to make and doesn’t require any special equipment or skills.
- Moist and delicious. The combination of sweet bananas and rich chocolate is a match made in dessert heaven.
- Dust it with powdered sugar or drizzle it with chocolate or butterscotch sauce for a truly decadent dessert.
One of the best things about this cake is that it uses simple and easy-to-find ingredients that you likely already have in your pantry.
- Bananas: Overripe bananas are essential! They have a stronger, sweeter flavor than fresh bananas, which means your cake will have more flavor, and because they have more moisture than fresh, the cake will stay moist and tender, even after baking. Lastly, they’re easier to mash so they’ll blend more easily into the batter, creating a smoother texture and a more uniform banana flavor throughout. Bananas too green? Tune in to my video to learn the simple trick for how to quickly ripen bananas in 15 minutes or less.
- Lemon juice: Adds moisture and a touch of tang. I always prefer fresh lemon juice over bottled to achieve the best flavor.
- Flour: All-purpose flour provides the structure and texture needed to create a bundt cake with a tender crumb, and because it has a neutral flavor, the banana-y flavor shines through.
- Baking soda: To give the cake lift.
- Salt: I prefer to use kosher salt when baking because of its larger grain size, which dissolves more slowly than table salt. The slower dissolution ensures that the salt is distributed evenly throughout the batter, which is important for achieving consistent flavor. However, because this recipe only calls for ¼ teaspoon of kosher salt, the same amount of table salt can be substituted.
- Butter: To easily cream the butter, it’s crucial to bring it to room temperature. You can tell the butter has reached room temperature when you’re able to make a slight indentation with your finger by gently pressing into it. The butter should still feel slightly cool to the touch, rather than warm.
- Sugar: Two cups of granulated sugar add flavor (this is a dessert after all!).
- Eggs: Contribute to the texture, moisture, structure and flavor of the cake.
- Vanilla extract: Adds a rich, sweet flavor to the cake that complements the flavor of the bananas. For a fun twist, make your own homemade vanilla extract!
- Buttermilk: You’ll need the acidity in the buttermilk to react with the baking soda to give the cake lift. No buttermilk? No problem! I have an entire post on buttermilk substitutions.
- Chocolate chips: I developed this recipe using mini chocolate chips but regular-sized or even chocolate chunks would work, too.
Just like my favorite banana bread recipe, this bundt cake is wide open to customization. Get inspired with a few of my favorite mix-ins:
- Walnuts
- Pecans
- Chocolate chunks
- Raspberries
- Peanut butter chips
- Diced apples
- Coconut flakes
- Mash the overripe bananas and combine them with lemon juice. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- Cream together the butter and sugar. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or with a hand mixer), combine until light and fluffy, then beat in the eggs one at a time.
- Add the vanilla and then beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk.
- Fold in the mashed banana mixture and then the chocolate chips. Pour the batter into a greased nonstick 10-cup bundt pan.
- Bake the cake. Bake at 375°F until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely in the pan before inverting it onto a serving platter.
- Make sure to use ripe bananas for the best flavor and texture in your cake. Ripe bananas are softer and sweeter, which will give your cake a more intense banana flavor.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Overmixing can result in a tough and dense cake. Mix your ingredients until they are just combined, and be sure to scrape down the sides of your mixing bowl to ensure everything is well incorporated.
- Gently fold in the chocolate chips at the end of the mixing process. This will prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the cake.
Recipe FAQs
A tube pan or two round cake pans will work in place of a bundt pan, although you will need to adjust the baking time based on the size of the pan you choose.
After the cake has completely cooled, transfer it onto a plate and wrap it tightly with plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container. You can keep the cake on your counter for up to four days.
Absolutely! This freezes really well. After the loaf has completely cooled, wrap it first with plastic wrap and then with aluminum foil to create an airtight seal that will prevent it from drying out and developing freezer burn. You can store the wrapped loaf in the freezer for up to three months.
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Ingredients
- Cooking Spray
- 1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, at room temp
- 2 cups sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Grease a nonstick 10-cup bundt pan with cooking spray.
- In a small bowl, combine the mashed bananas with the lemon juice and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and the sugar until light and fluffy, then beat in the eggs one at a time.
- Add the vanilla and then beat in the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk.
- Fold in the mashed banana mixture and then the chocolate chips.
- Bake the cake until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely in the pan before inverting it onto a serving platter.
Kelly's Notes:
- Make sure to use ripe bananas for the best flavor and texture in your cake. Ripe bananas are softer and sweeter, which will give your cake a more intense banana flavor.
- Don't overmix the batter. Overmixing can result in a tough and dense cake. Mix your ingredients until they are just combined, and be sure to scrape down the sides of your mixing bowl to ensure everything is well incorporated.
- After the cake has completely cooled, transfer it onto a plate and wrap it tightly with plastic wrap or store it in an airtight container. You can keep the cake on your counter for up to four days. It also freezes really well. Wrap it first with plastic wrap and then with aluminum foil to create an airtight seal that will prevent it from drying out and developing freezer burn. You can store the wrapped loaf in the freezer for up to three months.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to give it a star rating below!
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I picked your recipe from many online, and it turned out beautifully (ie this recipe is being bookmarked!!). Substituted Silk oat milk which always tends to puff up my baked goods nicely and my go-to vegan Becel, which never lets me down. Haven’t tasted it (it’s for an event) but it looks and smells wonderful. Going to dust it with icing sugar as the finishing touch.Thank you!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Theeeeee BEST banana cake I have ever had. Trust me when I tell you I’ve had a lot.
Thrilled to read this, Susan! Thank you!
Hello Kelly and thank you for this great recipe. I did not eat any of the cake because I gifted the cake to a group of friends. They told me that I ‘outdid’ myself. I only had larger chocolate chips on hand, but I will get the mini chocolate chips for next time. Thanks again. Best Wishes, Cynthia
I’m so glad to hear that your friends enjoyed the recipe, Cynthia!
Absolutely delicious! It was perfectly dense but moist and everyone loved it. Thanks for sharing!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Martha!