BANANA CAKE WITH BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE | hearty & sweet

The recipe for this delicious cake came about from a failed attempt to make sticky date pudding. I decided it makes a very banana-y and delicious sweet cake instead and the recipe was still too good not to share...so here it is. It's moist and sweet with a hearty texture. Made completely of plant based wholefoods, nothing nasty and as a bonus it is completely gluten free!

Make it even sweeter by whipping up a batch of vanilla butterscotch sauce and smothering over the cake straight from the oven. 

You can also double the recipe, cook for longer and make a big and hearty banana cake sans sauce. Either way, you're in for a treat. Enjoy legends!

x Harry

Serves: 6 
Prep time: 5 minutes 
Cook time: 45-50 minutes 
Difficulty: Easy

CAKE
8 medjool dates, pitted 
1 cup almond meal 
1/2 cup brown rice flour 
pinch salt 
1 teaspoon baking powder 
1/2 cup coconut milk fresh or from a can 
1 medium/large ripe banana, peeled

SAUCE
1/2 cup coconut sugar 
pinch salt 
1/4 teaspoon vanilla powder
3/4 cup coconut milk fresh or from a can
1 teaspoon optional corn flour (if you like your sauce thick!)

 Cover dates with boiling water (ensure they are pitted!)

Preheat oven to 180 degrees celsius fan-forced. 

In a separate mixing bowl add almond meal, brown rice flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt. Stir well until evenly combined.  

Drain dates and add to your blender with coconut milk and banana. Pulse to combine and blend until evenly combined. 

Pour date, coconut and banana mixture into the dry ingredients and stir well. 

Line a loaf tin and spread the mixture evenly. Place in the oven for 45-50 minutes, testing with a clean knife to make sure it is cooked through. If the knife comes out clean it is ready. 

For the sauce: About 10 minutes before the cake is finished, add all sauce ingredients to a small saucepan and whisk well. Place over low heat and gently simmer as you stir until the sauce thickens as desired, then it is ready to pour over your banana cake! 

COOKS NOTES

Coconut milk - I used light 'TCC' brand coconut milk from a can. It is richer than the tetra pack coconut milks but not too much so. 

Ripe bananas - Make sure your banana is as ripe as possible. The more brown spots the better as the natural sugars will be developed, helping to add sweetness to your banana cake. 

Dates - Try to find medjool dates if you can. These are fresher than dried dates and are juicier and sweeter. If you like things super sweet, try adding a few more dates to the recipe. 

Timing - Try to time it so that your sauce is warm when you pour it over the banana cake for extra deliciousness!