Fudge Banana Cake
This Fudge Banana Cake is a great way to use up ripe bananas when you don’t want to make banana bread. And you can use a cake mix or make it from scratch both instructions included!
This cake has been around for awhile….I just forgot about it, lol! I used to make this cake a lot when I was a teen. My whole family loved it and it was a cake that required just a few extra steps that made me feel like I was really baking.
Plus, it is something different than banana bread. Not that banana bread is bad because I love a good slice of warm banana bread just sometimes I like to change things up a bit.
Ingredients
For the oat topping you will need 3 simple ingredients: old fashioned oats, brown sugar, and butter. You can also use quick oats if that is all you have but I prefer old fashioned.
The fudge part of the cake you will need a can of sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated) and semisweet chocolate. Any brand of chocolate will do. Just use one that you like. You can also use chocolate chips instead.
For the cake, you can use either a devils food cake mix or follow the homemade version using- flour, cocoa powder, brown sugar, white sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add ripe mashed bananas, eggs, vanilla, and melted butter.
How to Make Fudge Banana Cake
Start with the oat topping. Combine brown sugar and butter in a bowl and combine until crumbly. Toss with oats.
Next, make the fudge part of the cake (I love this part!) Combine 2/3 cup sweetened condensed milk (save the rest for later) with chopped chocolate and melt over low heat. Set aside while you make the cake.
Now, it’s up to you whether you make the cake from scratch or use a cake mix. There is no judgment here! Cake mix route: Combine the dry cake mix with melted butter, eggs, vanilla, and mashed bananas. From scratch: Combine all the dry cake ingredients until well combined. Mix in the melted butter, eggs, vanilla, and mashed bananas.
Now for the fun part, assembly! Pour the cake batter into a 9×13 baking pan and top with spoonfuls of the melted chocolate. Sprinkle with oat mixture.
Bake for 40 minutes or until the cake pulls away from the sides of the pan.
Use the leftover sweetened condensed milk to make fresh whipped cream to top the cake with…..so good!!
FAQs
Cover the cake tightly with foil. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 7 days. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.
Yes! Remove cake from pan and wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then in foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw completely before serving.
No. Unfortunately, they are not the same and can not be used interchangeably.
More Chocolate Recipes:
- Molten Lava Cake
- Homemade Chocolate Truffles
- Chocolate Meringue Pie
- Homemade Chewy Brownies
- Homemade Hot Fudge Sauce
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Fudge Banana Cake
Ingredients
TOPPING:
- 1 cup (100g) old fashioned oats
- ½ cup (100g) packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup (56g) butter, cold and cut into small pieces
FUDGE FILLING:
- 1 cup (6oz) (170g) semisweet chocolate pieces or chips
- 1 (14oz) (396g) can sweetened condensed milk; divided
CAKE:
- 1½ cups (210g) all purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 1 cup (230g) sugar
- 1 cup (200g) packed brown sugar
- ⅔ cup (60g) dutch process cocoa powder (spooned and leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 large ripe bananas, mashed
- ½ cup (56g) butter, melted
- 3 large eggs
- 1½ tablespoons vanilla
WHIPPED CREAM:
- 1½ cups (355ml) heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease bottom only of a 9×13 baking pan; set aside.
TOPPING:
- Combine the brown sugar and butter in a small bowl until crumbly. Stir in oats; set aside.
FUDGE FILLING:
- In a small saucepan, heat chocolate pieces and ⅔ cup sweetened condensed milk over low heat until chocolate is melted, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; set aside.
CAKE:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Add bananas, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla and mix just until well combined.
- Spread batter evenly into prepared pan. Drop chocolate mixture by large teaspoonfuls evenly over the batter. Sprinkle with reserved oat mixture. Bake 40-45 minutes or until cake pulls away from the sides of the pan. Cool cake in pan on wire rack. Serve with whipped cream and banana slices if desired.
WHIPPED CREAM:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer combine the heavy whipping cream and remaining sweetened condensed milk. Beat on high until stiff peaks form.
Notes
- CAKE MIX VERSION: Replace the flour, sugars, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and vanilla with a boxed devil’s food cake mix.
- STORAGE: Cover the cake tightly with foil. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 7 days. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.
- FREEZER FRIENDLY: Remove cake from pan and wrap tightly in plastic wrap and then in foil. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw completely before serving.
This is a delicious cake.
Thank you so much!! It’s one of our favorites to make!
Wow! Easy and delicious! Used a cake mix to simplify. The crunchy chewy topping and the pools of fudge really make it special!
So glad you liked it!! Thanks for sharing!
This one is a keeper! Super easy to make and the kids enjoyed helping!
So glad you liked it!!
This was a huge hit with my kids! They loved helping me make it and the gobbled it right up! Thanks for the recipe!
So glad you liked it!
What a fun little dessert! Everyone loved it, we’ll be keeping this recipe for sure! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you!!
So rich and delicious! My family loved it.
So glad you enjoyed it!!