Sarah Biren
Sarah Biren
May 5, 2017 ·  2 min read

Fluffy, sugar-free, dairy-free banana cake with 2-ingredient coconut cream frosting

Need a sweet pick-me-up? Try this speckled banana cake that’s coated in the fluffiest, dreamiest coconut frosting ever.

How to Make a Gluten Free Banana Cake

While the cake ingredients recall a Paleo banana bread, we lighten things up by whipping several eggs and extra air into the cake batter through beaters or a stand mixer (or a really resilient arm and a whisk—make it into arm day!), resulting in a light and moist banana cake that you can feel good about eating.

Benefits of Coconut Oil and Almond Flour

Instead of butter and grain flour, we opt for almond flour—which is gluten-free, high fiber and high protein—and coconut oil, the true renaissance oil. It’s heart-healthy thanks to its high natural saturated fat content and is also energizing, easily digested, and not readily stored as fat.

How to Make Healthy Frosting

The frosting is the easiest, 2-ingredient Paleo and dairy-free cake topping you’ll ever make. Just combine coconut cream or chilled coconut milk (separated from its water) with maple syrup, whip, and chill.

Do note, however, that the frosting is temperamental. It can melt easily and will definitely melt if you leave your cake out in the heat. To avoid this, be sure your cake is completely cool before frosting. If you frost the entire cake, either serve the entire thing immediately (if you’re having a gathering), or scoop frosting on individual slices and keep the rest of it chilled in the fridge until the next serving.

Banana Cake Recipe with Dreamy Coconut Frosting

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Total time: 55 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Serves: one 9-inch cake

Tools:

  • Stand mixer
  • Large bowl
  • 9-inch cake pan

Ingredients:

For Banana Cake

  • 4 large overripe bananas, smashed
  • 4 eggs
  • ¼ cup of coconut oil, melted + more for greasing
  • 3 tablespoons of maple syrup or 1 cup raisins
  • 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract
  • 1 ¾ cups of almond flour (or for a non-paleo friendly substitute, 1 1/2 cups finely cut oatmeal)
  • 1 teaspoon of baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon of baking soda

For Coconut Frosting

  • one 14 oz. can of coconut cream
  • 2 tablespoons of maple syrup

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat together bananas, eggs, coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla extract until light and fluffy.
  2. In a separate bowl, sift together almond flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Beat the dry ingredients into wet ingredients.
  3. Grease a 9-inch cake pan with coconut oil. Pour batter in and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until an inserted toothpick comes out dry.
  4. While cake bakes, whip together coconut cream and maple syrup with beaters on medium speed until it forms stiff peaks. Chill frosting in the fridge.
  5. When cake has completely cooled, frost it or dole out individual portions of frosting per slice.

Tip:

Drizzle in dark chocolate for extra decadence!

Check out this video for a healthy, vegan carrot cake that will definitely satisfy your sweet tooth!