{Grain Free} Hazelnut Banana Cherry Cake - gluten free, dairy free, soy free
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
A simple any-time-of-the-day cake with a rustic flair, full of sweet banana and hazelnut flavor enveloped with a sweet caramelized top and a whole bunch of plump sweet cherries throughout. This cake is sure to please everyone. Paleo friendly and freezes well too!
Jessica:
Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: serves 6-8
Ingredients
  • Makes 1 9-inch cake
  • You will need a springform pan.
  • ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened coconut milk
  • 1½ teaspoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 cup (112 grams) hazelnut meal
  • 1 cup (116 grams) coconut flour
  • 2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4 ounces (8 tablespoons) non-dairy soy free spread (I use Earth Balance)
  • 1 cup (222 grams) raw cane (turbinado) sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure gluten free vanilla extract
  • 4 whole eggs
  • 3 very ripe bananas
  • 1 heaping cup frozen pitted cherries (or fresh, if available)
  • confectioner’s sugar for garnish
Preparation
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 C). Grease a 9-inch springform pan (at least 2 inches deep), set aside.
  2. Measure the coconut milk then add apple cider vinegar directly to the measuring cup - do not mix. Set aside. This is the ‘buttermilk’.
  3. Whisk to combine hazelnut meal, coconut flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
  4. In a stand mixer set with a paddle attachment begin creaming ‘buttery’ spread and raw sugar on low speed (to prevent sugar flying) then increase to medium high speed and cream for about 3 minutes, until it appears whipped and pale in color. Meanwhile mash the bananas and set aside.
  5. When butter/sugar is ready, add vanilla extract then eggs, one at a time. Now add mashed bananas, mix until just blended. Then add "buttermilk". Immediately add in flour blend, when it just begins to blend turn off mixer then give the bowl a good mix using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to make sure the bottom of the bowl has been well mixed.
  6. Fold in frozen cherries to combine. Transfer batter into the greased springform pan then set it on a baking sheet (the batter hasn’t leak yet but it is much easier to pull out of the oven with flimsy oven mitts like mine!).
  7. Bake for 60-70 minutes, until a toothpick inserted down the middle comes out with crumb (not wet and sticky).
  8. Let it cool in the pan for 30 minutes before removing from pan. When completely cooled, sift confectioner’s sugar across cake and serve; this is optional for garnish, either way is delicious.
  9. Some notes:
  10. My bananas were very ripe. The more browned the skin is of the bananas, the more caramelized the top of the cake will be and that is a good thing. It creates a thin crust-like exterior encasing the moist cake that is dreamy.
  11. I haven’t tried to sub eggs with chick pea liquid (aqua faba) just yet with this recipe. If you do decide to give it a try sub eggs with 8 tablespoons of aqua faba. It’s best to drain the liquid from the can while the chick peas are still in there, rather than spooning out liquid from the top for measuring because the thickest liquid (the thicker, slimier, the better) has usually settled to the bottom.
  12. Don’t like hazelnuts? Swap out hazelnut meal for almond or cashew. It will create a different flavor but albeit delicious. I don’t suggest walnut meal, it will be bitter.
  13. Any sort of fruit with the same water content will do well in here - blueberries, strawberries, peaches, nectarines, apricots, raspberries, mulberries, etc.
  14. If making ‘Kosher for Passover’, use alcohol-free vanilla extract.
  15. Aqua faba is not considered kosher for passover by some Jews, please check accordingly.
  16. If dairy tolerant: omit cider vinegar and use same measure as coconut milk, same for butter.
  17. Alternatively, you can swap out hazelnut and coconut flour for the same measure of an all-purpose gluten free flour blend (in grams for best results). If your all-purpose flour contains baking powder and baking soda then omit.
Recipe by From Jessica's Kitchen at http://fromjessicaskitchen.com/grain-free-hazelnut-banana-cherry-cake/