Banana cake with pecan and coconut cream

To prepare this nutty, vegan-friendly banana cake you'll basically make a blended banana smoothie, then fold through the dry mixture. Simple and satisfying.

• serves

  8

• prep

  20 minutes

• cook

  45 minutes

• difficulty

  Easy

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Ingredients

• 1 green apple
• 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
• 3 ripe bananas
• 150 ml almond milk
• 60 ml (¼ cup) melted coconut oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 350 g (2⅓ cups) plain flour
• 200 g caster sugar
• 100 g (½ cup, firmly packed) dark brown sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 100 g (1 cup) pecans, toasted and roughly chopped, to serve
• 55 g (1 cup) coconut flakes, toasted, to serve

Pecan and coconut cream

• 400 ml can coconut cream, opened and left upright in the fridge
• 125 g (½ cup) vegan butter
• 375 g (3 cups) icing sugar mixture
• 1 tbsp cornflour

Cooling time: 30 minutes

Instructions

1. Preheat a fan forced oven to 160˚C. Grease and line the base of a 20 cm x 30 cm baking dish with baking paper.
2. Grate the apple and place in a small saucepan with 60 ml (¼ cup) water. Bring to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Add the flaxseed and set aside for 1 minute.
3. Meanwhile, place the bananas, almond milk, coconut oil and apple mixture into a blender and blend until combined, but not frothy.
4. Place the flour, sugars, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt in a mixing bowl and stir to combine. Add the wet ingredients to the dry mixture and fold together to a consistent batter. Pour the batter into the prepared dish and bake for 45 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Stand in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
5. For the pecan and coconut cream, take the coconut cream out of the fridge and pour through a strainer to remove the liquid from the solid cream. Combine the solid coconut cream, vegan butter, icing sugar and cornflour in a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment and whisk (slowly at first) until the cream reaches the consistency you like. If too it's too firm, you can add 1–2 teaspoons of the coconut liquid until you achieve the right consistency.
6. Spread the cream over the cooled cake and scatter with the toasted pecans and coconut.

 

Photography by Kitti Gould.

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Cook's Notes

Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.

Stream free On Demand

Takes The Cake

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Watch The Full Episode Here

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