Simply Gourmet joins us with a delicious gluten-free chocolate chip banana cake recipe.
As days dwindle down in the month of February, I’m astounded by how much I’ve already accomplished in the new year. There were times (oh so many times) over the past few years when I questioned my decisions. Going back to school, leaving my career, leaving my city… This month has really sealed it for me. I made the right decision. If you’re not feeling satisfaction in your current life, it is NEVER too late to start over and follow your dreams. Fear is the biggest obstacle.
I will soon have time to post new recipes on a regular basis but for now I’ve enlisted a few more friends to fill the void. Today’s Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Banana Cake is from my neighbor, Sherron of Simply Gourmet. We were blog friends before finally meeting in person and I’m so happy to know her. She’s awesome and her blog is fantastic. Beautiful recipes, gorgeous photos. Make sure to visit her site and say hello!
What a delight it is to be guest posting on a page that I was a fan of long before Jennifer and I became friends. The first recipe that I saved and printed was her pumpkin ravioli.
It encouraged me to make my first batch of fresh pasta and purchase my own pasta machine. The simplicity and beauty of her photos are just a few more reasons why I enjoy Savory Simple.
It was shortly before her ravioli post that I started my own food blog, Simply Gourmet. I have been cooking forever it would seem, growing up in the restaurant business taught me a lot about food and people. I went on to become a food photographer and recipe developer/writer.
I currently write for Capital Style Magazine in Annapolis, MD. I love my job.
Four years ago I was diagnosed with Celiac disease. My world, for a short time, was turned upside down. Everything I had spent years learning in the kitchen was suddenly taken away from me. The bread, cookies and cakes that I made would no longer be enjoyed at family functions or parties. I was heart broken, to say the least.
My sadness turned into determination. I was determined to relearn how to make bread, cookies and cakes but this time around, it would all be gluten free. The learning curve was huge in the beginning. I relearned ratios and new flours. I had to accept failure on occasion.
I can happily report that in the past four years I have come to accept my intolerance to wheat and embrace it. I love working with an assortment of flours and starches. I am grateful for the communities that exist to help those recently diagnosed with wheat issues.
Growing up I loved banana bread and this cake is a reflection of that fond memory. I find that when cooking with gluten free recipes, the smaller and shorter the dish used, the better the recipe turns out. I don’t really make banana bread anymore, but I do make this cake quite often. I tend to over buy bananas and have a whole freezer shelf with dark brown frozen spears that are ready to be used.
I have made the cake in a 9-inch tart pan (see picture) and I have doubled the recipe to make it into a two-layer cake (see picture). My family does not like frosting–weird, I know—so more often than not, we make the single layer and enjoy it with a dab of butter melted on top.
The addition of chocolate chips is optional. I personally like the combination of chocolate and banana together.
I want to thank Savory Simple for allowing me to share a recipe that has become a family favorite in our home over at Simply Gourmet.
Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Banana Cake
Ingredients
- ¾ cup almond meal
- ½ cup sweet sorghum flour
- ¼ cup tapioca or arrowroot starch
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- ¼ cup oil (sunflower oil or light olive oil)
- ½ cup milk, room temperature
- 3 very ripe bananas, mashed
- 1/3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare a 9-inch tart pan by spraying with cooking oil.
- Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl and whisk.
- Combine the wet ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and gently combine.
- Add the banana and chocolate chips. Stir well.
- Pour mixture into pan and bake for 30 minutes. Cake will brown slightly and rise in the middle. It should be firm to the touch.
- Let cool slightly and then remove the bottom of the tart pan from mold.
- Serve as is or frost with your favorite frosting.
Notes
Please read my full post for additional recipe notes, tips, and serving suggestions!
Nutrition
Recipe Troubleshooting
For immediate help troubleshooting a recipe, please email me using the form on my contact page. I’ll try to respond to urgent questions as quickly as possible! For all general questions, please leave a comment here :)
My mouth is on the floor… I think I am going to dream about that last photo! I need this cake in mah belly.
I am totally dreaming of this right now!
Jennifer! I made this amazing dessert last night and it was outstanding! I made 2 very minor changes: for the oil, I used flavorless coconut oil (since that’s what I use in all my baking) and I doubled the amount of chocolate chips (I use E. Guittard brand…yum!) In my oven it took an extra 12 minutes (perhaps because the organic bananas I used were very large?)
This was so good that my boyfriend and I ate the… ENTIRE….thing. 4 pieces each. That’s saying a lot, since we never do that kind of thing. Best part was that we didn’t feel stuffed afterward, as one would normally feel after a gluten-filled dessert.
LOVE this!
I’m so glad you liked it!
Is it just me or does this seem like it qualifies as healthy? It’s got fruit. Fruit is health. Which means that I can make the cake, do blogilates, and then cut myself a big ‘ol slab. Right? Right.
Jeeeebus, Jen. Way to make me get all awkward and lick my computer screen. Banana cake happens to be one of my favorites. And it’s a scientific fact that chocolate chips make everything better.
Jen, I completely adore chocolate and banana together. Now it’s about time I bake a gluten free cake! SUCH gorgeous photos here! You are so talented with the camera and in the kitchen girl. :)
This looks fantastic! I haven’t attempted anything gluten-free yet, but you may inspire me to try!
I just tried this recipe. I cannot find your name, but the person who wrote this recipe has the right idea about gluten-free baking. The cake was baked at 325, though; I am a bit cautious about temps. I also cut the sugar a bit, to just under recommended amount. But springy, gorgeous texture, and lovely flavor. Thanks! Amy
I bake all the time and was looking for a simple gluten free banana cake for my boyfriend’s 40th and this was AMAZING! My friend’s said it was one of my best! I put peanut butter frosting on top and it was DIVINE!