Coffee Banana Cake
This coffee banana cake is soft, moist, and topped with a luscious, sweet mascarpone frosting that makes every bite irresistible. Perfect for afternoon tea, brunch, or as a show-stopping dessert for any celebration!
Made with ripe bananas and a hint of coffee, this cake is packed with flavor. It's easy to make with basic pantry ingredients, in just a few steps. The mascarpone cheese frosting adds a touch of elegance, making it feel special without any extra fuss!
If you're looking for more ways to use up those ripe, spotty bananas in your kitchen, do try my sourdough discard banana bread, pumpkin banana bread, and this super popular walnut & fig banana bread!
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
✨ Soft, moist, and flavorful- Ripe bananas and coffee create a tender crumb with rich, aromatic flavor.
✨ Delicious frosting - Creamy, rich mascarpone frosting complements coffee and bananas very well. It also makes this cake effortlessly fancy!
✨ Easy to make - A straightforward recipe with simple ingredients and minimal prep time.
✨ Perfect for special occasions or everyday treats - Enjoy with a cup of coffee or serve it for a get-together!
Recipe Ingredients
Flour: I used a mix of amaranth flour and whole wheat flour. You can easily substitute with all whole wheat, all-purpose flour, or use a mix of the two.
Bananas: Use very ripe bananas for the best and the sweetest flavor.
Coffee: Instant coffee works well here. Use any kind you like. You can also add a shot of espresso, if you prefer.
Sugar: Brown sugar is great in this banana coffee cake recipe for its deep, caramel-like flavor. You can use coconut sugar or raw sugar.
Cinnamon powder: For a warm, cozy flavor.
Oil: I like coconut oil a lot for my baking. But any vegetable oil will work.
Yogurt: Please use plain Greek yogurt. If using regular yogurt, be sure to drain it of excess liquid.
Walnuts: I love the nutty crunch of walnuts in banana breads. You can also use pecans, almonds, or leave out the nuts altogether.
Mascarpone cheese: Full-fat mascarpone cheese works well here. You can also use cream cheese in this banana coffee cake recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for full information about the ingredients and quantities.
How To Make Coffee Banana Cake
Step 1: Preheat the oven and grease an 8" cake tin well.
Step 2: Sift both the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Stir in the brown sugar.
Step 3: In another bowl, mash the bananas using a fork. Add in the oil, yogurt, coffee, and vanilla extract. Mix well.
Step 4: Mix in the wet and dry ingredients until just combined. Don't overmix.
Step 5: Fold in the walnuts.
Step 6: Pour the batter into your prepared tin. Bake for 40-45 mins, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs attached.
How To Make The Mascarpone Frosting
While the cake bakes, you can make the frosting. Though the coffee and banana cake is delicious on its own, I highly recommend that you don't skip this. It ties the dessert together perfectly, with complementary flavours and textures. I’d consider the coffee banana cake incomplete without it!
All you need to do is blend mascarpone cheese with icing sugar until it's smooth and creamy.
Once the banana coffee cake has cooled completely, top it generously with the frosting. A little sprinkle of walnuts and chopped chocolate-covered coffee beans finishes the cake perfectly!
Top Tips
- Use room temperature ingredients. This ensures a smoother batter and frosting.
- For a soft, tender crumb, don't overmix the batter. Mix until the ingredients are combined.
- You can easily use stronger coffee for a stronger flavor.
- Use ripe bananas! The riper, the sweeter and more moist the cake will be.
- Store this banana and coffee cake in the refrigerator.
How To Serve and Store
This coffee and banana cake is delicious served at room temperature with a cup of tea or coffee.
You can drizzle some chocolate sauce or caramel sauce to make it even more indulgent!
Store the cake in the refrigerator, in an airtight container, for 3 -4 days. Bring the cake to room temperature before eating.
Recipe
Coffee Banana Cake
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Amaranth Flour
- 1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
- 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
- 1 1/4 tsp Baking Powder
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1 tsp Cinnamon Powder
- 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
- 3 medium Bananas
- 1.5 tbsp Instant Coffee I mixed the Instant coffee with 2 tbsp hot water to create a liquid mixture.
- 1/2 cup Plain Greek yogurt
- 1/3 cup Coconut Oil You can use melted butter or any other neutral tasting vegetable oil
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 cup Chopped Walnuts
Mascarpone Frosting
- 1/2 cup Mascarpone Cheese, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup Powdered sugar
- Chopped walnuts and chocolate-covered coffee beans Optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 C / 350 F. Grease an 8" cake tin well.
- Sift both the flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl.1/2 cup Amaranth Flour, 1 cup Whole Wheat Flour, 1/2 tsp Baking Soda, 1 1/4 tsp Baking Powder, 1/4 tsp Salt, 1 tsp Cinnamon Powder
- Stir in the brown sugar.1/2 cup Brown Sugar
- In another bowl, mash the bananas using a fork.3 medium Bananas
- Add in the oil, yogurt, coffee, and vanilla extract. Mix well.1.5 tbsp Instant Coffee, 1/2 cup Plain Greek yogurt, 1/3 cup Coconut Oil, 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- Fold in the mixed dry ingredients, until just combined. Don't overmix.
- Fold in the walnuts.1/2 cup Chopped Walnuts
- Pour the batter into your prepared tin.
- Bake at 180 C/ 350 F for 40-45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean with just a few moist crumbs attached.
- If the cake starts browning too much on the top, cover loosely with a piece of foil.
Frosting
- Using an electric beater or whisk, whip the mascarpone cheese till it's soft, about 1 minute.1/2 cup Mascarpone Cheese, at room temperature
- Then add the powdered sugar, continue beating for 30 seconds to 1 minute.1/3 cup Powdered sugar
- Once the cake is completely cooled, top it with the frosting.
- Top with chopped walnuts and chocolate-covered coffee beans. This is optional.Chopped walnuts and chocolate-covered coffee beans
- Slice and serve. Enjoy!
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients. This ensures a smoother batter and frosting.
- For a soft, tender crumb, don't overmix the batter. Mix until the ingredients are combined.
- You can easily use stronger coffee for a stronger flavor.
- Use ripe bananas! The riper, the sweeter and more moist the cake will be.
- Store the coffee and banana cake in the refrigerator.
Hey. Can you tell me the quantity of bananna in grams ? I would really like to bake this one.
Natasha Author
Hi Manjari, this would be around 320-350 gms. Hope this helps. 🙂
Hi! Natasha
I am your biggest fan .Thank you for your wonderful recipes.I have tried a number of them .
Just wanted to know if I don't have Amaranth flour can I use regular flour.
Thank you
Natasha Author
Oh thank you for your sweet message, Genevieve! This truly makes me so happy! And yes, please substitute amaranth flour with all-purpose flour, its totally fine. Have a great day xoxo
I tried this cake with wholewheat flour and jaggery powder. Came out extremely good, thanks for the recipe. Surely ism gonna try more cake n breads..
Natasha Author
Thank you so much for the love, Shivani! xx
It looks awesome. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Thank You for Sharing this informative article! It is very useful to everyone Stay healthy and keep safe!
I am a big fan of coffee and banana together in a cake. I mostly drizzle mine with dark chocolate (mixed with some coffee) but I am loving the idea of mascarpone frosting...YUM!
Natasha Author
I was thinking of tiramisu while making the cake, wanted to add rum as well, but forgot! Thanks so much for appreciating xoxo