Alexander loves bananas! We go through about 3 bunches a week. So it isn’t often that I have any going brown enough to make a cake with. Last week however my husband and I both bought a bunch on the same day. Three days later I had enough brown bananas to make a cake!

Why brown? Because when they are that ripe the flavor is very delicious and the banana is so soft it mixes into the batter easily.

To make it healthier I reduced the granulated and brown sugar from my recipe. Normally I use vanilla bean paste to give it a really good flavor, but the price of vanilla bean paste has skyrocketed. I decided to use some molasses instead and added in pecans. I removed some of the all purpose flour and replaced it with sorghum flour. Sorghum flour is high in fiber, protein and iron. It’s used in a lot of gluten free baking. If you don’t have it, don’t worry just use 3 cups all purpose flour. I also switched from butter to canola oil a healthier fat.

Enjoy!

Avec Amour, Victoria & Alexander

Molasses Pecan Banana Cake

Yield – 2 8″ round cakes

2 1/2 Cups Bananas, about 5 large

3/4 Cup Canola Oil

3 Eggs

3/4 Cup Sugar

3/4 Cup Light Brown Sugar, tightly packed

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

2 Tablespoons Molasses

1/2 Cup Sorghum Flour

2 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour

1 teaspoon Baking Powder

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

1 teaspoon Salt

1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon Ground Allspice

4 oz Pecan Pieces

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Smush bananas with the back of a fork (do not Puree in a blender or food processor this will make the bananas too liquid and your cake will have a rubbery texture), set aside, in a large mixing bowl whisk together oil and eggs,

whisk in sugars,

Exract and Molasses.

2. In smaller bowl stir together flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and allspice,

 

stir into egg mixture,

gently fold in bananas

 

and pecan pieces,

divide batter into 2 greased parchment lined cake pans,

bake 30 – 35 minutes until a paring knife or cake tester comes out clean,

let cool for about 15 minutes, run small metal offset spatula around edge of cake to release it from pan,

invert onto a large plate, remove parchment paper,

flip over onto another plate or cake stand.

If preferred this batter works well as muffins too,

bake for about 24-26 minutes.