Chocolate Banana Marble Cake

Chocolate and banana are made for one another! This delicious flavor combo comes together so beautifully in a Chocolate Banana Marble Cake. Baked in a bundt pan, this chocolate banana cake is easy and beautiful to serve.

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Got brown bananas? Then it’s time to bake this Chocolate Banana Marble Cake. Not only does it come together in a matter of minutes, but it also tastes amazing!

Why Make This Chocolate Banana Cake Recipe

It’s easy. With ripe bananas and regular baking staples, this cake batter recipe is simple to prepare and bakes up easily in a bundt pan or other fluted cake pan. If you’re wanting to gain more experience with baking from scratch, this is a great recipe to build your repertoire with.

It’s delicious. Bananas and chocolate are a perfect pair, making this chocolate cake extra special. It’s as simple as baking banana bread, but just a little bit extra.

It helps you avoid waste. You can use very ripe bananas, like the very black and mushy bananas, so nothing goes to waste. (Trust me, ripe bananas aren’t bad. They add great flavor and texture to this marbled chocolate banana cake.)

Ingredients

Here’s what you need to make this simple marbled banana Bundt cake:

flour – I like to use unbleached, all-purpose flour but you can use regular all-purpose flour if that’s what you have. I have also used whole wheat pastry flour in this recipe with good results.

leavenings – baking powder, baking soda, and salt add flavor and texture to this cake batter.

oil – I use a neutral oil like avocado oil in most of my baking recipes, but you can use butter if you prefer or if that’s what you have. Shopping the kitchen is a great way to save money.

brown sugar – I love the carmelized flavor that dark or light brown sugar brings to this cake. You can use white sugar if that’s what you have. Remember you can make your own brown sugar to save money or avoid another trip to the store.

very ripe bananas – Ripe bananas are the secret to a great banana bread or banana cake. If they ripen before you’re ready to bake with them, store your ripe bananas in the freezer until baking day.

vanilla extract – Vanilla helps round out the flavors of both the chocolate and the banana. Don’t skip it, but remember you can always make your own vanilla extract to save on the costs.

eggs – You’ll need three beaten eggs for this recipe. I don’t recommend omitting them all, but you can replace one egg with flaxseed egg replacement if needed.

plain yogurt – Plain greek yogurt is a must-have in your kitchen. It adds a bit of protein and texture to this yummy cake. You can also use sour cream if you prefer.

unsweetened cocoa powder – This is what you’ll use to flavor the chocolate batter. Be sure not to confuse it with hot cocoa or hot chocolate mix.

powdered sugar – I like to serve this chocolate banana marble cake with a dusting of powdered sugar. Simple and delicious!

Instructions

It’s so easy to make this chocolate banana marble cake. Here’s how to do it.

• Heat the oven to 350F. Spray a bundt pan with nonstick cooking spray. If you don’t have a bundt cake pan, you can use another fluted cake pan or prep the cake in two loaf pans.
• In a large mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 
• In another mixing bowl or in your Kitchenaid stand mixer, combine the oil, sugar, and bananas. Beat until smooth.

• Mix in the vanilla, eggs, and yogurt. Blend until smooth. 
• Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, combining just until blended.

• Divide the batter into two bowls, about ? in one and ? in the other.
• Add the cocoa powder to the smaller amount of batter and stir until just combined. 
• Spoon the two batters in dollops around the bundt pan, alternating the colors.
• Use a knife to swirl the different colored batters together, taking care not to mix them too much.

• Bake the for 35-40 minutes or until tester comes out with just a few crumbs attached. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. 
• Carefully, run a rubber spatula around the edges of pan to loosen cake. Invert the pan onto a cooling rack and remove pan. Cool completely. 
• Transfer to serving dish. Sift powdered sugar over top.
• Store the cake, covered, at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Freezing Instructions

To freeze: Once the cake has cooled, wrap carefully in plastic wrap and place in a large ziptop bag. Remove as much air from the bag as possible and freeze. To serve, thaw completely. Sift over powdered sugar before serving.

Ways to Save Money on this Recipe

At Good Cheap Eats we want to help you save money so you can do more with your earnings. Keep these money-saving tips in mind:

Serving Suggestions: This chocolate banana cake is excellent served as dessert, given as a gift, sold at a bake sale, and doubles as a fantastic after school snack. It’s a great alternative to more expensive store-bought baked goods.

Shop Your Kitchen: Consider the substitutions recommended in the ingredients notes. There’s lots of wiggle room here. If you don’t have cocoa powder, you can make this a simple banana cake.

To Make Ahead: This cake is good for up to 3 days, so you can bake it a day or two before serving. However, in hot weather it may not maintain great texture. I recommend serving it within a few hours of baking.

Freeze Extra for Later: Your freezer can help you store the ingredients before you bake. (Freeze ripe bananas to buy yourself some time before baking.) You can also freeze cake for later, too.

Make a Plan for Leftovers: Leftover cake? Really? Yes, if you’re baking for a small group, there may be leftover banana cake. Slice and freeze what you won’t eat in the next three days. Otherwise, take a few slices to a neighbor and make a friend in the process.

Shop Smarter: Shop the sales at the holidays when baking ingredients are usually priced lower. Check out our list of baking ingredients to keep on hand. Stores like Walmart or ALDI typically offer better prices than conventional grocery stores.

Favorite Banana Bread Recipes

This recipe was originally published on July 15, 2009. It was one of the first recipes shared on Good Cheap Eats. This post has been updated for content and clarity because, golly, it’s been 16 years!

For funzies, here’s the original image. OMGoodness. I still have those plates.