Name: Banana Snack Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 9
Ingredients: 1 cup whole wheat flour; 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 cup mashed bananas; 1/2 cup maple syrup; 1/4 cup olive oil; 1/4 cup plain non fat Greek yogurt; 2 eggs; 4 ounces low fat cream cheese, softened; 1/3 cup powdered sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon; Pinch of salt; 3 tablespoons chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)

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This Banana Snack Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting is perfect for times when you want a piece of cake, but not all the calories. It’s easy to make, moist and full of banana bread flavor!

This recipe and photos have been updated since the original post on 8/21/2015

Move over banana bread, this Banana Snack Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting is where it’s at when you’ve got over-ripe bananas! As much as I love banana bread, this snack cake was a nice way to change things up. Unlike traditional cake, this one isn’t loaded with so much sugar that you hit your limit for the week in one sitting. It’s just sweet enough to satisfy your sweet tooth without giving you a stomach ache.

Ingredients Needed For Banana Snack Cake with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Frosting

Whole wheat flour
Cinnamon
Baking powder and baking soda
Very ripe bananas
Maple syrup
Olive oil or melted coconut oil
Plain Greek yogurt
Eggs
Cream cheese
Powdered sugar
Vanilla extract
Walnuts or pecans (optional)

What is a Snack Cake?

A snack cake also termed a snacking cake sometimes, is a one layer cake with minimal or no icing. This Pumpkin Chocolate Chunk Cake is an example of a snack cake without any frosting. I highly recommend making it this fall. It’s typically baked in an 8×8 round or square baking pan. It’s essentially a small sheet cake.

Snacking cakes are casual and something you might bake on a Tuesday afternoon versus one you would bake for a special occasion. You also don’t need any special equipment such as an electric stand mixer to make them. A large mixing bowl, whisk and rubber spatula will do the trick.

How To Make Banana Snack Cake

In a large mixing bowl, mash the bananas with a potato masher or a fork. Whisk in the maple syrup, oil, yogurt, vanilla and eggs until combined.
Add the dry ingredients in with the banana mixture and stir everything together with a rubber spatula until combined.
Pour the batter into a greased 8×8 or 9×9 metal baking pan and bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then finish cooling on a wire rack.
Use a stand or hand mixer to beat the cream cheese, cinnamon, powdered sugar and vanilla together until smooth and fluffy. Spread it evenly over the cooled cake and top with toasted chopped walnuts or pecans if desired.

As you can see, it’s extremely easy to make. Honestly, not much different than making muffins with the exception of the cream cheese frosting. As far as cake goes, it’s also on the healthier side. Obviously it’s still dessert, but it isn’t the 600 calories or more per slice version. This banana snack cake is perfect to make when you’re in the mood for a piece of cake, but don’t want to put a lot of effort into making it!