fall is upon us. the weather is cooling down. the oven is heating up. cozy cakes are calling my name. this roasted banana chai spice cake is the perfect cake to kick off autumn baking. especially if you're not 100% ready for pumpkin spiced everything.
quick trip down memory lane....
one of the first things I started baking after years of not, was banana bread. it is incredibly forgiving, easy to customize, accessible for bakers and non bakers alike! banana bread was one of the first things I started posting on instagram years ago. most bloggers start a blog, then social media accounts. being me, I took the opposite approach! in celebration of three years of sharing recipes on my "first site," a banana based cake is the most fitting cake there could be. for those who regularly visit O+T, you know I had to add tahini somewhere! this cake is topped with a tahini whipped cream that is so incredibly delicious.
key features of this cake
- oven roasted bananas: ( more on that below)
- all purpose + cake flours: makes a perfect crumb that's in between a cake and the classic banana bread
- chai spice: perfectly complements the caramel flavor from the roasted bananas
- butter + oil: for a moist, tender and fluffy cake
- sweetened tahini whipped cream: creates a pb + banana flavor that is perfection
oven roasted bananas
one of the best ways to add depth of flavor to anything is to roast it. roasting brings out the sugars, thus caramelizing the food. caramelizing the food means more flavor! one way to caramelize bananas is on the stove top. however, I really wanted caramelized bananas without the hassle of watching a pan of bananas. after reading this article on banana jam I knew I had to try it. it's exceptionally delicious! the recipe as written, makes for fantastic jam. but, it wasn't the best fit for a cake. instead, I used the recipe as a jumping off point to get caramelized bananas from roasting them in the oven rather than in a pan.
roasting bananas is incredibly easy. maybe even easier than the pan on the stove method! plus, its a great way to use up all the ripe bananas sitting on your counter! here's how to roast them:
- preheat the oven to 425 F
- line a baking sheet with parchment paper or silpat
- slice 6 ripe bananas lengthwise
- cut the banana slices in half
- place bananas on the lined baking sheet cut side up
- top each slice with brown sugar
- roast in the oven for 20 minutes
- cool slightly on the pan
- puree in a food processor for the smoothest texture
homemade chai spice mix
I love, love making my own spice blends! one of the first things I do at the start of a new baking season is mix up a batch of spices. for autumn its chai spice and pumpkin spice. this blend is one I have used for a long time. it makes a lot, so scale down as needed.
- 3 tablespoon ground ginger (16g)
- 2 tablespoon ground cinnamon (15g)
- 1 tablespoon ground allspice (6g)
- 1 tablespoon ground cardamon (6g)
- 1.5 teaspoon ground nutmeg (3.5g)
- 1.5 teaspoon ground cloves (3.5g)
- place all ingredients in a bowl. mix well to combine
- store in a spice jar or small mason jar
sweetened tahini whipped cream
tahini is made from ground sesame seeds. it is slightly bitter when eaten straight from the jar. however, when combined with something sweet like honey, it transforms into a richer, smokier peanut butter like flavor. it's one of my favorite things to bake with for the nutty flavor it brings. it also makes a fantastic addition to buttercream frosting, like in these banana bread bars. for this cake, I wanted a lighter topping, so instead of butter cream, its whipped cream. here's how to make it:
- combine: 1 c heavy whipping cream, ¼ c powdered sugar and ¼ c tahini in a mixing bowl
- whip on low speed for 1 minute
- increase to medium speed until medium peaks form
- top cake right before serving
love chai? check out these recipes!
roasted banana chai spice cake
Equipment
- electric or stand mixer with paddle and whisk attachment
- baking sheet
- 9 or 8" cake pan
- food processor or blender, optional but recommeneded
Ingredients
roasted banana slices
- 6 medium-large ripe bananas, peeled
- ⅓ c (67g) brown sugar
roasted banana cake
- 1 ½ c (180g) cake flour, sifted sub with 1:1 all purpose
- ½ c (60g) all purpose flour, sifted
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 2-3 tsp chai mix see notes for custom blend
- 4 tbsp (57g) unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ c canola oil sub netural oil of preference
- ¾ c (150g) sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp almond extract, optional
- ½ c whole milk, room temperature sub 1:1 with milk of preference
- 1 ¼ c pureed roasted bananas, cooled to room temperature
tahini whipped cream
- 1 c heavy whipping cream, cold
- ¼ c tahini, well stirred
- ¼ c (30g) powdered sugar
- ½ c candied walnuts or pecans, coarsely chopped for topping
Instructions
roasted bananas
- Preheat the oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet with parchemnt paper. Peel and slice bananas lengthwise. Slice in half or thirds to fit in a single layer on the baking sheet. Top with brown sugar. Roast in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Cool on the baking sheet for 10-15 minutes or until cool enough to handle. Puree roasted bananas in a food processor or blender until smooth. Measure out 1- 1 ¼ c (should be close to exact). Set aside.Once cool to room temperature, the bananas can be used in the recipe. If preparing in advanced, keep pureed bananas in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2-3 days. Bring to room temperature before using in the recipe.
roasted banana cake
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line the bottom of a non stick cake pan with parchment paper. If needed, lightly grease the bottom and sides of the pan.
- Sift cake flour, all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and chai mix together in a bowl. Whisk to fully combine. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer with paddle attachment or electric beaters, beat the butter and oil together on medium speed until light, smooth and no lumps of butter remain. About 3-4 minutes. Add sugar ¼ cup at a time in a steady stream. Beat until fully combined. About 2-3 minutes total. Add eggs one at a time. Beat on low speed for 20 seconds before adding the next egg. Add vanilla and almond extract, beating well until fully combined.
- With mixer or beaters on low speed, add the pureed bananas in a slow steady stream. This should take about 1-2 minutes to add and fully mix in the bananas.
- Stir by hand, alternate adding the dry ingredients and milk to the wet ingredients. Start with the dry ingredients and end with the dry ingredients. In this order: dry, milk, dry, milk, dry.
- Bake at 350 F for 35-40 minutes. The cake will be golden brown with the edges pulled slightly away from the pan.This time varies based on material of baking pans and oven type. The cake is done when a finger pressed in the center bounces back quicky. If the indentation stays or doesn't full bounce bake, bake an addtional 3-5 minutes before checking again. If using the toothpick method, start checking at 30 minutes. Once the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is done.
- Cool cake in the pan on a cooling rack for 10-15 minutes. Use a butter knife to gently loosen the edges from the pan. Place another cooling rack( or large plate) on top of the cake pan. Carefully invert the cake onto the cooling rack ( or plate placed on top.) Tap the pan a few times to encourage the cake to release. Lift the cake pan off the cake (which should be face down on the second cooling rack). Place the original cooling rack on the lined bottom of the cake. Gently flip right side up. Cool the cake on the cooling rack for about 1 hour. Top with tahini whipped cream and candied nuts right before serving.
tahini whipped cream
- Add heavy cream, tahini and powdered sugar into a clean mixing bowl. Whisk on low for 2 minutes. Increase speed until medium peaks form. Top cake with whipped cream and candied nuts as serving slices.
Notes
- 3 tablespoon ground ginger (16g)
- 2 tablespoon ground cinnamon (15g)
- 1 tablespoon ground allspice (6g)
- 1 tablespoon ground cardamon (6g)
- 1.5 teaspoon ground nutmeg (3.5g)
- 1.5 teaspoon ground cloves (3.5g)
- place all ingredients in a bowl. mix well to combine
- store in a spice jar or small mason jar
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Make sure to tag me on instagram @olivesnthyme. For more delicious dessert ideas follow me on pinterest
make sure to tag me on instagram @olivesnthyme. for more delicious dessert ideas follow me on pinterest.
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