A cake/brownie hybrid, my Chocolate Banana Snack Cake is an homage to a cake I remember from my childhood. It’s not as light as a traditional layer cake but it’s not quite as squidgy as a brownie. It’s rich, moist, chocolate-y and, quite frankly, addictive. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
Remember Snack ‘N Cake? One of the ‘modern time savers’ of the seventies, this packaged mix promised a quick and easy cake made in minutes. There was even a disposable baking pan which you could also mix the cake in included in the package. To my childish taste buds, it was amazing. My Mom, who was a nutritionist, was not a fan.
Now I’m a grown up I understand why Mom was concerned – artificial colourings and flavourings are not anyone’s friend. I still love the idea of a seriously quick and easy cake, I just want it to be made with things I can pronounce.
My Chocolate Banana Snack cake is the work of moments. You simply mix all the dry ingredients together in one bowl and all the wet ones in another. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mix gently but thoroughly, place in a greased pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. It’s as easy as muffins, but it’s cake.
Like the original Snack ‘N Cake, you can eat it warm from the pan, just let it cool for about twenty minutes before you try to cut it. If you prefer you can let it cool and dust it with icing sugar, or frost it with your favourite frosting.
I’m not going to tell you this recipe is good for you – it is cake after all – but my Snack Cake is definitely wholesome. You probably have all the (easily pronounceable) ingredients on hand right now.
Want to see me making this easy recipe? Here’s How to Make Chocolate Banana Snack Cake.
Printable Recipe
- 1¾ cup all purpose (plain) flour
- ¼ cup cocoa
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- ⅓ cup mild vegetable oil (I use sunflower)
- 1 cup buttermilk or milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 bananas, mashed
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (170°C or 160°C for fan ovens).
- Grease a 9 inch (23 cm) square pan.
- Sift the flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt into a large bowl.
- Stir in the sugar and the chocolate chips.
- In a medium bowl, beat together the egg, oil, buttermilk or milk and vanilla.
- Stir in the mashed bananas.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing thoroughly until well blended. Do not beat.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, smoothing the top.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until a skewer or piece of dry spaghetti inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.
- Allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting into squares. If frosting the cake, allow it to cool completely first.
More Easy Cake and Brownie Recipes
Old Fashioned Applesauce Pecan Brownies
I remember Snack n Cake my mom the nurse was not a fan either. Love your cake and it is a whole lot better for you too. Thanks for sharing it on foodie friday.
Thank you for hosting, Diane 🙂
Your Snack Cake sounds and looks delicious! Thank you for sharing with Simple Supper Tuesday. Have a great week, April!
Love chocolate, love bananas, love cake, love snacking…this looks amazing! I think the video is especially helpful too! Great work 🙂
Thank you so much, Sarah 🙂
Yum! Snack n’ Cake was definitely before my time but it sounds amazing. It’s even better with the wholesome ingredients in your recipe, I bet.
Thank you, Sharon 🙂
Never heard of snack and cake but as kids everything tasted great haha. Your recipe still sounds as fast and definitely much healthier for us.
Thank you, Renz 🙂
I would love to have few pieces of this amazing cake with a cup of coffee. Yum!
Thank you, Jovita. It really is lovely with a cup of coffee.
I LOVE baking with bananas! Especially when I add chocolate yum! This looks really good
Thank you, Diana 🙂
Oh my gosh-that looks fabulous! I think the flavor of the chocolate along with the banana-oh what a combo! Looking forward to trying it out
I hope you and your family enjoy it as much as we do, Kathleen 🙂
That looks heavenly and it would taste perfect with that glass of milk! Great after school snack!
Oh my yum! This looks (and sounds) so delicious!!
Making this with my 10 y.o this weekend. She loves to bake. Chocolate cake/brownies is her favorite. PS: For Halloween she decided to make a “Bloody Baker” costume 🙂
I hope you both have fun and enjoy the recipe, Irina. Your daughter’s costume sounds amazing!
April…your chocolate banana snack cake not only looks yummy, but I think it would be the perfect baking project for my 8 and 4 year old granddaughters!
Thank you, Linda! Please let me know if they give it a try 🙂 I am sure they would enjoy it!
That sounds delicious. I love how moist that cake looks. Om nom nom.
Thank you, Jennifer 🙂
I definitely had to pin this one. I am always looking for things to do with my overripe bananas and this is perfect!!
Thank you so much for pinning, Catherine! I really glad you like the recipe. It sure is a favourite around here!