The Last Banana in the Bunch: Easy One Banana Cake

Melissa Mitchell

Aug 5

4 min read

Header graphic for The Art of Island Life blog featuring Melissa Mitchell’s name, Padre Island Art Gallery, and a soft brushstroke design in coastal colors

Aug 5, 2026

By Melissa Mitchell

Have you ever noticed that last banana on the counter—the one everyone avoids because it has a few brown spots?

In my house, there is always one.

My grandchildren love bananas, so whenever they're here, I buy a bunch. Without fail, one banana is left sitting on the counter just a little too ripe for anyone to choose.

Rather than toss it out, I simply pop it into the freezer—peel and all.

The first time you take one out of the freezer, don't be alarmed. The peel will have turned completely black, and I'll admit, when I first saw one, I wondered if I'd waited too long myself.

Don't let that scare or fool you.

Inside, something almost magical happens. I've actually come to prefer frozen bananas for baking. Once thawed, they're incredibly smooth and creamy, blend easily into the batter, and seem even sweeter than when they first went into the freezer.

When I'm ready to use it, I thaw it overnight in the refrigerator, snip off one end of the peel, and simply squeeze the banana into the mixing bowl. No peeling, very little cleanup, and one less banana headed for the trash.

Empty frozen banana peel with black peel after thawing. Photograph by Melissa Mitchell

It has become one of my favorite little kitchen habits.

Today I'm sharing one of my favorite little cakes—simple, easy to make, and just right with a cup of coffee for breakfast or topped with cream cheese frosting for dessert.

One of the things I enjoy most about this recipe is its size. It isn't a large cake sitting on the counter tempting me all week. It's just enough to enjoy over coffee with a friend or serve after dinner without a lot left over.

Melissa Mitchell's granddaughter Claire helping bake a homemade one banana cake.

My granddaughter Claire loves helping me make this little cake for breakfast. She especially enjoys eating something she helped create. Just as my grandmother did with me, one of my favorite kitchen traditions is baking with my grandchildren.

My sixteen-year-old grandson still remembers standing on a stool in my kitchen, making his favorite breakfast—Cream Cheese Danish.

Perhaps this simple cake will become one of those memories in your family, too.

As with most of my own recipes, I don't fuss too much over exact measurements. I tend to cook the way my grandmother taught me—with a little of this, a little of that, adjusting as I go. These are my best estimates.

Ingredients

1/2 cup Caputo 00 flour (all-purpose flour works just as well)

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

4 tablespoons packed light brown cane sugar

1 large egg, beaten

1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)

1 medium ripe banana*

Handful of small native Texas pecan halves (or chopped pecans, if preferred)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Stir in the brown sugar.

Add the olive oil, egg, vanilla bean paste, and banana. Stir until well combined.

Fold in the pecans.

Line the bottom of a 6-inch cake pan with a round of parchment paper and lightly brush the parchment with melted butter.

Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for approximately 25 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the center springs back when lightly touched.

Slice of homemade one banana cake served with coffee on a white plate. Recipe and photograph by Melissa Mitchell.

This recipe also works beautifully as muffins.

For the muffin option: Divide the batter among four-six parchment-lined muffin cups and bake at 350°F for 18–22 minutes, or until lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

The exact yield will depend on the size of your muffin pan.

The cake is delicious on its own, but if you'd like to dress it up for dessert, here's my simple Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting. It's also wonderful on almost any flavor of cupcake, pumpkin bread, or between layers of cake.

Vanilla Bean Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe:

Homemade vanilla bean cream cheese frosting in a white bowl. Recipe and photograph by Melissa Mitchell.

4 oz cream cheese, softened (1/2 package)

1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sifted powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste (or extract)

In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy. Mix in the vanilla, then gradually add the powdered sugar until well combined.

Store any leftover icing in the refrigerator.

This icing is wonderful on cupcakes, pumpkin bread, between cake layers, or simply spread over this little banana cake. Double the recipe if you're frosting a full-size cake.

And remember—next time you spot that last banana on the counter, don't throw it away. Pop it into the freezer. It just might become your favorite little kitchen tricks, too.

The Art of Island Life will return next week with more stories and coastal reflections.

Have a story to share or a cause close to your heart? I’d love to hear from you at contact@melissamitchellart.com