Banana Gingerbread Loaf is one of my favourite loaf cakes – tender, warmly spiced and easy to make. Whether you are baking this loaf for a relaxed weekend, afternoon tea, snacks, or as a homemade gift from the kitchen, this recipe is definitely one to keep on hand.
One of my favourite treats, especially in the cooler weather, I first blogged this Banana Gingerbread Loaf Cake recipe back in 2013. I’m updating it now in October 2025 to share some new hints and tips as well as a couple of variations you may enjoy.
I have always loved a good loaf cake – they are the perfect cake to have on hand for unexpected visitors or just in case you fancy a treat. And whether it is Pumpkin Gingerbread Muffins or Orange Gingerbread Cookies, I adore all things gingerbread-inspired.
Why This Banana Gingerbread Loaf Cake Is So Good
Ripe banana adds natural sweetness and texture – and this is a great way to use up overripe bananas. Just be sure the skins brown and lightly speckled. If they are too black as this can mean the bananas are beginning to spoil.
A lovely combination of spices makes it special – Ginger, cinnamon, ground cloves and nutmeg gives this Banana Gingerbread Loaf a gently-spiced flavour the whole family will enjoy.
Everyday ingredients and an easy method – You can make this cake with a bowl and spoon. No mixer needed – although of course you can use one if you prefer.
Keeps well – Banana Gingerbread Loaf gets even better with keeping. I actually like to leave it a day before I cut and serve it – if I can resist it that long!
There is an optional glaze – This loaf cake tastes lovely plain, but you can also make the ginger glaze recipe I share to make it a little bit extra-special.
Perfect for gifting or sharing – Banana Gingerbread Loaf makes a lovely gift from the kitchen. Wrap it in parchment or a cellophane bag and tie with a ribbon for a lovely homemade present, or slice and serve the cake for afternoon tea.
Storage and Make Ahead Tips
This delicious loaf cake is perfect just slightly warm from the oven but I like it equally well a few days later when it has had a chance to sit for a while. The flavours deepen as it sits waiting for you to enjoy it.
If you store Banana Gingerbread Loaf Cake in an airtight tin at room temperature it will keep for four or five days, unless the weather is exceptionally hot.
The cake will freeze well. I recommend slicing the cake before freezing and putting a piece of greaseproof or parchment paper between each slice, so that you can thaw the slices one at a time.
Variations and Serving Suggestions
- Add a little crunch: Stir a handful or two of chopped pecans or walnuts into the batter just before baking.
- More or less spice: Feel free to adjust the spicing to suit your taste, but the loaf will taste the exact recipe I am sharing here.
- A hint of citrus: a tablespoon or so of grated orange or lemon zest adds a bright twist of flavour (a bit like in my Orange Gingerbread Crinkle Cookies!)
- Serving ideas: Banana Gingerbread Loaf Cake is delicious plain, slightly warmed with a little butter or cream cheese or with a scoop of ice cream on the side for dessert. Sprinkle the ice cream with a bit of ginger for garnish and you’ve got a dessert pretty enough to be served at a dinner party.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I don’t have buttermilk?
Buttermilk gives my Banana Gingerbread Loaf a lovely tang but if you don’t have it, you can substitute ordinary milk. If you want the tang of buttermilk, you can always measure ordinary milk out ahead of time and just add a teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice. Let it sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes and you are good to go.
Can I use self-raising flour?
Yes, but omit the baking powder and bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) if you do.
How do I know when the Banana Gingerbread Loaf is ready?
A skewer or piece of dried spaghetti inserted into the centre should come out clean or with just a few crumbs attached. The top should also be firm and spring back lightly if you press it gently with your finger.
Banana Gingerbread Loaf – Printable Recipe
Banana Gingerbread Loaf
Ingredients
- 2 large ripe bananas mashed
- ½ cup molasses
- ½ cup brown sugar lightly packed
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 1 egg lightly beaten
- ¼ cup mild olive oil
- 2 cups all purpose flour Also known as plain flour. If you want to use self rising flour, leave out the baking powder and baking soda.
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda Baking soda is also known as Bicarbonate of Soda.
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- For the glaze
- ½ cup icing sugar Icing sugar is also known as confectioner’s sugar.
- 2 to 3 teaspoons water
- ½ teaspoon ginger
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Grease and flour or line a 8½ by 4½ inch (2 lb) loaf pan.
- Peel and mash the bananas in a medium bowl.
- Stir the molasses, sugar, buttermilk, egg and olive oil into the mashed banana. Set aside.
- Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, ground cloves and nutmeg together into a large bowl.
- Stir in the banana mixture until thoroughly combined, but do not over-mix.
- Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre of the loaf comes out clean.
- Let the loaf cool in the pan for about 15 minutes and then carefully remove and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. This helps the loaf to firm up slightly and makes slicing easier. Be sure to allow the Banana Gingerbread Loaf to cool completely before glazing.
- To make the glaze:
- Sift together the icing sugar and the ginger.
- Gradually add the water, a bit at a time, until a creamy, drizzle-able consistency is reached.
- Place a sheet of baking parchment or waxed paper underneath the wire rack with the cooled cake on it.
- Drizzle the glaze over top of the cake.
- Allow the glaze to set for at least a half hour before slicing.
- Store your Banana Gingerbread Loaf in a sealed container at room temperature.
did you make this recipe?
Make sure to tag #apriljharris on Instagram and follow @apriljharris for more.
More Loaf Cake Recipes You Might Enjoy
Spiced Banana Nut Loaf with Ginger Glaze
Comments & Reviews
This sounds like a wonderful flavor combination! thanks.
Thank you, Melynda! I hope you enjoy it as much as we do 🙂
Ooh this looks yummy and I like the idea of the butternut pecan loaf too. Thanks for sharing, over from Funtastic Friday (a little late) 🙂
Thank you, Kate 🙂
This sounds fantastic! I’m always looking on a new twist on Banana bread, since my freezer is always full of ripe bananas, LOL.
Thank you, Cindy, and I know exactly what you mean about a freezer full of ripe bananas 😉
I looks terrific.
I must say that although banana bread is very known in the UK and USA, here we rarely eat it.
I should really try this recipe 🙂
Thank you, Winnie. I know what you mean, when I first came to the UK banana bread wasn’t that well known here either. It’s become much more popular in recent years 🙂
What a gorgeous cake April! And I love your New Year’s resolution to bake more! Can’t wait to see all the new goodies that come out of your kitchen!
Thank you so much, Linda 🙂
My son loves banana bread and gingerbread. I would have never thought to put those 2 flavors together. It sounds awesome! He is going to love you for this :).
Thank you, Candace 🙂 I really hope your enjoys the Banana Gingerbread as much as my family and I do – it really is hard to resist!
I would have never thought to combine gingerbread with banana bread! This sounds delicious!
Thank you, Jessica! It really is one of my favourite loaf cakes 🙂
April, this sounds scrummy! Can’t wait to make a loaf and have a slice with a nice cuppa tea!
Thank you, Jean! Please let me know how you like it 🙂
This looks absolutely delicious! Thanks for linking up to Best of the Blogosphere.
Thank you, Kendra, and thank you for hosting!
This looks absolutely delish! Just love gingerbread anything. Thanks for linking up to Funtastic Friday. Hope to see you again this week.
Thank you, Sherry! I’m on my way over now 🙂
April, this sounds amazing. The combination of gingerbread and banana is genius, and I love to bake with buttermilk. I never have to run out in the cold to get buttermilk- I almost always have some in my freezer, lol! I am so glad you shared this with us at Treasure Box Tuesday- pinned! 🙂
Thank you so much, Joy 🙂
This bread sounds so yummy, and my husband loves gingerbread too! I’ll have to give it a try. 🙂 I hope you can stop on by and share this or any other recipe with us on Five Friday Finds!
Thank you. CJ, and thank you for the invitation as well 🙂
Banana bread is always popular, but the gingerbread would give it a little something extra. What a great recipe. Please come share your blog posts over at the Home Matters Linky Party! We’d love to have you for a visit. The Door is OPEN! http://lifewithlorelai.com/2015/01/22/home-matters-linky-party-21/ 🙂
~Lorelai
Life With Lorelai
I’m not that big on plain old banana bread. I love the gingerbread twist to this, April! Thank you for sharing.
Delicious Banana ginger bread bread, April, I love to make it for myself.
Thank you, Swathi! I hope you enjoy it 🙂
Hi April,
I would love a nice slice of your Banana Gingerbread with my afternoon tea. Thanks so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday and have a great week.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
Thank you, Miz Helen! It really is lovely with a cup of tea 🙂 Have a lovely week!
Yum, yum, yum! Hey thanks for stopping by #TryaBiteTuesday – pinned & scheduled a fb share for later today of your yummy Banana Gingerbread Loaf (sounds so scrumptious!) – hope to see you again next week!
Thank you, Deb, and thank you so much for sharing my recipe too!
This Banana Gingerbread is such an amazing idea. I can’t wait to try this recipe.
Thank you, Edyta 🙂
Whoa!! That looks absolutely terrific! I really want a slice right now!
Thank you so much, Manju 🙂
Absolutely beautiful, and perfect for this chilly weather with a cup of tea!
Thank you, Michelle!
Now this looks delicious. I am a huge fan of both flavors but haven’t had them together! I am excited for this!
Thank you, Cindy. It really is delicious!
With two large bananas about to become too ripe, I made this banana gingerbread loaf tonight. It is TOO good!! My wife, daughter and & I have already eaten a third of it before it fully cooled.
I’d feared that the clove or molasses flavors would overwhelm, but they did not. This is an excellent recipe. (My only modification was using 2 tsp of minced fresh ginger plus 1/4 tsp ground ginger in place of the 1 tsp ground ginger.)
This is especially good with the feijoa-ginger jam I made earlier this week. (http://www.bite.co.nz/recipe/1496/Feijoa-jam-with-vanilla-and-fresh-ginger/), which I made with extra minced fresh ginger.
Thank you so much, I’m so glad you all enjoyed it, Mike. The fresh /dried ginger combo would be lovely, good idea! I had a look at your jam recipe. I’m not familiar with Feijoa fruit – I don’t think we have them in the UK – but it sure does look good!
Oh that looks so very yummy!
Thank you, Lisa 🙂 It’s one of my favourites!
This is definitely the season for lovely ginger recipes, thank you. And I never knew that about “making” buttermilk – what a great tip.
Thank you so much, Pauline 🙂 I’m glad you like the tip. I try to use buttermilk when I can, but this sure does work in a pinch 🙂
Banana and gingerbread combined absolutely must produce an incredibly moist, tender and flavorful cake…a must-try for sure! Thank you for sharing April. Have a lovely weekend my friend!
Thank you so much, Linda. I hope you weekend is lovely too!
If it’s half as good as it looks, I can’t wait to try it!
Thank you so much, Donna. It really is delicious 🙂
Today was truly a fall day, so the perfect day to find this recipe. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
I’m so glad you like it, Tamy. It really is a favourite at our house!
Ooohh this looks delicious. Super interesting flavors, just in time for the holidays. Pinning for later!
Thank you, Sarah, and thank you for pinning too!
I’ve not tried a banana and gingerbread combination before. I’ll give it a try! Pinned.
I hope you enjoy it as much as we do, Allyson. It’s such a favourite around here! In fact, I’ve made it again today. Thank you for pinning 🙂
April,
The presentation of the loaf is fabulous especially with the contrast of dark cake and white icing! I’m intrigued with the addition of banana to a gingerbread cake
Thank you, Judee! The banana adds a great flavour and texture.
I must have made a mistake with the spices. One of the spices is a bit too strong for my liking. It must be the cloves.
Hi Wanda,
I’m sorry the spicing didn’t work for you. It’s disappointing when that happens.
Although it is true you have to follow baking recipes to the letter, when it comes to spices, you can adjust things to taste. While it will affect the flavour, it won’t affect how the recipe turns out. So please do always feel free to leave out spices that you don’t like, or reduce the amounts. You can usually get away with reducing the sugar a little bit in recipes without affecting the outcome too.
Thank you for letting me know what you thought. I hope you will try the recipe again without the cloves. Perhaps reduce the amount of ginger a little too.
Wishing you all the best for 2021. x
Hello April.
Made this cake today and It is a very nice mix.
I will have to reduce the cloves from 1/2 tsp to 1/8 as it was overpowering but I am sure will be a long term favorite.
Thanks
Hello Simon,
I’m glad you liked the recipe. By all means reduce the spice if you prefer it – it is all a matter of individual taste. Thank you so much for the positive feedback!
Ooo, I’m always on the lookout for new ways to make a banana bread or cake, it’s nice to mix things up a bit. I’ll pin this to try next time. thanks.
Sorry, I didn’t mean to leave just 1 star, I’ve not even tried it yet, I’m not sure how that happened :-/
No worries, Julie, I appreciate your comment nonetheless 🙂 Sometimes technology is just weird!
It really is a delicious variation on traditional banana bread, Julie! I hope you enjoy it!
This sounds like such a wonderful flavor! Pinning to save and share. Visiting from The Hearth and Soul linkup. 🙂
Thank you, Jennifer, and thank you for pinning too!