This chocolate chip banana cake is made with fluffy, chocolate chip-studded banana cake layers and decadent chocolate buttercream frosting.

It’s such a delicious combination of flavors and textures. I love it so much I even made it for my birthday last year!!

Why is it Better to Use Overripe Bananas?

Most banana recipes insist on using only the ripest bananas, including this one. But why are overripe bananas better to bake with??

There are actually several reasons! The first is that as a banana ripens, more of its starch is converted into sugar. This creates sweeter, more tender baked goods.

Another benefit of baking with super ripe bananas is that they’re super easy to mash up. This ensures your banana cake layers have a uniform, even texture without any unexpected chunks of banana.

Overripe bananas are also more aromatic and give baked goods a more intense banana flavor than yellow bananas.

The final and best reason (in my opinion) is that it uses up overripe fruit that would otherwise go to waste!

With all that in mind, this recipe will still turn out if you use yellow bananas. It just won’t have as intense of a banana flavor!

Baking Hack: How to Quickly Ripen Bananas

If you only have yellow bananas and want that intense banana flavor, don’t worry!

You can easily turn yellow bananas brown in a matter of minutes. Preheat your oven to 300 F / 150 C and place your unpeeled bananas on a foil-lined baking sheet.

Bake them for about 15 minutes, or until the banana skin is uniformly dark in color.

Let them cool on that pan for 10 minutes, then carefully peel and mash them.

I use this hack all the time for banana bread and it works like a charm.

Substitutions and Swaps

While I love this chocolate chip banana cake recipe just the way it is, I know some of you might not have all these ingredients on hand!

Below are some swaps and substitutions that can be made in this recipe:

• Overripe Bananas – If you don’t have overripe bananas on hand, bake your bananas at 300 F for about 15 minutes or until the skins of the bananas are black.
• Lemon Juice – Fresh lemon juice really enhances the banana flavor in this recipe and prevents the mashed bananas from browning. It can be left out if needed though!
• All-Purpose Flour – This recipe turns out best with AP flour, but you can use a cup-for-cup gluten free flour blend in its place if needed.
• Unsalted Butter – If you only have salted butter, on hand you can use it in place of the unsalted butter in this recipe. Just be sure to omit the salt that this recipe calls for. You can also use vegan butter in its place!
• Baking Powder / Baking Soda – This recipe uses both leavening agents, and both are important to help this recipe rise correctly! Make sure both types of leavening agents are properly measured and haven’t expired.
• Whole Eggs – If you have an egg allergy you can use 3 flaxseed eggs or 3/4 cup of unsweetened applesauce + 1 extra Tbsp baking powder.
• Sour Cream – You can also use full fat yogurt, buttermilk, whole milk, or an alternative yogurt or milk (almond, soy, oat) if you’re dairy free.
• Mini Chocolate Chips – This mix-in is totally optional and you can omit it or use chopped up chocolate bits if you don’t have any on hand.

Substitutions and Swaps – Chocolate Buttercream Frosting

• Unsalted Butter – If you only have salted butter on hand you can use it in place of the unsalted butter. You can also use vegan butter in its place!
• Cocoa Powder – If you don’t have unsweetened cocoa powder you can use additional powdered sugar in its place.
• Chocolate – Melt down your favorite type of chocolate to make this frosting! Milk, semi-sweet and dark chocolate all work great!
• Heavy Cream – Whole milk or alternative milk (soy, almond, oat) will work fine in this frosting recipe if that’s what you have on hand.

Tips for Making the Best Chocolate Banana Layer Cake

• Properly measure your flour. Either spoon it into the cup measure, then level with a knife or use a kitchen scale.
• Don’t over-mix your batter! Mix on the speed the recipe recommends until the ingredients are just combined.
• Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature to help them mix together better.
• Don’t level your cake layers until they are completely cooled.
• Torte your cake layers (cut them in half horizontally) to make 6, thin cake layers. This creates an amazing frosting to cake ratio that makes every bite absolutely delicious.
• Make sure your buttercream is the right consistency before frosting your cake! It will help give your cake proper structure and make it easier to decorate.
• Let your chocolate ganache cool and thicken before spreading it around the cake. It’s also important to only add the ganache once your cake has been chilled and the frosting is firm to the touch.
• If your cake layers turn out less than perfect, I recommend reading my cake troubleshooting guide to see where things might’ve gone awry.

Making This Chocolate Banana Layer Cake In Different Sizes

This recipe can also be used to make different sized cakes. You can also half or double the ingredients to make a half or double batch!

You can make four 6″ cake layers with one batch of batter. Bake the cake layers at 350 F / 175 C for 30-33 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.

One batch of batter can also be used to make one 9×13 inch sheet cake. Bake it at 325 F/ 163 C for 40-50 minutes and use flower nails or heating cores to help the cake bake evenly.

You can also use this recipe to make a bundt cake! Bake time can vary based on the size and type of pan you use, and can take anywhere from 45-75 minutes. I recommend using a toothpick to test for doneness and checking on it every 5-10 minutes once it’s been in the oven for 45 minutes.

The final variation of this recipe is cupcakes!! This recipe makes about 24 regular sized cupcakes. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.

Making This Chocolate Banana Layer Cake in Advance & Storage Tips

Make your cake layers in advance and freeze them. It breaks the process up and makes it more approachable.

Make your frosting ahead of time too or save any leftover frosting! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, or in the freezer for up to a month. Be sure to give it a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.

A frosted cake can last in the fridge for up to a week or in the freezer for up to a month. The frosting locks in all the moisture, keeping the cake fresh and delicious! Just wait to add the banana slices (they’ll brown overtime) or use banana chips instead.

If you cut into the cake and have leftovers, use any remaining frosting to cover the cut section to keep it moist and store in the fridge for up to a week.

Let Me Know What You Think!

If you try this chocolate chip banana cake recipe, please leave a comment and/or rating below.

And don’t forget to tag me @chelsweets and #chelsweets so I can see your beautiful creations!! 🙂

Other Recipes You Might Like

If you want to take a stroll down memory lane, below are the original pictures of this cake from 2013. I originally used cream cheese frosting, but decided to amp things up with chocolate when I remade it.