Banana Date Cake

Here is another recipe for those overripe bananas. Let’s face it. You can only make so many banana breads. This makes one 8-inch round. You can double the recipe if you want to make a layer cake. For a brag worthy dessert, top cake with a drizzle of melted chocolate and some sliced almonds. Little whipped coconut cream would be sublime.

• 10 dried dates, pitted
• 4 bananas, roasted
• 1/3 c maple syrup
• 1/4 c applesauce
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 1/4 c paleo all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg, freshly grated
• 1/2 tsp sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly grease 8-inch round cake pan.

Place bananas on a foil lined sheet pan. Pierce bananas with fork by 1-inch increments. Bake in oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

Place dates in a large bowl and cover with boiling water. Set aside for about 5-10 minutes to soften dates. Break up dates with a fork. Add bananas and mash both together; blending together but still keeping it chunky. Add maple syrup, applesauce, lemon juice and vanilla. Whisk ingredients until combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and sea salt. Fold dry ingredients into the banana mixture. Pour into prepared cake pan. Bake for 30-35 minutes. Place on cooling rack and let cool completely before removing from cake pan.

Chocolate Drizzle:

• 1 tsp virgin coconut oil, melted
• 1/4 c chocolate chips

Melt oil and chocolate chips in a glass measuring cup in the microwave. This takes about 30-45 seconds. Drizzle or spread on top of cake. Sprinkle some sliced almonds to add another element of texture.