Vegan Banana Cake Recipe
This one-bowl vegan banana cake has it all: it is so delicious but it's also low in fat and you can make it whole wheat if you want to. Bits of walnuts woven through the cake add a nice little crunchy surprise in every tender bite.
Servings: 12 slices
Calories: 333kcal
Equipment
- 9- or 10-inch springform pan or any cake pan
Ingredients
- 4 ripe bananas (overripe bananas work best. You should get 2 cups pureed bananas)
- 1 cup sugar (use any sugar, including coconut sugar or maple syrup)
- ½ cup coconut oil (use any vegetable oil of your choice)
- ½ cup non dairy milk (I used oat milk. Any non dairy milk is fine here)
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3 cups flour (I used whole wheat pastry flour. You can use all purpose flour. Or use a mix of 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour and 1 ½ cups all purpose flour)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
- 1 cup walnuts (lightly toasted, then finely chopped. For a nut-free option see the FAQs)
For the caramelized banana top
- 1 ripe (not overripe) banana (cut lengthwise into four slices. Don't worry if the slices are not perfect or they break--mine did. Just arrange in the pan and no one will know the difference)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit/180 degrees Celsius.
- Prepare a 9- or 10-inch cake pan by spraying or brushing on oil on the bottom and sides. I used a springform pan, which make unmolding a little easier, but you can use a regular cake pan. Line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper.
- Mash or puree the four overripe bananas until quite smooth. You can do this in a food processor or blender, which just makes the process easier, or with a fork. Set aside.
- In a large bowl whisk together the sugar and coconut oil for about a minute.
- Add the milk, bananas, apple cider vinegar and vanilla and whisk until mixed.
- Sift the three cups of flour into the bowl, followed by the baking powder and baking soda. Add salt and cinnamon, if using.
- Use a spatula to mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just incorporated. Don't overmix but make sure there are no dry streaks of flour in the bowl.
- Stir in the toasted, chopped walnuts.
- Sprinkle the remaining two tablespoons of sugar on the bottom of the cake pan.
- Slice the one remaining banana and arrange the slices over the sugar.
- Pour the batter into the cake pan (it will be quite thick) and smooth the top with a spatula or spoon.
- Bake 35 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cake on a rack for 20 minutes. Run a knife along the edges to loosen from the pan, then place a plate over the pan and flip it quickly so the cake unmolds. If you used a springform pan, release it, and if you used a cake pan lift it off. Gently peel off the parchment paper. Continue cooling the cake on a rack.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice | Calories: 333kcal | Carbohydrates: 45g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 146mg | Potassium: 162mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 41IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 59mg | Iron: 2mg