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Fluffy Banana Oat Snacking Cake

Behold the wonder that is this one-bowl Fluffy Banana Oat Snacking Cake! Loaded with cozy flavors like vanilla, nutmeg, oats, bananas and brown sugar, it has a crumb that is soft, tender and fluffy (like you'd expect from anything banana!). Bonus, this cake doesn't need an electric mixer. The next time you're thinking of making banana bread, try this! xx
4.89 from 9 reviews
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Cake
Keyword: Banana, Oat, Snacking, Cake, Snack, Single-Layer, Bars, Chocolate, Oatmeal
Servings: 9 Servings
Author: Rebecca Firth

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup (55 g) light brown sugar (packed)
  • 8 tablespoons (113 g or 4 oz) unsalted butter (melted and cooled slightly)
  • 2 large eggs (room temperature)
  • 1 tablespoon real vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • ¾ cup (68 g) oat flour (see note below)
  • 1 1/2 cups (350 g) medium ripe bananas (about 3 bananas, peeled and mashed)
  • 1 2/3 cups (225 g) all-purpose flour (how to measure flour)
  • ¾ cup (177 g) water (room temperature)
  • 2/3 cup (113 g) dark chocolate chips

To Garnish

  • 1/3 cup (27 g) uncooked old-fashioned oats
  • 2 tablespoons (24 g) granulated sugar
  • 1/3 cup (57 g) dark chocolate chips

Instructions

For the Cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and place a rack in the center of the oven. Grease a 8-inch (20-cm) square baking dish and line the bottom and two sides of pan with parchment paper.
  • In large bowl, add the sugar, brown sugar, butter, eggs, vanilla, nutmeg and whisk until lighter in color and thick in consistency, about 2 minutes. Add the baking soda, baking powder, sea salt and oat flour, whisking to combine. Then gently fold in the mashed banana.
  • Alternate adding the flour and water in two batches, mixing each until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips and pour into the prepared pan.

To Garnish & Bake

  • Sprinkle with the uncooked oats, sugar and lastly the chocolate chips. Bake in the center of the oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until golden brown around the edges and puffed up in the middle of the cake. Set on a wire rack to cool completely before cutting into squares and serving.

Notes

A Note About Bananas

When your bananas are speckled with sugar spots and yield to the touch (and are no longer firm), that’s when they are perfect for baking.
If they are completely dark (the spots have blended together) and your bananas are mushy, then they are overripe bananas and no longer ideal to bake with, in my humble opinion.

A Note About Oat Flour

You can either buy oat flour at the store (I usually use Bob's Red Mill) or you can use regular Old-Fashioned Rolled Oats and blitz them in your blender until they are reduced to fine flour. Both work great in this recipe.
When working with oats, stir the cake batter as little (and as gently) as possible once the oat flour has been added. If you mix the oat flour too much, it can become gummy and ruin the texture of the cake.
*IF* you don't have oat flour, oats or can't be bothered with either, you can replace the oat flour with regular all-purpose flour 1:1. Please leave any questions in the comments section below.

Storing Your Cake

You can store your cake, covered at room temperature, for several days. 

Freezing Your Cake

You can freeze the cake base, wrapped tightly, for up to several months. Defrost, still wrapped, in the fridge overnight.
 

Want more cake tips, ideas & recipes?! Check out my
10 Favorite Easy Tips for Perfect Cakes! xx

Thanks for baking with me! Please rate + comment this recipe and tag me on social @displacedhousewife #displacedhousewife so I can see your beautiful treats! xo