Beautiful Banana Cake
A soft, golden loaf that’s perfectly sweet, speckled with Chia seeds.
Banana cake has always been known as my dad’s favourite - the kind of cake that never lasts long once it’s out of the oven. I still remember the weekends growing up when a few overripe bananas on the bench meant one thing: banana cake was coming.
This version has become my twist on that classic - soft, full of flavour, and dotted with chia seeds for a little texture and nutty crunch. It’s simple, nostalgic, and always hits the spot. The sort of bake that makes the kitchen smell like home.
I love how versatile it is too - perfect with a light cream cheese frosting, or just plain with a cup of tea. Either way, it’s a guaranteed crowd-pleaser and one I always bake with my dad in mind.
Sometimes, the best recipes are the ones that connect us back to the people and moments that made us fall in love with baking in the first place and for me, this one does exactly that
Ingredients
Cake
125 g unsalted butter, softened
210 g soft brown sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 ½ cups mashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium bananas)
2–3 tsp chia seeds (optional add in 1 tsp flaxseed)
120 ml milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
300 g self-raising flour
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ tsp cinnamon
Cream Cheese Frosting
125 g cream cheese (softened)
60 g butter (softened)
1 ½ cups icing sugar
1 tsp lemon juice or vanilla
Method
Preheat oven to 170°C (fan bake). Grease and line a 20 cm round or square cake tin.
Cream butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each.
Stir in mashed banana, milk, vanilla, and chia seeds until combined.
Sift in flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon, folding gently until just mixed — don’t overmix.
Pour into tin and smooth the top.
Bake for 45–50 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack
For the Frosting:
Beat all together until smooth and creamy. Spread over the cooled cake.
