Chocolate Chip Banana Cake with Peanut Butter Fudge Frosting

Makes 1 6 inch 2 layer cake

 

Ingredients:

 

2 6-inch cake pans

 

Cake:

 

1 1/2 cups quinoa flour (or all-purpose gluten-free flour)

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

1 cup packed soft Medjool dates, pitted, soaked in water for 30 minutes and 1 cup of the soaking water reserved

1/4 cup organic peanut butter

1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract

1 cup pureed organic bananas

2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

3/4 cup chocolate chips

 

 

Frosting:

 

1 1/4 cups pitted Medjool dates, soaked in water for 30 minutes, and 1 cup of the water reserved

3/4 cup organic peanut butter

3/4 cup cacao powder

pinch sea salt

 

 

Directions:

Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat to 375F.

 

Line two six-inch-diameter cake pans by covering the edges with two-inch-high parchment paper. To prevent the cake from sticking, lightly grease the edges of the pan and the parchment paper. Next, put a piece of parchment paper securely over the bottom of the pan.

 

 

In a large bowl, thoroughly mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt.  Put aside.

In a blender, combine the dates, peanut butter, banana puree, reserved water, and vanilla extract. Blend until smooth, and then thoroughly incorporate the blended ingredients into the flour mixture. Add the cider vinegar and whisk until bubbles appear. Add chocolate chunks and stir.

Pour the cake mixture into the prepared pans and bake for about 30 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the middle comes out clean. After approximately an hour, fully cool the cakes in a pan on the rack. To loosen, cut along the pan's sides. Place the cakes onto a dish and remove the parchment paper.

Meanwhile, whisk together all the ingredients to make the frosting. Place all ingredients in a high-speed blender and process until smooth. The consistency of nut butter and dates might differ, so if it seems too thin, add a little more cacao powder; if it appears too thick, add a little more water. To assemble, put one layer of cake on a platter and cover with 1/2-inch-thick frosting.  Spread the remaining frosting over the top and down the edges of the cake after placing the second cake layer on top of the first.