Whole Grain Banana Cake

click on image to enlarge

This cake is divine. Definitely company worthy and easy to make. I substituted melted butter for the peanut oil and opted not to sprinkle it with the coconut. My daughter hates coconut. I also used freshly ground hard white wheat for the pastry flour. This comes from the same site where I found the yummy oatmeal cookies I posted a couple of months ago. The picture on the site is prettier than mine; check it out.

http://www.wholegraingourmet.com/recipes/41-cake/81-whole-grain-banana-cake.html

Cake Ingredients:
•1 1/2 cups whole grain pastry flour
•1 tsp baking powder
•1/2 tsp baking soda
•1 tsp ground cinnamon
•1/4 tsp salt
•3/4 cup sucanat (Evaporated Cane Juice)
•3 large eggs
•1/2 cup peanut oil
•2 large ripe bananas
•1/2 cup milk (any kind)
•2 tsp vanilla extract

Frosting Ingredients:
•4-oz cream cheese, room temperature
•1/4 cup butter, room temperature
•3 tbsp wild honey
•2-3 tbsp milk
Topping
•Unsweetened coconut flakes
•Toasted pecans


Cake Preparation:
1.Preheat oven to 350F.
2.Grease a 9-inch round cake pan, bottom and sides.
3.In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon and salt.
4.In a small pan over low heat melt sucanat in oil- just till its partially liquidfied, may still be a bit crumbly.
5.In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, bananas, milk and vanilla extract.
6.Add sucanat liquid to dry mix and stir till covered in mixture.
7.Add egg mix and stir until no streaks of flour remain visible.
8.Pour into prepared pan.
9.Bake for about 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the cake springs back when lightly pressed.
10.Turn cake out of the pan onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

Frosting Preparation:
1.Beat cream cheese and butter together
2.Slowly add honey and milk until creamy smooth.
3.Top cool cake with frosting, pecans and unsweetened coconut flakes.