This is no mere dessert! This is Banana Cake—a subtly sweet, chocolate-frosted delight made with health-conscious ingredients to rid your palate of guilt.
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Eat the sweet stuff first—that’s my motto.
Okay, I admit it. That’s not my motto. But it very well could be if all the sweet stuff were as healthy as this banana cake. I made a concerted effort to replace as much as I could the icky ingredients (nutritionally speaking, that is). In their stead are healthier versions like whole wheat flour, Greek yogurt, applesauce, and coconut sugar. The bottom line? You get all the taste without the needless fat, sugar, calories, and whatever else your body may consider surplus to requirements.
In fact, I felt I was doing so well with the batter that I included the ingredients and instructions for frosting, too. Don’t feel obligated to use it; the cake will taste great without it. But if you want something a bit more hedonistic, slather it on. I continue the trend of making healthy substitutions (see cocoa powder and almond milk) so it’s not too crazy, but it’s an option for those with something, perhaps, to celebrate.
Is This Banana Cake Healthy?
Is banana cake healthy? Not really. Is THIS banana cake healthy? Relatively speaking, yes! That’s because we remove the bad stuff and replace it with ingredients that appreciate that you can’t be eating like an eight-year-old all your life. We use whole wheat flour, applesauce, Greek yogurt, unsweetened cocoa powder, and almond milk where we could have used more… malignant foods.
Isn’t Cocoa Powder Bad for You? It Sounds Unhealthy
Unsweetened cocoa powder comes to us from the cocoa bean, the same bean responsible for all that milk chocolate you devour at Easter (and Christmas and Halloween). The difference is that those chocolate bunnies contain cocoa butter and sugar, which gives it that sweet taste and creamy texture. Cocoa powder, meanwhile, is rich in antioxidants, iron, magnesium, and potassium, as well as some fiber and protein; it regulates brain function, heart health, and blood-sugar levels. Sure, it’s bitter, but given all you get, I’d say it’s a welcome addition to my baked goods.
INGREDIENTS
The Banana Cake:
- 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 3 very ripe bananas, mashed
- 3/4 cup coconut sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 4 large eggs, lightly whisked
- 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
The Chocolate Frosting:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup almond milk
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS
Bake
Combine ingredients, pour into a greased pan, and bake at 350°F.
Frost
Mix butter, cocoa, sugar, milk, and vanilla.
Serve
Cool, frost, slice.
Devour!
FAQs & Tips
Let the cake cool completely. You can then leave it on the counter (just wrap it in plastic, foil, or cover it) for up to three days. Or you can wrap it up and store it in the fridge for up to five days. You can also freeze the cake for up to a month. I would wrap it first in plastic then in aluminum foil, or store it in an airtight container. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight.
Both are leavening agents (i.e., they help your baked goods rise) but whereas baking soda (a.k.a., sodium bicarbonate) needs an acid to be activated, baking powder doesn’t. That’s because the latter is actually baking soda combined with its own acid built in (i.e., cream of tartar). Use baking soda when one of the other ingredients is an acid; use baking powder when there isn’t an acid present and you need to supply your own.
While many will point to the joy of eating warm cake straight out the oven, I prefer to refrigerate my cakes for a day or two. This way the bananas can do two things: infuse the entirety of the cake with its sweetness, and distribute its moisture. I love moist cake with a bit of density to it, so this is how I do things. Of course, I have to admit, that warm cake does sound pretty good.
No. Extract is the genuine article. It contains actual vanilla and is stronger in taste than essence, which is synthetic and may not contain any vanilla at all. Essence, you’ll find, is usually cheaper but will require you to use more to achieve a similar level of vanilla flavor.
Use the ol’ toothpick test. Insert it into the cake at its thickest point. If it comes out dry with the occasional crumb, it’s ready. If it is wet, it needs more time.
Serving Suggestions
I’ve made this banana cake as healthy as I can. If that doesn’t mean anything to you, then now’s your chance to get wild. This dessert becomes a REAL treat were you to add ice cream, whipped cream, and/or chocolate syrup. Less devious are strawberries, blueberries, banana slices, crushed nuts, maple syrup, and/or honey. Look on this like you would a chocolate birthday cake.
Banana Cake
Ingredients
The Banana Cake:
- 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 3 very ripe bananas mashed
- 3/4 cup coconut sugar
- 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 4 large eggs lightly whisked
- 1/4 cup Greek yogurt
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
The Chocolate Frosting:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
- 3 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup almond milk
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Banana Cake:
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Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×9-inch baking pan with a little coconut oil and dust with flour to prevent sticking.
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In a large bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt.
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In another bowl, mash the bananas until smooth. Stir in the coconut sugar, applesauce, eggs, Greek yogurt, and vanilla extract until well combined.
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Gently fold the banana mixture into the dry ingredients, just until incorporated.
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Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Let the cake cool completely in the pan on a wire rack.
Chocolate Frosting:
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In a medium bowl, whisk the melted butter with the cocoa powder until smooth.
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Gradually add the powdered sugar, alternating with the almond milk, and beat until you reach a spreadable consistency. Add the vanilla extract and mix well.
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Once the cake is cool, spread the frosting evenly over the top. Slice and serve!
Nutrition
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