That Spicy Chick

Almond Meal Banana Cake

This Almond Meal Banana Cake is delectably moist, sweet, and the perfect cozy dessert for date night or any night in! It’s made mostly with finely ground almonds and just a little bit of flour, and less sugar than most cakes. It’s also full of lovely almond, honey, and banana-y flavors, topped with a delightful honey pecan glaze, and is simply SO GOOD!

Almond Meal Banana Cake with honey pecan glaze on a large round plate with a slice cut out to show the inside texture.

Almond Meal Banana Cake has been on repeat in my house, and it’s my (and my Dad’s!) current favorite-est dessert! ❤️

This delicious cake:

  • Is made primarily with almond meal (finely ground raw almonds) and just a little bit of flour to help with the structure. Using almond meal makes this cake very nutrient dense – it’s high in protein, low in carbs, and has a bucketload of fiber! 💪
  • Has less refined sugar than most cakes. Just a quarter of a cup! 👍
  • Is easy to make, and is a dump and mix into ONE BOWL and ONE BAKING PAN recipe! (Not counting the glaze – you’ll need a separate pot for that, but it is SO WORTH IT!!) 🙌
  • Doesn’t require any of that egg-separating-or-using-just-the-yolk-or-the-white-part. That stuff drives me up the wall as then I have to figure out what to do with the unused egg part. So nope. There’s none of that in this recipe!
  • Is super soft, not overly sweet, and incredibly moist thanks to bananas, yogurt, and honey! 😋
  • Is topped with a delightful and irresistible Honey Pecan Glaze! 🤤
Close up of slice of almond meal banana cake topped with honey pecan glaze on a plate with a small bite of the cake on a fork.

My dear Dad actually complimented me and said this cake is better than any coffee shop cake he’s tried. We’re a cake loving family (me = cake inhaler 👋) and regularly enjoy cakes whether if there’s an occasion or not. So that’s a HUGE compliment coming from him!

While I didn’t set out to make a healthy cake, this Almond Meal Banana Cake just ended up becoming a healthy-ish one. What matters the most to me is that it’s easy to make and tastes absolutely heavenly, particularly when served warm with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream! Yum town!

It’s been loved by everyone who’s tried it and is definitely a keeper. I think you guys are going to love this cake too! 🤗

Who’s in for a slice of this delectable cake?!

Top view of slice of almond banana cake topped with honey pecan glaze and a fork on a small white plate.

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ALMOND MEAL AND ALMOND FLOUR?

Almond meal is finely ground up almonds with the skin on. Almond flour is made by blanching almonds to remove the skin first, and then finely grinding them.

While almond meal has a coarser texture than almond flour, they both can usually be used interchangeably in cakes, cookies, and other sweet treats depending on the recipe and its other ingredients.

In addition to baked sweets, almond meal is also a great alternative to breadcrumbs and/or flour for coating meats like chicken fillets (or breasts/thighs) and pork chops before pan-frying them.

Side view of a slice of moist cake topped with honey pecan glaze and a fork on a small white plate. Rest of the cake on a large plate in the back.

INGREDIENTS

Here’s what you’ll need to make this delicious cake…

For the Almond Meal Banana Cake:

  • Almonds: Raw almonds with skin. Make sure they’re not salted or roasted. We’ll be making almond meal with them. You could also use store-bought almond meal for convenience if you prefer.
  • Bananas: Make sure they’re very ripe (black and spotty)! They’ll help to naturally sweeten the cake and bind everything together.
  • Unsalted Butter: Chop the butter into smaller chunks so that they’ll melt more easily. I personally prefer the texture of the cake when it’s made with butter, but you can use canola or olive oil too instead. Using oil will give the cake an even lighter and fluffier texture.
  • Honey: To sweeten the cake.
  • Eggs: To help everything bind together and to keep things moist.
  • White Sugar: To sweeten the cake. But you’ll note that we’re using less sugar than most cakes call for because we’re using honey as well to naturally sweeten the cake.
  • Greek Style Yogurt (or Plain Yogurt): This is different from authentic Greek Yogurt. It is less thick and looser in form than Greek Yogurt. You can use plain yogurt instead if that’s what you have on hand. You can also use vanilla flavored yogurt if you like.
  • Almond Extract: For a nutty and fragrant essence!
  • Vanilla Extract: Simply because it makes all sweet treats and desserts smell and taste amazing!
  • Unbleached White All-Purpose Flour: I used unbleached white all-purpose flour. But you could also use whole wheat white flour to add more fiber if you prefer.
  • Baking Powder & Baking Soda: To help the cake rise and to keep it nice and moist:
  • Fine Sea Salt: Just a pinch to balance out the sweetness.
  • Ground Cinnamon: Just a pinch to add some warming flavor to the cake.
  • Olive Oil or melted butter: For greasing the baking pan.

For the Honey Pecan Glaze:

  • Unsalted Butter: For a lovely buttery flavor.
  • Honey: To make the glaze nice and sticky, and lusciously sweet!
  • Ground cinnamon: Just a pinch.
  • Pecans: As you know from my Banana Pecan Nut Bread (with Peanut Butter!) recipe post, I LOVE pecans and try not to miss any opportunity to use them in my sweet treats and desserts! But feel free to use walnuts, almonds, or any other nuts you prefer.

HOW TO MAKE ALMOND MEAL BANANA CAKE

Prep: Preheat oven to 165°C/325°F/Gas Mark 3. Grease an 8-inch round baking pan with oil or melted butter and line the bottom with aluminum foil or nonstick cooking paper.

Make almond meal: Add the raw almonds to a food processor bowl (or high-speed blender) and cover with its lid. Process in 30 second bursts, mixing and scraping the sides of the food processor bowl in between, until the almonds are finely ground. Be careful not to over process as the almonds will start turning into almond butter and clumping in the center and sides of the processor. Transfer the almond meal to a bowl or measuring cup and set aside. (Note: Skip this step if you’re using store-bought almond meal.)

Finely ground almonds in a food processor bowl.

Mash bananas: Peel the bananas and place the flesh in a large mixing bowl. Use a potato masher (or fork) to mash until smooth.

Melt butter and honey: Combine the unsalted butter and honey in a microwave safe measuring cup or bowl. Heat in 30 second increments, stirring with a spoon in between, until melted.

Combine wet ingredients: Add the eggs, melted unsalted butter and honey mixture, granulated white sugar, Greek style yogurt, almond extract, and vanilla extract to the bowl with the mashed bananas. Mix with a rubber spatula or large spoon until evenly combined.

Mix in dry ingredients: Add the almond meal, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, fine sea salt, and ground cinnamon. Stir until everything is evenly incorporated and combined well, but do not overmix. The batter will be liquidy.

Flour, ground almonds, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon in a large mixing bowl with mixed mashed bananas and eggs.

Bake: Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth out the top with the rubber spatula or back of the spoon. Firmly tap the baking pan on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles that may have formed from. Then place the pan in the center rack of the oven and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the cake has set and a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Batter in a round baking pan.

Cool: Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and allow the cake to rest for 10-15 minutes. Then invert the cake onto the rack and carefully set it upright. Cool for 40 minutes at least.

Prepare Honey Pecan Glaze: While the cake is cooling, prepare the Honey Pecan Glaze. Add the unsalted butter, honey, and ground cinnamon to a medium sized saucepan or pot and heat over medium-low heat until the butter starts to melt. Stir to combine until the mixture has slightly thickened – about 1-2 minutes, then take the pan off the heat and stir in the pecans. (Note: Make sure the heat is set to medium-low as if it gets too hot, the honey and butter will start to solidify and become like candy.)

Whole Almond Banana Cake topped with honey pecan glaze on a cooling rack on top of baking tray.

Top cake with glaze and serve!: Spoon the Honey Pecan Glaze on top of the cake allow it to set for 10 minutes or so. Then transfer the cake to a cutting board and slice into even portions. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream if desired!

Slice of almond banana cake topped with honey pecan glaze and a fork on a small white plate. Whole cake on a large plate in the back.

Full ingredient amounts/instructions in the recipe card below.

A slice of almond meal banana cake topped with honey pecan glaze on a plate with a small bite of the cake on a fork.

VARIATIONS:

  • Use almond flour: If you prefer a finer texture for the cake, you can use either a store-bought homemade almond flour (blanche the almonds to remove the skins, and then finely grind them). I haven’t tried making this cake with almond flour yet, but I recommend using 4 large eggs instead of just 2 to help with binding.
  • Use other nuts for the glaze: Walnuts, sliced almonds, macadamias, hazelnuts, would all taste great!
  • Make it refined sugar free: Omit the white sugar in the cake, and use more honey or maple syrup to taste to make this cake 100% naturally sweetened.
  • Use lemon extract: Swap the vanilla extract in the cake for lemon extract for a brighter and zesty flavored almond banana cake!
  • Make it gluten-free: While I haven’t tried making this cake completely gluten-free and without the all-purpose flour, I think you can yield same or similar results if you use 1 to 1 Gluten-free Baking Flour in place of the all-purpose flour. You may need to bake for a few extra minutes with this type of flour. I have not tried making this cake with just almond meal or almond flour. But if you do, share how it turned out with us in the comments to help other readers!
  • Make it vegan: I have not tested making this cake without the eggs. But if you’d like to make it egg-free, I suggest adding an additional banana and 3 tablespoons of creamy peanut butter to help with binding in place of the eggs. Note that this will alter the taste of the cake. Or feel free to look into other egg substitutes online. Also, use a dairy-free Greek style yogurt for the cake, and dairy-free butter and vegan honey or maple syrup for the cake and glaze.
Fork holding up a bite of almond banana cake above a plate with a slice. Rest of the cake on a plate in the back.

STORING AND LEFTOVERS

This cake can be sliced and stored in sealed airtight containers either on the countertop or fridge for up to 3-4 days. I recommend heating up the slice in the microwave for 10-20 seconds before serving as the cake tastes best when warm.

Almond Meal Banana Cake with honey pecan glaze on a large round plate with a slice cut out to show the inside texture, and top view of a slice of almond banana cake topped with honey pecan glaze and a fork on a small white plate.

MORE DESSERTS AND SWEETS & TREATS


MADE THIS RECIPE? If you make this recipe, leave a comment below and let me know how you liked it! Take a photo and tag it with @thatspicychick on Instagram and hashtag it #thatspicychick and I’ll be sure to share your masterpiece!

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Almond Meal Banana Cake

Top view of slice of almond banana cake topped with honey pecan glaze and a fork on a small white plate.

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

5 from 7 reviews

This Almond Meal Banana Cake is delectably moist, sweet, and the perfect cozy dessert for date night or any night in! It’s made mostly with finely ground almonds and just a little bit of flour, and less sugar than most cakes. It’s also full of lovely almond, honey, and banana-y flavors, topped with a delightful honey pecan glaze, and is simply SO GOOD!

  • Author: Lavina
  • Prep Time: 15
  • Cook Time: 45
  • Total Time: 1 hour
  • Yield: 810 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Pulse, Mix, Bake
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

For the Almond Meal Banana Cake:

  • 200 grams Almonds, raw, with skin – (Or use 200 grams store-bought almond meal for convenience if preferred.)
  • 3 medium overripe Bananas (about 1.52 cups mashed)
  • 100 grams (1/2 cup) Unsalted Butter – chopped into smaller sized chunks
  • ¼ cup Honey
  • 2 large Eggs
  • ¼ cup granulated White Sugar
  • ¼ cup Greek Style Yogurt (or Plain Yogurt)*
  • 1 TSP Almond Extract
  • 1 TSP Vanilla Extract
  • ½ cup Unbleached White All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 TSP Baking Powder
  • 1 & ¼ TSP Baking Soda
  • ¼ TSP Fine Sea Salt
  • ¼ TSP ground Cinnamon
  • Olive Oil or melted butter, for greasing the pan

For the Honey Pecan Glaze:

  • 2.5 TBLS Unsalted Butter
  • 2.5 TBLS Honey
  • ¼ TSP ground Cinnamon
  • 50 grams (about ½ cup) Pecans – either left whole or chopped

Instructions

  1. Prep: Preheat oven to 165°C/325°F/Gas Mark 3. Grease an 8-inch round baking pan with oil or melted butter and line the bottom with aluminum foil or nonstick cooking paper.
  2. Make almond meal: Add the raw almonds to a food processor bowl (or high-speed blender) and cover with its lid. Process in 30 second bursts, mixing and scraping the sides of the food processor bowl in between, until the almonds are finely ground. Be careful not to over process as the almonds will start turning into almond butter and clumping in the center and sides of the processor.) Transfer the almond meal to a bowl or measuring cup and set aside. (Note: Skip this step if using store-bought almond meal.)
  3. Mash bananas: Peel the bananas and place the flesh in a large mixing bowl. Use a potato masher (or fork) to mash until smooth.
  4. Melt butter and honey: Combine the unsalted butter and honey in a microwave safe measuring cup or bowl. Heat in 30 second increments, stirring with a spoon in between, until melted.
  5. Combine wet ingredients: Add the eggs, melted unsalted butter and honey mixture, granulated white sugar, Greek style yogurt, almond extract, and vanilla extract to the bowl with the mashed bananas. Mix with a rubber spatula or large spoon until evenly combined.
  6. Mix in dry ingredients: Add the almond meal, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, fine sea salt, and ground cinnamon. Mix until everything is evenly incorporated and combined well, but do not overmix. The batter will be liquidy.
  7. Bake: Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth out the top with the rubber spatula or back of the spoon. Firmly tap the baking pan on the counter a few times to release any air bubbles that may have formed from. Then place the pan in the center rack of the oven and bake for 45-50 minutes, or until the cake has set and a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  8. Cool: Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and allow the cake to rest for 10-15 minutes. Then invert the cake onto the rack and carefully set it upright. Cool for 40 minutes at least.
  9. Prepare Honey Pecan Glaze: While the cake is cooling, prepare the Honey Pecan Glaze. Add the unsalted butter, honey, and ground cinnamon to a medium sized saucepan or pot and heat over medium-low heat until the butter starts to melt. Stir to combine until the mixture has slightly thickened – about 1-2 minutes, then take the pan off the heat and stir in the pecans. (Note: Make sure the heat is set to medium-low as if it gets too hot, the honey and butter will start to solidify and become like candy.)
  10. Top cake with glaze and serve: Spoon the Honey Pecan Glaze on top of the cake allow it to set for 10 minutes or so. Then transfer the cake to a cutting board and slice into even portions. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream and whipped cream if desired!

Notes

  1. Greek style yogurt: Greek style yogurt is less thick and more watery than Greek yogurt. If you prefer, you can use plain yogurt or vanilla flavored yogurt instead too.
  2. Storing and leftovers: This cake can be sliced and stored in sealed airtight containers either on the countertop or fridge for up to 3-4 days. I recommend heating up the slice in the microwave for 10-20 seconds before serving as the cake tastes best when warm.
  3. Use almond flour: If you prefer a finer texture for the cake, you can use either a store-bought homemade almond flour (blanche the almonds to remove the skins, and then finely grind them). I haven’t tried making this cake with almond flour yet, but I recommend using 4 large eggs instead of just 2 to help with binding.
  4. Use other nuts for the glaze: Walnuts, sliced almonds, macadamias, hazelnuts, would all taste great!
  5. Make it refined sugar free: Omit the white sugar in the cake, and use more honey or maple syrup to taste to make this cake 100% naturally sweetened.
  6. Use lemon extract: Swap the vanilla extract in the cake for lemon extract for a brighter and zesty flavored almond banana cake!
  7. Make it gluten-free: While I haven’t tried making this cake completely gluten-free and without the all-purpose flour, I think you can yield same or similar results if you use 1 to 1 Gluten-free Baking Flour in place of the all-purpose flour. You may need to bake for a few extra minutes with this type of flour. I have not tried making this cake with just almond meal or almond flour. But if you do, share how it turned out with us in the comments to help other readers!
  8. Make it vegan: I have not tested making this cake without the eggs. But if you’d like to make it egg-free, I suggest adding an additional banana and 3 tablespoons of creamy peanut butter to help with binding in place of the eggs. Note that this will alter the taste of the cake. Or feel free to look into other egg substitutes online. Also, use a dairy-free Greek style yogurt for the cake, and dairy-free butter and vegan honey or maple syrup for the cake and glaze.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 slice
  • Calories: 490
  • Sugar: 27.6g
  • Sodium: 294.9mg
  • Fat: 33.1g
  • Saturated Fat: 10.6g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 20.8g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 44g
  • Fiber: 5.2g
  • Protein: 9.7g
  • Cholesterol: 84.1mg
Almond Meal Banana Cake with honey pecan glaze on a large round plate with a slice cut out to show the inside texture.

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18 comments on “Almond Meal Banana Cake”

  1. Hi Lavina, I’ve just made your banana and ground almond cake. It’s delicious but I can’t eat it all by myself in a couple of days. Will it freeze?
    Thanks 😊

    • Hi Helen!

      I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed this cake! While I haven’t frozen it myself, I believe you can. Ideally it should be frozen without the honey pecan glaze. Wrap the cake tightly (or cake slices) in cling film/cling wrap and then wrap in a sheet of aluminum foil for extra protection from freezer burn. You can place the cake in an airtight sealed container and then freeze or just place the tightly wrapped cake in the freezer. Should be good in the freezer for 2-3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge. Hope this helps! 🙂

  2. I was looking for a banana cake that was a recipe “a cut above the rest”.
    I can honestly say – this is it!
    I made this for afternoon tea on a warm Saturday afternoon and took it too my parents.
    My husband (highest cake critic) said he thinks it’s the best cake I have EVER cooked. My parents LOVED it and gave similar compliments. Mom asked to keep the rest of it to share……
    But they are really all your compliments Lavina – thank you for this recipe. 
    Easy to follow, great combination of ingredients, perfect taste. 






    • Hi Heather,
      Your comment made my day. I am SO happy that you and your family enjoyed this cake so much!! It’s a favorite around here and my pleasure to share this recipe with you and everyone and get such wonderful feedback. Thank you!

  3. This is my second time with this great super quick one bowl wonder cake !
    This time round made it with frozen bananas and just as good, so nutritious with the cake full of almond meal, this recipe worth keeping thank you 😊 






    • I’m so happy that you’re loving this cake recipe! Thanks for letting us know that frozen bananas work just as well too. I’m sure other readers will appreciate this tip. Have a great week! 🙂

  4. SUPER EASY AND VERY TASTY, THANK YOU FOR SHARING IT WITH US.






  5. I had some almond meal and bananas to use up and was so glad to find your recipe! Nearly every other recipe was for almond flour. I made this cake this morning during a whirlwind of productivity and WOW it was delicious and moist. I didn’t even add the glaze but found it was fabulous on its own. Thanks!






    • Fantastic, Siobhan! I’m happy that you found this recipe and were pleased with the results!! It’s a personal family fave here! Thanks for coming back to comment and leave a rating. 🙂

  6. Super easy and super tasty. Now going to try some of your other recipes. Also love the name ‘thatspicychick’.






  7. Can i use frozen banana ?

    • Hi Victoria,

      I haven’t tested this recipe with frozen bananas, but I think it could work if you thaw the bananas completely before mashing them to use in this recipe. Drain any excess water that releases during the thawing process. Let me know if you try it with frozen bananas as I’m curious. Happy cooking! 🙂

  8. I made with sliced almonds on top and substitutes white sugar for brown sugar. Super tasty and easy to mix up. Love not having to use a mixer.






  9. Lavina, this was so delicious. I loved it. Made it for a dinner party and my guests really enjoyed it. They were asking me for the recipe! I’ll definitely be making it again. Thank you ❤️






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