dairy-free banana cake with chocolate ganache
My go-to gift for any birthday or celebration is to make a baked good. Not only are baked goods delightful (and tasty) to receive, they’re also gifts that I enjoy making!
For the past few years, I’ve been making my mom a banana cake with chocolate frosting for her birthday. It’s been such a treat every time, and I’m hoping that it becomes a sort of tradition. The banana cake always comes out super moist and flavorful and pairs perfectly with the chocolate. This is the first time I used chocolate ganache with the cake, and I really like the way that it makes the finished cake look. I also made the cake dairy-free this year so I could eat some too :) The coconut oil acts as a great butter replacement and keeps the cake super flavorful and moist. None of us would’ve guessed that this cake was dairy-free!
Happy Birthday Mommy! <3
Directions
Heat oven to 425 degrees F. Grease an 6-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and fine sea salt.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter, oil, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, espresso and vanilla until just combined. The secret to this cake's texture is to stop mixing before the sugar is dissolved.
Use a spatula to mix egg into butter mixture, then stir in flour mixture just to combine. Fold in bananas. Scrape batter into prepared cake pan and bake until top is golden and toothpick comes out clean, about 40 minutes (checking every 15-20 min).
Let cool for at least 20 minutes (or longer, until completely cooled), then run a thin metal spatula around the edges to separate from the pan. Flip onto a serving plate. Cake will keep for 1 day, covered.
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
3/4 cup unrefined virgin coconut oil, melted
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
5 teaspoons espresso or strong coffee, cooled (optional, to taste)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups smashed ripe bananas (about 3 medium sized bananas)
Directions
Add chocolate chips to a medium sized bowl. If using chocolate bars, chop and place in the bowl.
Scoop the thick white part from the can of coconut if it's naturally separated. Try to use mostly the thick white coconut cream, but some of the clearer liquid is fine. A can of coconut cream works best.
Put the coconut milk in a microwave safe bowl or measuring cup and heat in the microwave for about 1 minute, watching to make sure it doesn’t bubble over.
Pour the warm cream over the chocolate chips and let sit for 2-3 minutes. Don't stir yet.
After 2-3 minutes, whisk the chocolate/melted coconut milk until smooth. To use as a frosting let it cool completely first, it will thicken up and become spreadable. To make it runnier, you can warm it in the microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute before using, such as for pancakes, cupcakes, or as a drizzle on a cake.
Ingredients
3/4 cups dairy-free chocolate chips
1 cup full fat coconut milk
To assemble the cake…
Once the cake layers and chocolate ganache have cooled, cut the top off of one of the cake layers so that it’s flat (and don’t forget to munch on the top you just cut off while you’re working!) Place the layers on a large plate that you don’t mind getting messy. Ice the top of the flat cake layer with the ganache. Then place the top cake layer on top. Heat the chocolate ganache for about 30 seconds-1 minute to make it runny. Then pour the ganache on top of the cake so that it completely coats the cake. Decorate your cake with some sprinkles and any other decorations you’d like on top. You can enjoy while ganache is still hot or let the cake sit for about 20-30 minutes until the ganache cools and hardens a bit.
