This Chocolate Chip Banana Snack Cake is so easy, and so good. It’s dense, moist, and because it’s baked in a cast iron skillet, it has just the tiniest bit of a thin crispy outside layer. Plus, it’s the perfect way to use up your brown bananas, which unfortunately, I had a few more of than I wanted today.
Yesterday, I placed a grocery order for delivery with Whole Foods. Have you guys tried it? If you have an Amazon Prime membership, you can order from Whole Foods with free delivery, and usually it arrives within 2-4 hours. They add on a suggested $5 tip, which I think is more than reasonable, but you can adjust the tip higher or lower if you choose. It’s been so helpful during this stay-home-time, when I’m still trying to limit unnecessary trips out.
Anyway, I had a couple of brown bananas sitting on my counter that were too far past the point I like to eat them on my morning Smoothie Bowl or Acai Bowl. So, I added 3 bananas to my Whole Foods order. Sadly, when the delivery arrived, the 3 bananas they brought me were even more brown than the ones I already had!
It was a happy ending though, because needing to use up those brown bananas led me to the creation of this cake, which will make my husband very a happy. 💕 He loves to have a sweet treat on his coffee break at the hospital. Now that I’m home much more than usual lately, I’ve enjoyed keeping him supplied with fresh-baked goodies to pack for work each day. This one will hook him up for the next several days!
How to Make Chocolate Chip Banana Snack Cake
The Batter
This batter takes only a few, simple ingredients that you likely have on hand right now: flour, sugar, butter, vanilla, salt, baking soda, bananas and chocolate chips. That’s it.
I always use Watkins Baking Vanilla, and I’m never disappointed. I think it adds such a noticeable vanilla flavor to my baked goods. Much more so than with other brands I’ve used in the past.

I only had mini chocolate chips, so that’s what I used, but really, whatever you have will work.

The Cast Iron Skillet
I used THIS skillet that my hubby bought to use on his smoker. Other skillets may also work just fine, but they will change the thickness of your cake, so you may need to adjust your bake time accordingly.

Starting with the baking temp at 350 degrees for the first 30 minutes helps the cake form the slight outer crust, and then reducing to 300 degrees for another 15-20 minutes allows the cake to bake through in the center.
Watch your cake carefully and adjust bake time as necessary to accommodate your oven and skillet type/size. It is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.



This is perfect with your morning coffee, as a snack for the kids, or as a dessert. Can you see that ever-so-thin crispy crust on the top, and that dense banana-bread-like cake underneath? The combination is perfection.



Chocolate Chip Banana Snack Cake
Ingredients
- ¼ cup butter softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 3 ripe bananas mashed
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°. In the bowl of your mixer, beat butter and sugar until crumbly. Beat in egg, bananas and vanilla.
- In another bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into banana mixture. Stir in 1/2 cup chocolate chips.
- Pour into a greased 10-in. cast-iron or other ovenproof skillet; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Bake approximately 30 minutes at 350°. Reduce oven temp to 300° and bake another 15-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack.
I’m still working from home right now, as I finish up some end-of-the-year things before we can put wrap on this strange, difficult, emotional, and very challenging school year.
I cut myself a wedge of this warm cake, poured a fresh cup of coffee, and carried it out onto the screen porch with my laptop to get back to work. It was just the boost I needed to get my head back in the game and power through.

Wishing you peace, health, and delicious snacks,

Let’s stay in touch! Subscribe via the box on this page, and follow The House on Silverado on social media.
Facebook —– Instagram —– Pinterest
This post contains affiliate links.
I’ve made chocolate chip banana bread forever but never in a cast iron skillet! I’m eager to try your recipe as soon as the Xmas goodies are gone! Can you tell me what size skillet you used?
Also, why don’t you preheat to 350 rather than 325?
Hi Karen,
My skillet is a 12″ Lodge cast iron. I preheated to 325 because the cast iron gets so hot, I didn’t want the bottom of the cake to burn.
Hope you enjoy making this unique version. 🙂
sounds so yummy love the addition of both the banana and chocolate chips sure to be a pleaser
come see us at http://shopannies.blogspot.com
I love banana and chocolate together, and it’s just not a combo I do enough. The idea of it in cake is interesting!
Thanks so much for linking up with me at my #UnlimitedMonthlyLinkParty 13
This looks delicious, and I’m sure you had a great time baking and enjoying it
Sounds delicious! Thank you for sharing at Party In Your PJ’s.
This sounds wonderful – we’lll have to give it a try. Thanks for sharing!
Let me know if you try it! Enjoy!
I think it’s just what I need today, too. I’m going to have to pick up some chocolate chips! 🙂
Let me know if you try it, Donna! Enjoy!