A delicious moist vegan banana cake with a layer of gooey spiced cinnamon sugar in the middle, topped with a simple vanilla cream cheese frosting and mini puff pastry cinnamon rolls, with vanilla icing. Vegan, No-Egg, No-Dairy and surprisingly easy to make.
Vegan Cinnamon Roll Banana Cake
A moist and tender banana cake with a hidden layer of cinnamon sugar for the ‘cinnamon roll vibe’, is topped with a luscious vanilla cream cheese frosting and cinnamon swirls for the ultimate cinnamon roll inspired banana dessert. The flavours of banana and cinnamon pair perfectly together, so I’m especially excited to share this delicious recipe with you! This cosy, autumnal cake is filled with fresh, ripe sweet banana flavours, warm and comforting cinnamon spices, and topped with creamy dairy-free cream cheese frosting for the perfect balance of sweet, warming and comforting flavours in one easy to make cake. It’s the PERFECT cake for sharing, enjoying for breakfast or dessert! It’s the perfect way to use up left over ripe bananas and satisfy the cinnamon roll sweet tooth cravings! You are absolutely going to love this cake, I truly cant wait for you to make it!
Looking for more cosy recipes? Check out my: Vegan Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls, Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte Cake, Vegan Apple Crumble Banana Bread, Vegan S’mores Stroop Waffle Tacos and Vegan Chocolate Espresso Pie.
Why you’ll love this recipe
- It’s the perfect combination of moist banana and gooey cinnamon roll all in one cake
- 100% vegan and free from any animal derived ingredients.
- The sweet cinnamon swirls on top adds the perfect amount of warmth and spice.
- The banana gives the cake a naturally sweet flavour with a soft, delicate texture.
- It’s the perfect treat for breakfast, dessert or a sweet afternoon snack.
- It tastes indulgent without needing any dairy or eggs.
- Every bite delivers all the cosy goodness of a cinnamon roll!
- Top each slice with mini puff pastry cinnamon rolls and finish with a generous drizzle of vanilla icing!
- It’s a delicious twist on two classic favourites: banana cake and cinnamon rolls.
Cinnamon Roll Banana Cake FAQ
How is this cinnamon roll banana cake vegan? I use alternatives like dairy-free butter, dairy-free cream cheese and dairy-free whipping cream. The cake is egg-free, using soya milk and apple cider vinegar is the egg replacer.
- What type of bananas are best to use? You want to use ripe bananas which have only a few brown spots. This will result in an extra sweet banana flavour.
- How long will it keep? When stored covered in the fridge, this cake should keep well for around 2–3 days because of the fresh banana. In fact, the flavours can become even more delicious as the cake sits for a day or two. However, make sure you keep it refrigerated to maintain its freshness.
- Can I make this gluten-free? Yes, you can try making this cake gluten-free by swapping the plain flour for a good-quality 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. For the best results, choose a blend designed for baking that contains a binder, such as xanthan gum. This helps give the cake a better texture.
- Can I make the cake ahead of time? Yes! You can easily bake this cake the day before you plan to decorate it. First, let the cake cool completely. Then, wrap it in clingfilm / plastic wrap and store it in an airtight / sealed container. This helps keep the cake super moist and fresh until you’re ready to decorate it the next day.
Layers of a cinnamon roll banana cake
Moist banana cake layered with a sweet cinnamon sugar filling, topped with smooth vanilla cream cheese frosting and finished with a beautiful cinnamon swirl. The full written recipe including ingredients and method, refer to the the recipe card at the bottom of the page.
- Banana cake
A soft and moist banana cake packed with the natural sweetness of ripe bananas. A layer of cinnamon sugar in middle of the batter create creating a warm, sweet cinnamon roll flavour in the middle of the cake. Another layer of banana cake, bringing the comforting banana and cinnamon flavours together.
- Vanilla cream cheese frosting
A layer of smooth dairy-free vanilla cream cheese frosting balances out the sweetness of the banana cake with a slight tanginess! I use vanilla bean paste to add a richer vanilla flavour, and add gorgeous speckles in the frosting.
- Cinnamon sauce swirls
Swirls of cinnamon sauce (made of dairy-free cream, sugar, butter and cinnamon) help to create the ultimate cinnamon rolls flavour and aesthetic. The sauce is great served on the side, for drizzling over the cake – it’s delicious!
- Puff pastry cinnamon rolls and vanilla icing
The cake can be served as it is, or you can go all out and top with actual cinnamon rolls. To keep things simple, they are puff pastry cinnamon rolls with only 3 ingredients and only 15 minute baking time! They’re drizzled with vanilla icing, giving the perfect cinnamon roll vibe.
If you make, and love this recipe, please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating below. Thank you & happy baking! Make sure to tag me in your photos on Instagram and Facebook! And if you want to pin this recipe for later, you can use the button on the recipe card, above or below this post, or on any of the photos. Happy baking all!
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Vegan Cinnamon Roll Banana Cake
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 8–10 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Enjoy a moist Vegan Cinnamon Roll Banana Cake topped with vanilla cream cheese frosting and mini cinnamon rolls for a delightful treat.
Ingredients
Ingredients for the cake
- 250ml of dairy-free milk (soya milk works best)
- 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar
- 2 medium sized bananas (soft and ripe)
- 100g of caster sugar
- 250g of self raising flour
- 1 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
- 70ml of sunflower oil
Ingredients for the cinnamon sugar
- 80g of light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons of ground cinnamon
Ingredients for the frosting
- 220g of vegan butter – softened
- 220g of dairy-free cream cheese – cold
- 260g of icing / powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste
Ingredients for the cinnamon sauce
- 100g of light brown sugar
- 60g of dairy-free heavy cream (I use Flora Plant Cream)
- 50g of dairy-free butter
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Ingredients for the mini cinnamon rolls
Instructions
Method (cake)
- Preheat your oven to 180ºC fan and line an 8 x 8 inch square cake tin with greaseproof paper. Allow the paper to hang over the tin slightly, this makes it easier to remove the cake when baked.
- In a bowl, combine the dairy-free milk with the apple cider vinegar and whisk until fully combined. Set aside for 10 minutes to curdle. This creates a vegan ‘buttermilk’. Peel and mash up the bananas until soft, add into the milk and whisk to combine.
- In a large mixing bowl, sift the sugar, flour, ground cinnamon, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda. Mix well to combine. Add the oil into the ‘buttermilk’ and whisk to combine.
- Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix just to combine.
- Spoon half of the batter into the lined tin. Level it out with the back of a spoon or offset spatula.
- Make the cinnamon sugar. In a small bowl, combine the light brown sugar and ground cinnamon until combined. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar in an even layer over the batter. Pour the remaining batter over the cinnamon sugar, making sure to cover it (refer to video for example).
- Place the cake into the middle of the preheated oven and bake for around 25-30 minutes. You will know it is done when you put a knife or skewer down the middle of the cake and it comes out clean and it’s springy to the touch. If batter comes off on the skewer, it needs more time to bake. To prevent burning, top the cake with some greaseproof paper then return back into the oven.
- Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes then carefully transfer onto a cooling rack. Allow to cool fully before frosting. You can even place the cake in a sealed container once cool then frost the day after. It’s a very light sponge so be careful with it when removing from the tin.
Method (cream cheese frosting)
- In a stand mixer with balloon whisk attachment or in a bowl with an electric hand whisk, add in the soft butter and cold cream cheese, whisk on high speed for around 5 minutes – 8 minutes until pale and creamy.
- Gradually add in the icing / powdered sugar along with the vanilla. Whip until it’s thick and fluffy. If its too thick, add in some more chunks of cream cheese, too soft, add in more icing sugar to get it to the perfect creamy consistency.
- Spoon the frosting on top of the cold cake (make sure its fully cold as any heat from the cake will instantly melt the frosting). Spread out using an off set spatula or the back of a spoon. Make swirls in the frosting for the cinnamon sauce
Method (cinnamon sauce)
- In a small saucepan, add in the butter and melt on the hob until melted.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, sugar, heavy cream and cinnamon until smooth.
- Spoon the mixture into the swirls in the frosting, and use the back of a spoon or off-set spatula to gently swirl it around.
- Cut the cake into squares using a sharp knife and serve.
- Serve the cake as is, or top with some vegan puff pastry cinnamon rolls and vanilla icing.
Notes
To store: Store the cake in an air tight / sealed container in the fridge. Leave the cake at room temperature for 10 minutes before serving for a moist cake. Best eaten within 2-3 days of making.
What vegan butter do you use? My go-to’s are Flora Unsalted Plant Butter and Naturli Vegan Block.
What vegan cream to use? I use Flora Plant Cream, or The Coconut Collaborative Double Cream. Be sure to use a thick dairy-free cream.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
- Category: Cakes and layer cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
