Spelt Banana Coconut Cake
Homemade banana cake is definitely a coffee break or tea time treat for all the family. This cake has a generous load of ripened bananas and coconut which certainly add to its density and flavour. I also like to use an organic spelt flour, either plain white or wholemeal, which of course will add to this cakes healthy character.
Stores for a least 3-4 days if kept in a cake box or wrapped well with tin foil or greaseproof paper, however, this is such a tasty cake I bet its eaten up real quickly.
Ingredients
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75g desiccated coconut + 2tbsp
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125g unsalted butter- softened
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150g light brown sugar- soft
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2 medium eggs- beaten
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250g organic spelt flour- plain or wholemeal
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2 tsp baking powder
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½ tsp cinnamon
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250g ripe bananas- peeled, mashed
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2 tbsp greek style plain yoghurt- or non dairy alternative
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1 tsp vanilla paste /essence
Instructions
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Prepare tin:
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01 Using a 900g non stick loaf tin (26cm x 12.5cm), line with a long strip of non stick paper, which hangs over the edge of the sides of the tin.
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Make cake:
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02 Place butter and sugar into a large mixing bowl and beat well until light and fluffy, using either a wooden spoon or electric mixer.
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03 Scrape the mixture from the sides of the bowl using a spatula and then beat in the eggs a little at a time. If the mixture curdles do not panic.
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04 Now add sifted flour, baking powder, cinnamon and gently stir into the egg, butter, sugar mixture.
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05 Add the mashed bananas and again do not worry if they are a bit lumpy in texture.
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06 Now fold in the greek yoghurt, 75g of desiccated coconut and vanilla. Mix gently all the ingredients together.
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07 Pour all the banana cake mixture into the paper lined tin and lightly smooth the top. Now sprinkle over the additional 2 tbsp of desiccated coconut.
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08 Bake in the oven until golden and cooked through. Top with dampened non stick paper or tin foil if the top colours too quickly during cooking.
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09 Allow to cool in the tin before removing, using the overlapping ends of paper as an aid when lifting the cake out.
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10 Serve in thick slices and enjoy with the morning coffee or afternoon cup of tea.
Notes
Select well ripened bananas for this recipe and 'mash' by hand using a flat plate and a large fork. This way you keep the banana mixture slightly textured (i.e with natural lumps) which makes the cake more delicious to eat (if you use a food processor the end result will be smooth puree which is not what you want for this recipe). Keep an eye on the top of the cake during baking, and if it colours remember to protect the top with a piece of tin foil or damp non stick paper (or greaseproof).
