GLUTEN FREE BANANA CAKE, WITH VEGAN, STEVIA SWEETENED AND DAIRY FREE VARIATIONS

By Bryna Bear

     This recipe has a rich banana flavor and a lighter texture than most banana bread or cake recipes.  I converted a regular banana cake recipe that I found on the Internet into a GF one. Roasting the bananas in their skins before using them in the batter is what makes the banana flavor so strong.

     My son is Vegan and I have friends and relatives who are diabetic so I have also made this recipe as GF Vegan, GF Dairy-Free, and GF Sugar-Free as well as GF Sugar-Free Vegan.  The recipe holds up well in all these variations and the cake stays light.  In the Sugar Free version I use Stevia extract powder and it is hard to taste any difference from the sugar version, though the batter does not rise as much.

     When baking with Stevia I have found that it works well in recipes where there is naturally some sweet flavor, as with fruit, in carrot cake or with dairy products.  It seems that with Stevia there is a delayed reaction and it takes a little time for you to register its sweetness.  If you have some immediate sweet taste, like banana, to carry over the sweet taste until the Stevia registers then the Sugar-Free recipe will be more successful.  Chocolate is bitter and when you bite into a chocolate cake sweetened only with Stevia you will be going "ewww" from the bitter taste of the chocolate way before you get any sweet taste from Stevia. This is not a pleasant experience, nor one I would recommend repeating.  With more sour or bitter foods it tastes better when you add some sugar or other sweetener as well as the Stevia. The sugar or other sweetener will have an immediate sweet taste that will hold you over until the sweetness of the Stevia can be detected.

     In this recipe I use pure Stevia Extract Powder.  Stevia comes in many forms.  The packets that are used in hot beverages contain fillers and should not be used in this recipe unless the amount is adjusted.  I have never used the liquid Stevia in recipes because I always am trying to reduce the liquid contents of GF recipes as the end product tends to be too 'wet' for my liking. Here is a link to a page that is very helpful in explaining how much Stevia to use to replace sugar in a recipe. Sweetleaf Stevia Conversion Table.

 GF Banana Cake (on Left) and GF Sugar-Free Banana Cake (on Right)

GLUTEN FREE BANANA CAKE

Ingredients

3	Ripe Bananas-mashed. For stronger banana flavor roast bananas with skins on (see directions below)
1/3 cup	Melted Butter- for Vegans or Dairy-Free use an equal amount of olive oil or melted Earth Balance Buttery Stick
¾ cup	Sugar - for Sugar-Free use ½ tsp. of pure Stevia Extract Powder
1	Egg – (for Vegans: in a separate cup add 1 Tbs. Corn Starch, 1/8 tsp. Baking Powder, 1/16 tsp. Xanthan or Guar Gum, ¼ cup Water and 1 tsp. oil. Mix these well together with a fork or small whisk until frothy.  Add to recipe where an egg is called for. This is a good 'egg' replacer in cakes.)
1 tsp.	Vanilla
1 tsp.	Baking Soda
Pinch	Salt
1 cup	Sorghum Flour
¼ cup	Tapioca Flour
¼ cup	Chickpea or Chickpea/Fava flour
1 tsp.	Xanthan or Guar Gum
½ tsp.	Cinnamon
1 Tbs.	Vinegar

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

 
Roast bananas in their skins for 20 minutes turn over and roast 20 minutes on the other side. If using ripe bananas bake 10minutes per side. Cool, then mash and use in recipe.

In a separate bowl mix dry ingredients. For Sugar-Free version add Stevia Powder to dry ingredients at this step.

In a large bowl mix butter or oil into the mashed bananas . Mix in the sugar (for Sugar-Free do NOT add Stevia to wet ingredients-add to dry ones INSTEAD), egg (or Vegan 'egg' replacer), and vanilla.

 
Add dry ingredients to the banana mixture and mix well.

Lastly add vinegar and mix in well.

Pour mixture into a buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cake is done when it springs back when pressed lightly with a finger or when a toothpick inserted to the center comes out clean.

Cool on a rack 10 minutes then remove from pan to cool completely on rack. Slice to serve.

To make cup cakes use paper liners in a muffin tin and bake for 20-30 minutes. Makes about 18 cupcakes. I use a 1/4 cup scoop to measure out the batter into the paper liners. Cup cakes are done when they spring back when pressed lightly with a finger.

GLUTEN FREE BANANA CAKE Ingredients 3 Ripe Bananas-mashed. For stronger banana flavor roast bananas with skins on (see directions below) 1/3 cup Melted Butter- for Vegans or Dairy-Free use an equal amount of olive oil or melted Earth Balance Buttery Stick ¾ cup Sugar - for Sugar-Free use ½ tsp. of pure Stevia Extract Powder 1 Egg – (for Vegans: in a separate cup add 1 Tbs. Corn Starch, 1/8 tsp. Baking Powder, 1/16 tsp. Xanthan or Guar Gum, ¼ cup Water and 1 tsp. oil. Mix these well together with a fork or small whisk until frothy. Add to recipe where an egg is called for. This is a good 'egg' replacer in cakes.) 1 tsp. Vanilla 1 tsp. Baking Soda Pinch Salt 1 cup Sorghum Flour ¼ cup Tapioca Flour ¼ cup Chickpea or Chickpea/Fava flour 1 tsp. Xanthan or Guar Gum ½ tsp. Cinnamon 1 Tbs. Vinegar Directions Preheat the oven to 375°F. Roast bananas in their skins for 20 minutes turn over and roast 20 minutes on the other side. If using ripe bananas bake 10minutes per side. Cool, then mash and use in recipe. In a separate bowl mix dry ingredients. For Sugar-Free version add Stevia Powder to dry ingredients at this step. In a large bowl mix butter or oil into the mashed bananas . Mix in the sugar (for Sugar-Free do NOT add Stevia to wet ingredients-add to dry ones INSTEAD), egg (or Vegan 'egg' replacer), and vanilla. Add dry ingredients to the banana mixture and mix well. Lastly add vinegar and mix in well. Pour mixture into a buttered 4x8 inch loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour. Cake is done when it springs back when pressed lightly with a finger or when a toothpick inserted to the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack 10 minutes then remove from pan to cool completely on rack. Slice to serve. To make cup cakes use paper liners in a muffin tin and bake for 20-30 minutes. Makes about 18 cupcakes. I use a 1/4 cup scoop to measure out the batter into the paper liners. Cup cakes are done when they spring back when pressed lightly with a finger.

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