Gee wiz! Lucky I have been developing this cake recipe over the last week, as I just realised it is my little blog’s first birthday! Like I suspect it is when your child turns one, time has simultaneously gone quickly and slowly at the same time – so much has happened yet it feels like yesterday that I launched Homespun Capers on the last day of summer 2015.
So… The cake! This wholesome banana bread has been in my mind for some time and I’ve been tweaking the recipe over the past week to share it with you… It’s moist and soft textured, vegan-friendly as per usual, but uses spelt flour. It’s not as sweet as banana breads can be, but it’s still satisfyingly so. It’s studded with dark chocolate and toasted sesame seeds, which give it a complex taste, sophisticated even, and very adult… But that’s not to say this isn’t a crowd pleaser!
Make sure your bananas are over ripe – at least at the polka dot stage of ripeness. Let’s face it, when it gets to that stage we’re less likely to eat it, so it may as well be cake!
Thanks for following along over the past year, and for all your enthusiasm and feedback… It means the world! Xx
Titbit: Bananas (musa acuminata) were first domesticated in Papua New Guinea around 8000BC. From there they spread across South East Asia and Australia, were cultivated in Africa as plantains from 3000BC. They appear in Buddist literature from 600BC, and Alexander the Great documented bananas in his travels in India 327BC. Interestingly, bananas were cultivated in Japan in the 1200s for their fibre – which could be prepared into soft kimono fabric or thicker, coarser table cloth. Moorish invasions most likely brought the bananas to Europe, and the Portugese established banana plants in Brazil*. Full of potassium, vitamins B6 and C, it’s no surprise that bananas are now Australia’s most popular fruit, with more than 5 million being eaten every day.**
Toasted Sesame and Dark Chocolate Banana Bread
Use black or white sesame seeds here, I just used both for contrast. Make sure your bananas are VERY ripe – at least at the polka dot stage of ripeness, the browner the better.
I first came across the idea for including sesame seeds in banana bread on the ever inspiring 101 Cookbooks.
Serves 10-12.
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 55 min
—
Toasted Sesame and Dark Chocolate Banana Bread
2 tbls chia seeds
190ml | 3/4 cup water
70g sesame seeds (+ more to garnish, optional)
340g | 3 large VERY ripe bananas, mashed
80ml | 1/3 cup coconut oil (melted)
1.5 tsp vanilla extract
130g | 1 cup coconut or rapadura sugar
1/2 tsp sea salt
255g | 2 cups white spelt flour
2 tsp baking powder
70g dark chocolate, chopped
—
Set your oven to 180C, grease and line a loaf tin with baking paper.
In a large bowl mix the chia seeds with 1/2 cup of the water, whisk well and set aside for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, toast the sesame seeds in a frypan (skillet) over high heat for 1-2 min, till fragrant and starting to colour. Transfer from pan to a bowl and set aside.
Add the mashed banana to the chia along with the coconut oil, vanilla, sugar and salt. Combine well before gently folding through the flour and baking powder – being careful not to over mix.
Once a smooth batter, gently fold through the sesame seeds and chocolate. Scrape the batter into the prepared tin and sprinkle with untoasted sesame seeds, if desired.
Bake in the oven for 55 – 60min, or till an inserted skewer comes out clean and the cake is golden and fragrant.
Leave the cake to cool in its tin for 10 min, then transfer to a wire rack to cool for at least another 20 min before slicing. The cooler the cake the cleaner it will cut.
Will keep for at least 2 days, airtight at room temperature.
Follow along with me on Pinterest, Instagram or Facebook!
—
Titbit References:
* The History of the Banana: Ancient Origins to the 1800s
** Key Facts
