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Easy Slow Cooker Banana Bread

What’s not to love about Banana Bread? Moist, fruity and just a little bit squidgy it’s a really satisfying thing to eat. This Slow Cooker Banana Bread is quick to whip up, only takes a few hours to cook and is guaranteed to be super soft and delicious.

Picture of slow cooker banana bread freshly sliced, with ripe bananas on the side

Banana Bread or Banana Cake?

Is it a bread or a cake? There’s the question! Here is the UK, banana bread is often referred to as a bread rather than a cake because it’s traditionally baked in a small loaf tin and served with butter or cream cheese (rather than iced). However the fact that it’s made from a cake batter rather than a dough leads to the cake or bread ambiguity.

One thing’s for sure, as it’s a sumptuous treat and it’s packed full of fruit, it doesn’t feel quite so sinful eating it!

Overhead view of banana cake baked in the slow cooker.

The thing I like about baking banana bread in the slow cooker is that is always comes out incredibly soft and moist. The slow cooker promotes a lovely, gentle rise which suits this recipe perfectly. I simply line the slow cooker with foil and baking parchment, pour in the batter and leave it. After a few hours, I’m rewarded with a deliciously soft banana cake.

Why make banana bread in the slow cooker?

  • A great way to use up any overripe bananas.
  • An easy set it and go recipe.
  • A tasty and satisfying treat!
  • Slow cooker banana bread is freezable so it’s a great batch cooking recipe.
  • Cut into chunky slices makes a great addition to packed lunchboxes.
Close up image of a banana cake baked in the crockpot and sliced.

Equipment

  • Slow cooker
  • Baking parchment
  • Foil
  • Kitchen roll

What You’ll Need

Here is what you will need to make banana bread in the slow cooker.

Exact ingredient quantities can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Picture of all of the ingredients required to make Slow Cooker Banana Bread.

Self raising flour – Fine milled flour commonly used for cakes, it also contains baking powder and salt.

Bananas – Ripened. The best ones to use are the ones that have a plenty of brown patches on the skin. Peel then mash them into a pulp with a fork or potato masher.

Sugar – Caster sugar (superfine sugar) is perfect for blending into cake mixture and will produce a light coloured sponge. I also add a smaller quantity of soft, brown sugar as this has a richer, malty taste and slightly darkens the colour of the cake.

Butter – Unsalted and soft.

Eggs – Large eggs, beaten.

Baking Powder – Add baking powder in addition to using self raising flour to help the rise as the cake has a high concentration of fruit.

Salt – Salt in the cake mixture balances the sweetness of the bananas.

How To Make It

Preparing a slow cooker for baking a cake

First prepare the slow cooker by creating an aluminium foil and baking parchment lining for the cake batter.

The foil will help to distribute the heat evenly across the cake mixture, the parchment creates a case for the cake mixture.

Picture to show the four steps to prepare a slow cooker for baking. Creating a foil and baking parchment lining.
  1. Measure out a length of foil to fit the pot.
  2. Push the foil into the base of the pot and smooth out along the bottom and edges with your hands. The edges of the foil should reach about half way up the sides of the pot.
  3. Measure a length of baking parchment the diameter of the pot plus 3-4 cm each side.
  4. Again push this down into the base and smooth out. Fold over any sections of paper that protrude around the sides.

Finally, preheat the slow cooker for 20 minutes on the high setting.

Making the banana bread cake batter

Here are the steps to prepare the banana cake batter. This can be done by hand in a large mixing bowl with a wooden spoon, or in a stand mixer.

  1. In a large mixing bowl cream the softened butter and sugar. Then add the flour (sifted for best results), baking powder and salt, then the eggs.
  2. Add in the mashed bananas and stir well.
  3. Pour the mixture into the baking parchment lining in the slow cooker.
  4. Measure out 4 sheets of kitchen roll leaving the paper join intact. Fold in half and then place over the top of the slow cooker pot. Trap these in place with the lid.
  5. Bake on high for a minimum of 2 hours 15 minutes. After baking test the cake by inserting a skewer into the middle of the cake. This should come away clean. If it does not, bake for longer checking every 15 minutes until fully cooked.

Once baked, remove the cake by lifting the edges of the baking parchment and place on a wire rack to cool.

Serving Suggestions

This banana cake recipe will serve between 8-12 people easily.

You can serve it plain, or like a tea loaf with a smear of butter on top of the slice! If you are feeling indulgent why not make up a light cream cheese icing for the top?

Another option is to serve it slightly warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, delicious!

Overhead view of Banana Bread cooked in the slow cooker that has been sliced.

Recipe Variations

This is a base recipe for a banana bread which is flavourful and moist in its own right. That’s not to say it can’t be given a few twists to add interest! Here’s a few ideas.

Chocolate chip banana bread – Chocolate and banana is a great combination! Add 75g of chocolate chips to the cake batter to make a chocolate banana loaf. I prefer dark chocolate chips to balance the sweetness.

Dried Fruit – Plump, juicy sultanas can also be added to the banana cake mix for an extra fruity taste.

Spice – Adding half a teaspoon of cinnamon or nutmeg to the mixture will add a fragrant spiced edge to the cake.

Nuts – Sprinkle crumbled walnuts through the cake mixture and over the top once it’s ready for baking. These provide a sweet, earthy flavour and look beautiful once baked. You could also add a hint of maple syrup flavour to the cake (as maple and walnuts are an amazing taste combination!). Simply pierce the cake with a skewer once it’s cooked and drizzle over a few teaspoons of maple syrup. This will smother the walnuts and soak into the sponge wonderfully.

How To Store and Freeze

This banana bread can be kept in an airtight cake tin or box for up to 5 days. It’s a naturally moist cake so it doesn’t dry out quickly. It can also be frozen for up to three months, simply wrap tightly in cling film and freeze. You can choose to freeze the whole cake in one go or portion it up into slices for easy defrosting.

Top Tips

Heat the slow cooker before baking – Just as you would with an oven, make sure you take the time to heat up the slow cooker before baking. This ensures that the cake batter goes straight into a hot, stable temperature and starts baking at the correct heat immediately. This helps to avoid the cake being unevenly baked, or worse – undercooked!

Don’t remove the lid before the end of the baking time – I know it’s tempting to take a peek as the banana cake is baking but as soon as the lid is removed some heat will escape and drop the temperature inside the slow cooker. This can cause the cake to collapse whilst it is rising. Leave the lid firmly in place until you’re ready to check it’s cooked.

More Slow Cooker Baking Ideas

Baking in the slow cooker is easy and with a few helpful tips you can make some fantastic cakes and breads. For example if you like something full of spice and flavour why not try this Slow Cooker Gingerbread Cake?

Alternatively, if you are looking for a dessert option you can’t go wrong with Slow Cooker Treacle Sponge!

FAQs

Why are overripe bananas better for baking?

It’s all down to the concentration of sugars in the fruit. The ripening process of bananas converts the starch in the fruit into sugar so the older they are, the sweeter they will be. Furthermore, as fruits age they lose liquid so the ratio of sugar to water increases resulting in a sweeter, more potent flavour. They also soften with age, making them easier to mash and add to recipes.

Can I make slow cooker banana bread in the oven?

This recipe will also work well in the oven. Grease and line a medium sized loaf tin with baking parchment, pour in the mixture and place in a preheated oven (fan 180°C /350°F) and cook for 1hr 15 – 1hr 30mins.

Can banana bread be frozen?

Yes, banana bread will freeze really well. Simply allow to cool and then tightly wrap in clip film before freezing. It will last well for around 3 months.

Can I use a loaf or cake tin in the slow cooker?

Yes, you can use a loaf tin in the slow cooker and this will make the cake into a nice neat shape. It all depends on whether the tin fits into the slow cooker!

Picture of slow cooker banana bread freshly sliced.

Easy Slow Cooker Banana Bread

Slow cooker banana bread is moist and full of banana flavour. It's super easy to make, only takes a few hours to cook and is guaranteed to be super soft and delicious.
5 from 3 votes
Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 2 hrs 15 mins
Total Time 2 hrs 35 mins
Course Dessert, Other, Snack
Cuisine British
Servings8 people
Calories318kcal

Ingredients

  • 275 g (2.2 cups) self raising flour sifted
  • 3 bananas medium and ripe, peeled and mashed
  • 120 g (4.23 oz) butter unsalted, softened
  • 110 g (0.55 cups) caster sugar superfine sugar
  • 65 g (0.3 cups) brown sugar
  • 2 eggs large
  • tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt finely ground

Instructions
 

Preparing the slow cooker

  • Line the slow cooker with kitchen foil. To measure the correct size, cut a length of foil which is as long as the outer rim of the slow cooker pot.
    Picture to show how to measure the amount of foil required to line a slow cooker to bake a cake.
  • Push the piece of foil into the base of the pot and smooth the foil against the sides so it is neatly lined (see recipe note 1).
    Picture of a slow cooker lined with foil.
  • Now measure out a piece of baking parchment to hold the cake mixture (see recipe note 2). As before, pull out a length of baking parchment across the length of the slow cooker pot then add an extra 3cm of paper overhanging on each side and cut.
    Picture to show how to measure the amount of baking parchment required to line a slow cooker.
  • Push the paper into the base of the pot, flattening the paper along the bottom and then folding any overlapping areas over around the sides neatly.
    Picture of a slow cooker lined with baking parchment before baking a cake.
  • Pre-heat the slow cooker. Replace the lid of the pot and set on to high for 20 minutes.

Making the banana bread

  • In a bowl peel and then mash the bananas into a puree.
  • Next, add the butter and both types of sugar to a large mixing bowl and mix together. See the recipe notes below for stand mixer instructions.
  • Gradually add the flour, baking powder and salt to the mixture followed by the eggs. Mix together well to form a dense batter.
    Picture of cake batter being prepared for Slow Cooker Banana Cake.
  • Stir through the mashed bananas. The batter will become looser and wetter.
    Mashed bananas being added to cake batter to make banana bread.
  • Pour the banana bread mixture into the baking parchment lining in the slow cooker.
    Slow cooker banana bread cake batter in the slow cooker ready to bake.
  • Now place 4 joined sheets of kitchen paper over the top of the pot (doubled over so that 2 sheets lay across the top of the slow cooker). This will absorb any additional moisture in the slow cooker and prevent the cake from becoming soggy whilst it cooks.
    Trap the paper in place by placing the lid over the top, then set the slow cooker to cook on high for a minimum of 2 hours 15 minutes. Do not open the lid whilst the cake is cooking, this would allow the heat to escape from the cooker and affect the rise of the cake.
    Image of kitchen roll placed under the lid of a slow cooker pot in order to reduce moisture.
  • After the cooking time test the cake is cooked. Firstly by gently pressing down on the top of the banana bread, if it is cooked the sponge should have some resistance and spring back up immediately. A second test is to take a kitchen skewer and pierce the middle of the cake, the skewer will pull out cleanly if it is cooked through. If it comes out with traces of batter then replace the lid and cook for further 15 minute intervals until the skewer comes out of the cake cleanly.
    Slow cooker banana bread freshly baked in the slow cooker.
  • Once cooked, remove the cake from the slow cooker pot by lifting up the edges of the baking paper. Set the cake on a baking rack to cool. Once cooled, peel away the paper, slice and enjoy!

Notes

  1. Some slow cookers can have hotspots where the heating elements are directly underneath the pot. This can result in certain patches of the cake baking faster or over-browning. This is specifically more noticeable when baking in the slow cooker (rather than cooking stews etc).
    Adding a foil liner helps to distribute the heat across the slow cooker, creating a more even temperature for baking.
  2. Use baking parchment to make a cake case for the slow cooker. It prevents batter sticking to the side of the pot, and makes removing the cake much easier at the end of cooking time.

 

Instructions for food processors and stand mixers

Attach the cake mixer attachment, then add the ingredients to the jug or pot in the same order as per the recipe card above. Beat the ingredients on a medium setting until they are well combined.

Nutrition

Calories: 318kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 6gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 73mgSodium: 261mgPotassium: 298mgFiber: 2gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 463IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 56mgIron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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