OK so my sister is going to kill me for using this word in relation to this vegan banana cake… Moist. Sorry sis. But really, there is just no other word that you can use when talking about that sticky, delicious texture that a good banana cake recipe should have. Well le’ me tell you, this one has got it! It has a beautiful consistency that sets it apart from it’s drier relative: banana bread.
We grew up with very high banana cake standards because our Mum had the BEST moist banana cake recipe ever. Not long after I first when plant based I tried to “veganise” it without the use of white flour and refined sugar. It took me many goes to get it right, but here it is. This once again proves that vegans don’t miss out!
Speaking of my Mum, she recently decided to adopt a totally plant based diet herself (yippee!), and she gives this recipe her big tick of approval. She’s now elbows deep in the fun world of vegan cooking and excitedly working her way through her favourite recipes to create satisfying plant based versions.
So expect to see more Mum-inspired recipes coming your way. We’re in competition now to see who can make the best vegan food – bring it, Mumma!
OK, back to the cake. This is about as healthy as you can get for a vegan banana cake recipe. AND, it’s made with spelt flour and topped with a delicious cashew cream frosting. You could totally skip the frosting as the cake is good enough on its own, but the frosting really does add extra – and guilt-free – deliciousness.
It’s all about the bananas!
As with all banana cake recipes, a lot hangs on the ripeness of the bananas. They have gotta be SUPER ripe. If they are starting to look a little translucent or jelly-like in places after you peel them, that’s the goods. You know what I’m talkin’ about. You wouldn’t eat a banana like that, but it’s the dream for a perfect banana cake.
Vegan egg replacer can be purchased from most supermarkets (in the health food or gluten-free section), health food stores or vegan grocers. It is made up of a careful combination of starches, flours and raising agents to mimic the properties of egg in cooking.
I find that flax or chia eggs work great as an egg substitute in many recipes, but generally speaking egg replacer powder works the best for cakes and muffins. Make sure you choose one with all natural ingredients – preferrably no numbers or unrecognisable words.
All the brands I have ever used are 1 teaspoon of powder = 1 egg, so that’s the assumption for this recipe. Double check the package of the one you use and make sure you are adding 2 eggs worth of powder.
It might seem like a lot of raising agents in this cake – but it’s necessary to counteract the weight of the bananas and the spelt flour (which is heavier than wheat flour).
Hope you enjoy this super easy vegan banana cake recipe and let me know what you think in the comments!
xx
- 1.5 cups wholemeal spelt flour
- 3 small bananas
- 3/4 cup coconut sugar *see notes
- 1/2 cup coconut oil melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1.5 tsp bicarb soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp vegan egg replacer *see recipe intro above
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 cup cashews soaked for at least 3 hours prior
- 3 tbsp plant based milk (I used soy)
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 1.5 tbsp coconut oil melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch fine salt
-
Preheat the oven to 160°C on fan-force (320°F) and grease and line a 24x14cm loaf pan.
-
Use a fork to mash the bananas, coconut sugar and vanilla into a small mixing bowl until well combined.
-
Sift all the dry ingredients into a larger mixing bowl and use a balloon whisk to stir until well combined.
-
Make a well in the middle of the dry ingredients, then add the melted coconut oil and banana mixture and whisk until just combined.
-
Pour batter (it should be quite thick) into the prepared loaf pan and bake on the middle rack for 55 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
-
Combine all ingredients into a blender and blend until extremely smooth (the time this takes will depend on the quality of your blender, should be anywhere from 1-3 minutes). If necessary you can add a tablespoon of warm water to assist your blender in making it smooth.
-
Spread the frosting over the cake once it has completely cooled and dust with cinnamon to finish (if you like). Keep stored in the fridge for up to 5 days, but best enjoyed served at room temperature.
*You can sub this 1/2 cup of packed organic brown sugar instead for a more traditional tasting banana cake, but I prefer coconut sugar for sustainability and health reasons 🙂
1 Comment
Submit a Comment
Sign up for a Freebie!
Join my mailing list and get a free guide to simple plant-based swaps
This turned out great. Nice to finally find a vegan banana cake that tastes good!