Banana Cake with Chocolate Frosting
You ever have too many bananas all at once that are on the verge of going bad? That was our problem earlier this week. Usually I just peel and freeze those bananas for smoothies but, I don’t know, I wanted to make something more decadent with them. Voila! This cake manifested. Bananas love chocolate, so I knew I’d have it with a fudgy frosting and, oo la la, it is the best. If you are someone who is BIG into bananas, you will love this flavorful, rich but simple cake. If you’re not someone who loves bananas, well, there are other options but this cake will not be for you.
Cake Wet Ingredients
2 cups mashed* very ripe bananas (for me, this was four bananas)
¾ cup unsalted vegan butter, melted or neutral baking oil
¾ cup plain, unsweetened vegan milk, room temperate
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Cake Dry Ingredients
3 cups flour or all-purpose gluten-free blend (my favorite)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon salt
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly oil an 8-X-8 or 9-X-9 baking pan.
In a large bowl, mix with a spoon together the mashed bananas, butter or oil, sugar, vanilla and milk.
In another large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients until combined. Add the wet to the dry and stir with a large spoon until all the flour is absorbed. It will be thick.
Pour this into your prepared baking pan. Tap on a flat, sturdy surface to make the batter even. You can also smooth this with a spoon.
Bake for approximately 40 minutes, when the top is golden brown and the sides start pulling away. Insert a toothpick into the center to determine if it’s done. If the toothpick comes out clean, it is ready to come out of the oven.
Set on a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.
Chocolate Frosting
8 tablespoons unsalted vegan stick butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 ½ cups powdered sugar
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 - 3 tablespoons unsweetened plant milk, as needed
Dash salt
Place the butter in a stand mixer with the vanilla. Using the paddle attachment, beat on medium for two minutes. Add the powdered sugar in ¼ cup amounts on low until all the sugar is added, then add the cocoa powder. Move the speed to high. Add the milk and keep mixing until it is creamy and smooth.
When the cake is fully cool, frost and decorate as you like. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before slicing to allow it to set.
* I mash the bananas on a plate with the back of a fork. It will not be perfectly smooth and that’s okay.
Cake Wet Ingredients
2 cups mashed* very ripe bananas (for me, this was four bananas)
¾ cup unsalted vegan butter, melted or neutral baking oil
¾ cup plain, unsweetened vegan milk, room temperate
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Cake Dry Ingredients
3 cups flour or all-purpose gluten-free blend (my favorite)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground cloves
½ teaspoon ground ginger
½ teaspoon salt
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and lightly oil an 8-X-8 or 9-X-9 baking pan.
In a large bowl, mix with a spoon together the mashed bananas, butter or oil, sugar, vanilla and milk.
In another large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients until combined. Add the wet to the dry and stir with a large spoon until all the flour is absorbed. It will be thick.
Pour this into your prepared baking pan. Tap on a flat, sturdy surface to make the batter even. You can also smooth this with a spoon.
Bake for approximately 40 minutes, when the top is golden brown and the sides start pulling away. Insert a toothpick into the center to determine if it’s done. If the toothpick comes out clean, it is ready to come out of the oven.
Set on a cooling rack and allow to cool completely.
Chocolate Frosting
8 tablespoons unsalted vegan stick butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 ½ cups powdered sugar
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 - 3 tablespoons unsweetened plant milk, as needed
Dash salt
Place the butter in a stand mixer with the vanilla. Using the paddle attachment, beat on medium for two minutes. Add the powdered sugar in ¼ cup amounts on low until all the sugar is added, then add the cocoa powder. Move the speed to high. Add the milk and keep mixing until it is creamy and smooth.
When the cake is fully cool, frost and decorate as you like. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before slicing to allow it to set.
* I mash the bananas on a plate with the back of a fork. It will not be perfectly smooth and that’s okay.
Recipe, Vegan, Banana, Cake, Banana Cake, Chocolate Frosting, Dessert