Banana Coffee Cake – A Gluten Free Tray Bake
A delicious gluten free Banana Coffee Cake, baked for sharing… An easy, tender, moist banana tray bake sponge, infused with a shot of espresso and topped with sumptuous coffee buttercream. Optional dairy free.
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Perfect Pairing – Banana Coffee Cake
There are some flavour pairings that just ‘work’… And while a Banana Coffee Cake may not be an obvious marriage, it’s up there with the best! I just know you’ll LOVE this cake… So if you have any doubts, trust me and give it a go… It’s moist, tender, rich with banana, shot through with an invigorating infusion of espresso and delightfully balanced for sweetness. It’s straightforward, yet at the same time decadent. And most important… It’s a cinch to make and perfect for a crowd.
It was born out of a craving for both banana and coffee cakes… But fearing both might be somewhat excessive (and unable to choose which I wanted more), I decided to combine the two into one delightful tray bake. Sometimes I’m wiser than I give myself credit for, because THIS cake has just elevated itself up a list of favourites that has very high standards.
Why you’ll love this recipe
There are many MANY reasons why you’ll love this gluten free recipe for Banana Coffee Cake…
- It’s delicious!!
- The recipe is quick and easy to make.
- It’s created using an original recipe declared ‘the BEST Banana Bread’ by wheat-eaters.
- Because the recipe makes a tray cake, it’s perfect for sharing at parties, bake sales, etc.
- When it comes to flavour combinations, banana and coffee are made for each other.
- It’s great for using ‘going off’ bananas that might otherwise be wasted.
- The sponge is moist and tender and you would NEVER know its gluten free.
- Because it’s gluten free, it’s safe for our wonderful Coeliac (Celiac) Community.
- You can make it dairy free if it needs to be, so it’s additionally inclusive (substitution instructions on the recipe card).
Making Banana Coffee Cake Gluten Free
The only definitively gluten free ingredient needed to make my gluten free Banana Coffee Cake is the flour. All the other ingredients should be naturally free from gluten and wheat.
I always make my banana cakes with my own home-mixed Gluten Free Flour Blends. My preference for this recipe is my rice-free wholegrain Blend B, which has incredible structure, nutrition and texture (there’s no grittiness here!). However, you can still make the recipe with any other good, well-balanced gluten free commercial flour blend. Although I haven’t (for obvious reasons) tried it, I suspect it is also incredible made with traditional wheat flour too (if you are fortunate enough not to have to worry).
As always, however, when making a gluten free cake, it’s important to double-check ALL the labels and ingredients used to be sure they are safe for anyone with Coeliac Disease or another dietary health need. Hidden gluten and cross-contamination is a serious issue and should be avoided at all costs.
Getting the best flavour in Banana Coffee Cake
If you want your Banana Coffee Cake to sing banana and coffee, it’s important to consider the flavour you are putting into it! Not all bananas are equal and neither are all types of coffee. So…
Bananas
Bananas become sweeter as they ripen. And while we may not love eating the mushy texture of the ones that have gone brown, spotted and past their best… these are always the sweetest and PERFECT for making banana cake! They are also much easier to mash so they combine well in the batter, giving an even moistness and texture to the sponge.
I recommend you try roasting them too… Roast them in their skins and then peel and mash for extra banana intensity and deliciousness.
Coffee
To avoid adding too much liquid to the cake batter, it’s important to use coffee which is of the instant powder variety. This is formulated ready to consume and to dissolve completely with no grittiness or grouts.
Again however, not all instant coffee is the same… Choose a strong variety (the flavour strength is often marked on the jar or tin)… Preferably an espresso!
No tray cake tin? Make the sponge as an 8 inch square…
I appreciate that not everyone has a tray bake tin, so how should you adapt the quantities for a smaller cake?
To make an 8 inch (20 cm) square cake, simply reduce the mix by a third… I’ve made this easy for you to calculate with the ingredient quantity buttons on the recipe card. To reduce by one-third, press the 0.66x button and the quantities should be re-calculated.
How to serve your gluten free Banana Coffee Cake
While I top my Banana Coffee Cake with Coffee Buttercream, if you prefer your sponge ‘naked’ then it is still utterly delicious. Make the cake and serve it as it is… undecorated, no buttercream, straight and simple. If you’re worried you might miss out on an extra coffee hit, add an additional teaspoonful to the cake batter… Just be careful not to add too much (a bitter cake is not great).
Either way, with or without buttercream, Coffee Banana Cake is incredible served on its own… fork or no fork (no cake etiquette required).
But (and I can thoroughly recommend this)… We decided to try it with an added scoop of dark chocolate ice cream… god it was good! The combination of banana, coffee and chocolate was simply incredible. Without a doubt… next time I make the cake, I’ll be adding some dark chocolate chips to the mix as well!
Ready to make Gluten Free Banana Coffee Cake?
Thank you for reading! The recipe for my Gluten Free Banana Coffee Cake is just below. Let me know what you think! And contact me if you have any questions…
You can leave a comment at the bottom, message me on social media (Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest) or email me at kate@glutenfreealchemist.com.
For all our other recipes, head over to the Gluten Free Recipe Index! There are so many recipes to choose from on your gluten free journey. All shared with my love
Banana & Coffee Tray Cake
Key equipment
Ingredients
Banana Cake
- 210 g plain gluten free flour blend – I use GFA Blend A or B (see NOTES)
- 100 g ground almonds (blanched almond meal)
- 1 tsp xanthan gum
- 1 ¼ tsp baking powder – gluten free
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
- 1 tsp fine sea salt
- 100 g unsalted butter (or dairy free alternative) – softened
- 150 g caster sugar – preferably golden caster sugar
- 125 g light soft brown sugar
- 2 large eggs – At room temperature (UK large = Canadian ‘Extra Large’; Australian ‘Jumbo’; and US ‘Extra or Very Large’)
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tsp instant espresso coffee powder
- 2 tsp boiling water
- 3 medium bananas – preferably very ripe or roasted (see notes) EACH banana should weigh in the region of 160g (in skin) and approx 115g banana flesh (after peeling).
- 175 g buttermilk or standard plain yoghurt See NOTES (important) – dairy free as required
Optional
- Chocolate chips or chunks (approx 100g) – dark or milk are best
- Chopped Nuts (walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts) (approx 100g) best oven-toasted
Coffee Buttercream
- ¾ tbsp instant espresso coffee powder
- 2 tsp boiling water
- 160 g unsalted butter (or dairy free alternative) softened
- 320 g icing sugar (powdered/confectioners sugar)
- pinch fine sea salt
- ½ tbsp milk for consistency only if needed – approx – (DF as required)
Decoration optional
- grated dark chocolate
- cake sprinkles or toasted nuts (gluten free)
Instructions
- Base-line the traybake tin with baking paper.
- Pre-heat the oven to 180 C/350 F/Gas 4.
- Weigh and mix together the flour, almonds, xanthan gum, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt and set aside. (TIP: Weigh into a large airtight container and shake vigorously).
- Using an electric whisk, cream together the butter and sugars in a large bowl, until light, blended and fluffy.
- Lightly beat the eggs together in a small bowl to combine yolk with white, before adding to the butter-sugar mix a little at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Add and beat in the vanilla extract.
- Mix the instant espresso powder to a paste with the boiling water. Then add and beat into the batter.
- Remove the bananas from their skins and mash well with a fork in a separate bowl.
- Gently fold the mashed bananas into the wet mixture.
- If using, add the nuts or chocolate chips and fold through gently.
- Using a large spoon or spatula, gently fold in the buttermilk/yoghurt alternately with the dry mix about a third at a time, ensuring all the ingredients are JUST combined. Do not over-mix. (IMPORTANT: See Notes below re the gradual adding of buttermilk/yoghurt if using larger bananas).
- Transfer the batter into the prepared tin and spread the top evenly.
- Bake for approximately 30-35 minutes, until a skewer/toothpick inserted into the centre comes out almost clean and the top is firm to the touch but springs back.
- Leave to cool in the tin for 10 to 15 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Cover with a clean tea-towel while cooling to keep moist.
Coffee Buttercream
- Mix the espresso powder and boiling water together in a small bowl until smooth and completely dissolved. Set aside.
- Beat the butter until soft and pale.
- Gradually add the icing sugar (a little at a time), espresso paste and salt. The frosting should be well-blended and a smooth spreadable consistency. (Add a drop of milk only if the consistency needs to be loosened).
- Spread the buttercream over the top of the cake and decorate with grated dark chocolate and/or sprinkles of choice.
- Store the cake in an airtight cake tin/carrier at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Notes
Nutrition
© 2019-2026 Kate Dowse All Rights Reserved – Do not copy or re-publish this recipe or any part of this recipe on any other blog, on social media or in a publication without the express permission of Gluten Free Alchemist
Banana Coffee Cake shared with
- Full Plate Thursday # 734 with Miz Helen’s Country Cottage
- Fiesta Friday #577 with Angie & The Not So Creative Cook
I baked this yesterday. I added 100g of roughly chopped Walnuts, which gave it a nice crunch. The cake turned out very moist. I used the same tin size as you recommend and all other ingredients as in the recipe using the Blend B flour, except I only had two medium bananas and I didn’t ice it. However, the banana flavour really came through.
Thanks for another delicious recipe. This is one I will bake again (when my partner doesn’t eat her bananas).
Thank you Jon. I’m glad you enjoyed the cake. I’m terrible for letting bananas go soft and brown. So, if your partner is anything like me, you’ll be making the recipe frequently 😂 xx
Made a version of this for a friend who is gluten, milk and corn free and can never find any cake she can eat. This was so delicious, everyone who tried it asked for the recipe.
I’ve made several cakes from this site now, and they have all come out really good. They’re a bit more fiddly to make than some other recipes, but don’t be put off, the results are definitely worth it.
What lovely feedback Emma. Thank you!
It makes me very happy knowing that my recipes are being enjoyed. xx
I made this as a loaf cake without the icing. It worked brilliantly and was delicious.
Woohoo! Fabulous! I did the same for my daughter and she loved it. Thanks for taking the time to share and rate the recipe xxx
Tried this today, I used the reduced recipe for an 8 inch tin and non dairy alternatives. No added extras, just the buttercream topping.
It was so delicious and light. 😋
Thank you Kate for your lovely recipes and reigniting my love of baking x
I wanted to give it 5 stars but the 5th star did not work?
Thank you Ann. I’m so happy it worked for you and you loved it. And even happier that I’ve reignited your love of baking ♥️
Thanks for the star rating. I’m not sure why it didn’t take the 5th Star. Very strange! But on the back of your comment, I’ve take the liberty to add the additional one on your behalf. I hope that’s ok.
Best wishes
Kate
Yes, you deserve it x
Thank you x
Fabulous recipe. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you Clare. You’re welcome x