Moist banana cake layers and sweet, tangy strawberry frosting come together to make this incredible Vegan Strawberry Banana Cake! This fabulous layer cake is perfect for any fruit lover in your life - let's learn how to make it!
The strawberry-banana combo is top-tier for a reason and this cake is no exception. Soft, fluffy banana cake sandwiching homemade strawberry frosting made with real strawberries!? Perfection.
If you love strawberries as much as we do you'll also want to check out our vegan strawberry tiramisu cupcakes and our vegan strawberry crinkle cookies.
Want more awesome vegan cakes to try? Check out our cakes and cupcakes!
Cake Ingredients
- mashed banana: Adds natural sweetness, moisture, and structure while replacing the need for eggs in this vegan cake.
- nondairy milk: Adds moisture and helps combine dry ingredients into a smooth batter.
- canola oil: Provides richness and keeps the cake tender and moist.
- white or apple cider vinegar: Reacts with baking soda to help the cake rise; also enhances the cake's tenderness.
- vanilla extract: Boosts the flavor with warm, sweet aromatic notes.
- granulated sugar: Sweetens the cake and helps create a light, tender crumb.
- baking powder: A leavening agent that gives the cake lift and fluffiness.
- baking soda: Works with the vinegar and bananas to help the cake rise and brown properly.
- salt: Balances sweetness and enhances the overall flavor.
- all purpose flour: Provides structure and stability to the cake.
Homemade Strawberry Frosting
- non-hydrogenated shortening: Creates a creamy, stable base for the frosting; helps it hold its shape at room temperature.
- vegan butter: Adds rich flavor and a smooth texture to balance the shortening.
- strawberry powder: Adds fresh, concentrated strawberry flavor and natural color without excess moisture.
- powdered sugar: Sweetens and thickens the frosting for a fluffy, pipeable texture.
- nondairy milk: Loosens the frosting for easy spreading or piping, while keeping it creamy.
- salt: Offsets the sweetness and enhances the fruity flavor.
How to Make a Strawberry Banana Cake
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of the page for full instructions and ingredient measurements.
Begin by mashing your bananas in a large mixing bowl. Add in the remainder of your wet cake ingredients and mix until smooth.
Add the sugar, leaveners and salt to the bowl and whisk until ingredients are well-distributed. Sift in the flour and mix until just combined. Do not over-mix.
Divide the batter between 3 6-inch cake pans or 2 8-inch cake pans that have been lightly greased and lined with parchment paper.
Place pans on center rack of preheated oven and bake for 32-38 minutes.
Prepare the frosting by creaming together the non-hydrogenated shortening and vegan butter until smooth. Add in the strawberry powder, powdered sugar, salt and nondairy milk and beat until smooth.
Spread frosting over cake layers using an offset spatula and stack as desired. Top cake with fresh strawberries.
Tips and Tricks
- Use overripe bananas: The spottier the peel, the sweeter and more flavorful your cake will be.
- Don’t over-mix the batter: Mix until just combined to avoid a dense or chewy texture.
- Get ahead: If you'd like to save yourself some time, bake your cake layers the day before. Allow them to cool, level them and wrap them tightly in plastic.
- Level your cake layers: Use a serrated knife or cake leveler for even stacking.
- Add fresh strawberries as garnish: For color and added texture, top with halved or sliced berries just before serving.
- Wipe knife between cuts: Wipe off your knife between each cut into the cake. This will ensure that each cake slice has clean-looking, gorgeous layers.
Why You'll Love This Cake
Here are some deliciously good reasons you’ll love this Vegan Strawberry Banana Cake:
- Naturally sweet & fruity: Ripe bananas and strawberry powder bring real, vibrant flavor without needing artificial additives.
- Moist and fluffy texture: Thanks to bananas, oil, and nondairy milk, the cake stays soft and tender.
- Gorgeous pink frosting: The strawberry frosting isn’t just pretty—it’s packed with berry flavor and makes every bite pop.
- Completely dairy-free & egg-free: Perfect for vegans, plant-based eaters, or anyone with dairy/egg allergies.
- Easy to make: No fancy tools or complicated steps—just mix, bake, and frost.
- Crowd-pleasing favorite: A hit at birthdays, showers, brunches, or anytime you want a light, fruity dessert.
- Customizable: Pairs beautifully with chopped nuts, coconut, or fresh fruit toppings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are several frequently asked questions (FAQs) about making a vegan strawberry banana cake—with clear answers to help you bake with confidence:
Yes, just thaw them completely and drain any excess liquid before mashing. This ensures the cake doesn’t turn out too wet.
You can substitute any neutral oil, like vegetable or sunflower oil.
Strawberry powder is best for strong flavor without adding moisture. But in a pinch, you can:
-Blend freeze-dried strawberries into powder
-Use a small amount of strawberry jam or reduced strawberry purée, though the frosting may be softer
Yes, but keep in mind that sugar also contributes to texture and moisture. You can try reducing by about ¼ cup without significantly affecting the results.
Yes! You can bake the cake layers up to 2 days in advance. Let them cool completely, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap and store at room temperature or in the fridge. You can also freeze them for up to 1 month—just thaw before frosting.
This can happen if your butter or shortening is too warm. Try chilling the frosting slightly and re-whipping it. Always cream fats well before adding sugar.
Why is my banana cake soggy?
A soggy banana cake can be disappointing—but it's a common issue with a few likely causes. Here's why your vegan banana cake might be turning out soggy and how to fix it:
- Too Much Banana: Using more banana than the recipe calls for can add excess moisture. To fix this, measure mashed banana by volume and don’t exceed the listed amount.
- Under-baking: The center of the cake may be undercooked while the outside appears done. Be sure to bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs—no raw batter. You may need to tent with foil if the top browns too fast.
- Too Much Liquid: Extra nondairy milk, oil, or even very ripe bananas can add more liquid than needed. Double-check measurements and avoid overripe bananas that are mostly liquid.
- Incorrect Oven Temperature: If your oven runs cool, the cake won’t bake through properly. Use an oven thermometer to ensure it's actually at 350°F (175°C) or your recipe's specified temperature.
- Wrong Pan Size: Using a pan that’s too small can cause the batter to be too thick and bake unevenly.
- Improper Cooling: Leaving the cake in the pan too long or covering it while still warm can trap steam. Let the cake cool in the pan for about 10–15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Storage
To keep your vegan strawberry banana cake fresh and delicious, here’s how to store it properly:
Short-Term Storage
- Room Temperature: If your kitchen is cool (below 70°F/21°C), you can store it tightly wrapped or in an airtight container on the counter.
Refrigerator
- Store the fully assembled and frosted cake in an airtight container or cake box.
- Let it sit at room temperature for 20–30 minutes before serving so the frosting softens.
Freezer
- Unfrosted cake layers freeze best. Wrap each cooled layer tightly in plastic wrap, then foil, and freeze.
- Thaw overnight in the fridge, then bring to room temp before serving.
If you make this recipe be sure to snap a picture and tag @censoredbaker on Instagram!
PrintVegan Strawberry Banana Cake
Moist banana cake layers covered in homemade strawberry frosting - made with real strawberries!
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Bake Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: Serves 12 1x
- Category: Cakes and Cupcakes
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
For the Banana Cake
1 ½ cups mashed banana (about 4 bananas)
1 cup nondairy milk
½ cup canola oil
1 tablespoon white or apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups all purpose flour
For the Strawberry Frosting
1 cup non-hydrogenated shortening
¼ cup vegan butter
¼ cup strawberry powder*
3 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons nondairy milk
pinch of salt
fresh strawberries for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 C) and line 3 6-inch or 2 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Cake Batter: Mash your bananas in a large mixing bowl. Add the nondairy milk, canola oil, vinegar and vanilla extract the the bowl and whisk together. Add in the granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt and whisk until ingredients are well-distributed. Sift in the all-purpose flour and mix until just-combined. Do not over-mix.
- Bake: Divide cake batter evenly between the prepared pans. Set cake pans on center rack of preheated oven and bake for 32-38 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean with only a few crumbs clinging to it. Allow cakes to cool for 10-15 minutes in the pans before turning them out onto a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
- Frosting: Prepare the frosting while the cakes cool. Add non-hydrogenated shortening and vegan butter to a large bowl. Beat with an electric hand mixer until completely smooth. Add strawberry powder to the bowl and beat again. Add powdered sugar, nondairy milk and salt to the bowl and beat until frosting comes together.
- Frost and Assemble: Once cake is completely cool it is time to frost! If you would like to level your cake layers, now is the time to do so. Place your bottom cake layer on a cake plate and spread a thick layer of frosting over the top using a butter knife or offset spatula. Place your second cake layer on top of the frosted layer and slather with more frosting. Repeat once more if you are making a 3 layer cake. Use the remainder of your frosting to carefully cover the sides of the cake.
- Decorate and Serve: Once your cake is completely frosted, top the cake with sliced strawberries if desired. When serving, be sure to use a sharp knife. Wipe it down with a damp cloth after each cut to keep your slices pretty and clean. Enjoy!
Notes
*Prepared cake will keep in an airtight container stored at room temperature for 2-3 days. Unfrosted cake layers can be frozen for up to 1 month.
*You can make strawberry powder yourself by taking freeze dried strawberries and pulsing them in a food processor until a fine, strawberry powder is created. I used about 1 cup of freeze dried berries to get ¼ cup of powder. I ran it through a fine mesh sieve before adding it to the frosting to catch larger clumps and seeds.
*If you have the time, I would recommend making your banana cake layers the night before you plan to frost your cake. Chill them in the refrigerator overnight. This will reduce crumbing making it easier for you to level and frost your cake.
More fruity vegan cake recipes:
- Vegan Banana Upside Down Cake
- Vegan Strawberry Shortcake Cake
- Vegan Carrot Cake
- Vegan Lemon Poppy Seed Cake
Laila says
I loved this recipe!!! I doubled the amt of chopped strawberries in the cake accidentally and also arranged tons of raspberries in the shape of little hearts on top, which caramelized so friggen well. Thank you so much! My non vegan sister wanted to eat this entire cake by herself!
Lyndsey says
Oh my goodness! I'm so, so glad you liked it! Thank you!