Banana Cake & Passion Fruit Glaze

Banana cake goes well with the bold taste of passion fruit. Vegan cakes needn’t be dull!

SERVES: 8–12

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 large ripe bananas
• 1/4 cup sunflower oil
• 1/4 cup oat milk
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tbsp. rum or 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• Egg replacer for 1 egg
• 1 tbsp. water
• 1 1/2 cups fine-milled whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

FOR THE PASSION FRUIT GLAZE 

• 1/3 cup passion fruit pulp
• 1/3 cup brown rice syrup or light corn syrup
• 1 tbsp. brown sugar

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and oil an 8 1/2 × 4 1/2-inch loaf pan. Line the base with parchment paper.
2. In a bowl, mash the bananas and immediately stir in the sunflower oil, oat milk, brown sugar, and rum or vanilla extract.
3. In a separate cup, whisk together the egg replacer and water until frothy.
4. In another bowl, combine the fine-milled whole wheat flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
5. Pour the banana mixture and the egg replacer into the flour mixture and stir until well combined.
6. Add the chopped walnuts to the batter and mix evenly.
7. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan.
8. Bake for 55-60 minutes or until the loaf is firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
9. Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes, then remove it from the pan and let it cool completely on a wire rack.
10. To make the passion fruit glaze, combine the passion fruit pulp, brown rice syrup or light corn syrup, and brown sugar in a small saucepan.
11. Cook the mixture over gentle heat until the sugar has dissolved, then increase the heat and bring it to a boil.
12. Cook the glaze without stirring for about 2 minutes, until it has slightly thickened.
13. Remove the glaze from heat and let it cool. It will continue to thicken as it cools.
14. Once the cake and glaze are fully cooled, spread the glaze over the top of the cake.
15. Slice and serve the delicious banana walnut cake with passion fruit glaze.

VARIATIONS:

BANANA CAKE & CHOCOLATE CHIPS 

• Prepare the basic recipe, using 3/4 cup vegan semisweet chocolate chips or chopped vegan chocolate in place of the walnuts. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons brown sugar (a crystalline sugar such as demerara is good) over the top of the cake before baking. Omit the glaze.

BANANA & ORANGE CAKE WITH PASSION FRUIT GLAZE 

• Prepare the basic recipe, using 2 tablespoons orange juice, the zest of 1 orange, and 1 teaspoon lemon juice in place of the rum or vanilla extract.

BANANA RAISIN CAKE & PASSION FRUIT GLAZE 

• Prepare the basic recipe, adding 3/4 cup raisins to the batter.

BANANA ALMOND CAKE &PASSION FRUIT GLAZE 

• Prepare the basic recipe, replacing 1/4 cup of the whole wheat flour with 1/4 cup ground almonds. Also, use 1/2 cup chopped blanched almonds in place of the walnuts.