Banana Cake with Chocolate Frosting

This Banana Cake with Chocolate Frosting is a gluten free adaptation of a wonderful recipe from Christina Lane’s new cookbook, Sweet and Simple. Two giant portions of perfectly rich and tender, naturally-sweetened banana cake, slathered in chocolate frosting will be yours in under an hour! 

Two weekends ago I had a very uplifting experience that really made a huge difference for me.

I went to Christina Lane’s book signing downtown. I got to hug her for the first time in person, chat mommy things and treats, eat creamy delicious cheesecake, and have just an amazing couple hours of love. Sounds so hokey, right? Well, I think we all need a bit of hokey now and then.

In meeting Christina, I felt that instant “we’re real friends” connection. All the reasons she inspires me flooded back to me and years of reading her blog just clicked. This is the gal who made me feel like I actually COULD reduce plastics and paper towel usage in my home, who reassured me that a naturally sweetened cake for my one year old wasn’t crazy, who inspired me to make all of my own versions of crappy snacks for my kiddo, who helped me let go of the perfection when it was no longer possible to make all of my own nut butters and soak beans from their dried versions AND keep my sanity as a new mom. We all need that voice of someone who gets us, telling us they’ve been there too and it’s totally going to be ok.

I guess I didn’t realize that person was Christina for me until I connected all the dots after I met her.

I’ll also add, my husband has been mentioning the word “cookbook” for years, and after meeting Christina, I had this moment of possibility, thinking that could be in the cards for me too.

So no, I didn’t mean for this to turn into a giant love letter to her, but maybe that is what’s appropriate. And we’ll wrap it all up with cake, for two of course.

When I got home from her signing, perfectly over-ripe bananas were telling me just what to make. I have adapted her wonderful Banana Cake with Chocolate Frosting from Sweet and Simple to be gluten-free, naturally sweetened, and just to use the ingredients I happened to have so I wouldn’t have to make any special trips.

A note about the frosting: I have made it a chocolate cream cheese frosting. If you want to keep it to the original, swap the cream cheese for peanut butter. I keep the extra in the fridge for late night therapy. Just me and my spoon.

When you get a half a second, order her latest cookbook. You won’t be disappointed. They’re her favorite desserts, all small-portioned and perfectly adorable. And by small-portioned, I mean the recipe is “for two” and you get a giant hunk of cake. Perfect.

Banana Cake with Chocolate Frosting
Recipe by Melissa @ Treats With a Twist
Adapted from Sweet and Simple by Christina Lane
Serves 2 generously

INGREDIENTS
For the Cake:
1 large banana, smashed
6 Tbs. coconut sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
2 Tbs. neutral oil (I used grapeseed)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
¼ cup plain Greek yogurt (full fat or 32%)
¾ cup all purpose gluten-free flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill)
¼ tsp. cinnamon
pinch of sea salt
¼ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. baking powder

For the Frosting:
1 ½ Tbs. unsalted butter, room tempterature
2 Tbs. cream cheese
1 ½ Tbs. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup powdered sugar
½ tsp. vanilla extract
a few splashes of almond milk, as needed

METHOD
Preheat your oven (or mini toaster oven) to 375 degrees and line a loaf pan (8.5 x 4.5”) with parchment with an overhang to easily remove the cake after it is baked.
In a mixing bowl, smash the banana until there are no lumps. Then, whisk in the egg, vanilla, Greek yogurt and coconut sugar.
Next whisk in the dry ingredients until they are completely incorporated. Scrape the batter into your prepared loaf pan and use a silicone spatula to smooth the top.
Bake for 28-32 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean except for a few moist crumbs.
Let the cake cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting: whisk by hand or use an electric mixer. Combine all of the ingredients, whisking until fluffy and smooth, only adding quick splashes of milk if it is too dry to come together (I think I used a total of 2 Tbs. of milk in mine).
To frost the cake, lift the cake out of the pan using the parchment. Use an offset spatula to generously pile on frosting and smooth it out. Keep extra frosting in the fridge for late night therapy.

To store the cake: keep in a well-sealed container in the fridge for four days. It tastes the best when eaten fresh.

To Print this recipe, copy and paste the text portion into a blank document on your computer and hit “print.” Nice and simple, just like the old days.

If you love banana, you’ll love these banana bread energy bites too!!