Chickpea Flour Banana Cake (Vegan, Grain-Free)

Homey and healthy chickpea flour banana cake that is grain-free, gluten-free and vegan! Ready, start to finish in 30 minutes.

Banana Cake Made with Chickpea Flour

Yes, you need another banana cake recipe, and lucky for you, I’ve got one well worth trying.

It’s neither fussy nor precious, but it does have a special ingredient that makes it unique: chickpea flour!

What is Chickpea Flour?

Chickpea flour (aka garbanzo bean flour, ceci flour, chana, besan and gram flour) is anything but faddish. It’s been around for centuries and is used in myriad cuisines from the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Northern Africa and Southern Europe.

Made from finely ground dried chickpeas, chickpea flour is naturally gluten-free, grain-free, easy-to-use, inexpensive, and incredibly versatile for making both sweet and savory eats. It has a subtle nutty flavor and packs a bonus punch of protein, too.

This banana cake is a great choice for giving it a try. It’s perfect for the lunch-packing season ahead since it can be made a the drop of a hat, is not-too-sweet and travels well.

Can I Leave out the Walnuts in the Recipe?

Yes, you can leave out the walnuts in the cake.

I can go either way with the addition of walnuts. I love their toasty flavor, but I think the cake is smashing without them, too. My husband holds fast that banana breads and cakes MUST have nuts to qualify for eating, but my sister and others believe the exact opposite.

Go with your own tastes, or by what’s on hand for the add-ins. You can also swap in chocolate chips, chopped dried fruits, or other types of nuts, or seeds, in place of the walnuts.

Can I Use A Different Flour, Less Sugar or Less Oil?

Leaving the walnuts out of this cake is one thing, but changing the primary ingredient (chickpea flour) and the ratios of sugar, oil and liquid is something else altogether. 

I do not recommend any other flour for this particular recipe; stick with chickpea flour. Further, use caution with substitutions and proportions here. Chickpea flour is not all-purpose flour, so changes in the amount of sugar,  oil, banana, etc. will likely require some experimentation before achieving the right balance.

Happy baking!

More Grain-Free & Vegan Chickpea Flour Cakes & Baked Goods to Try:

1. Chickpea Flour Chocolate Cake
2. Chickpea Flour Carrot Cake Bites
3. Chocolate Chickpea Flour Muffins
4. Chickpea Flour Gingerbread Bundt Cake
5. Chickpea Flour Banana Bread
6. 1-Bowl Chickpea Flour Brownies

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Yield: 12 pieces

Chickpea Flour Banana Cake (Vegan, Grain-Free)

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Homey and healthy chickpea flour banana cake that is grain-free, gluten-free and vegan! Ready, start to finish in 30 minutes.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup (175 mL) nondairy milk
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1 and 2/3 cups (200 g) chickpea flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 cup natural cane sugar (or granulated sweetener of choice)
• 1 and 1/4 cups mashed very ripe banana (about 3 large)
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil (or vegetable oil of choice)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Optional: 1/2 cup chopped toasted walnuts

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 9-inch square metal baking pan. lightly grease or coat with nonstick cooking spray
2. In a small bowl, combine the nondairy milk and lemon juice. Let stand 5 minutes to curdle.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the chickpea flour, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Make a well in center of flour mixture.
4. In a small bowl, whisk the sugar, curdled nondairy milk, banana, oil, and vanilla until well blended. Add banana mixture to the flour mixture in large bowl, stirring just until moist. Stir in walnuts, if using. Spread evenly into prepared pan, smoothing top.
5. Bake in the preheated oven for 18 to 22 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool cake in the pan 10 minutes on wire rack; remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

Notes

Storage: Store the cooled cake in an airtight container at cool room temperature for 1 day,  in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or the freezer for up to 3 months.

Nutrition Information

Serving Size

1 piece
Amount Per Serving Calories 122Total Fat 4.3gSaturated Fat 1.9gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 0mgSodium 138mgCarbohydrates 23.9gFiber 3.1gSugar 14.6gProtein 3.7g

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