Recipe: Banana-coconut cake (wheat & sugar free)

A healthy cake? When I spotted this recipe, I knew I had to try it. I’ve been meaning to do some more baking again, but I just haven’t had the time to find new recipes to try. Until I spotted this that is. I found it on a random health website, which linked to this one, where you can find the original recipe in Dutch. I adapted it to fit my own needs and came out with this: a delicious yet healthy banana-coconut cake.

Healthy banana-coconut cake

This cake is healthy for two reasons: one it is gluten free and two it is free of added sugars. Bananas are used to sweeten this up and a mixture of almond meal and shredded coconut is used to give it some texture and body. Not a good combo if you’re allergic to nuts, but a great one if you try to lessen your gluten or wheat intake, like I do. Plus it is super easy to make!

Total time: 50 mins. Prep time: 10 mins. Cooking time: 40 mins. Servings 12 – 16 (depending on how generously you cut the pieces).

Ingredients:

• 200 grams almond meal
• 60 grams shredded coconut
• 100 grams unsalted, raw mixed nuts
• 1 tea spoon cinnamon
• 1 tea spoon baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 3 eggs
• 4 very ripe bananas (at least a week old: the browner the sweeter your cake will be)
• 60 grams coconut oil

Keep on hand:

• loaf sized baking tin
• extra coconut oil for greasing your baking tin
• baking paper

Let’s start!

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 180 Celsius (or 350 Fahrenheit)

Step 2: Chop up your mixed nuts. You can use a knife for this to create a coarser texture, but I blitzed them up in a food processor because it is quick and easy and I was gonna use this thing anyway.

Step 3: Combine all of your dry ingredients (the top 6 ingredients on the list)

Step 4: Time to get started on the wet ingredients. The original recipe tells you to chop your banana into pieces and add those into your cake mixture. I thought I’d change it up and I blitzed up my bananas in my food processor to create a thick gloopy mess. I was hoping this would spread the banana flavor more evenly across the entire cake.

Step 5: Whisk your eggs

Step 6: Melt your coconut oil in the microwave in short bursts to prevent overheating. Add coconut oil to eggs.

Step 7: Quickly combine your egg/ coconut oil mixture with the bananas. You want to not leave the coconut oil in the egg mixture for too long as the heat of the oil will cause your eggs to solidify.

Step 8: Now combine your wet with your dry ingredients.

Step 9: You can leave it here, or if you prefer to treat this more like a dough you can knead this with your hands for good measure.

Step 10: Transfer your mixture to your baking tin. I like to cut out a shape the size of the bottom to prevent the top of the cake from sticking to the bottom. Make sure you also have your cake tin greased before adding the mixture. You can use some extra coconut oil for this or butter if you prefer.

Step 11: Bake in the oven until set, at 180 C/ 350 F for 40 – 50 minutes. Your cake is set if you are able to take a skewer and stick it in. If it comes out clean your cake is cooked through and through.

Step 12: Let the cake cool for 5 – 10 minutes before loosening the sides and transfering the cake to a wire rack or cutting board. Cut into cubes or slices. This is best enjoyed lukewarm.

Will you be making this healthy cake?