A lightly spiced banana cake made dairy free by substituting butter with oil. This bake is light, sweet with a delicious banana hit. These prove that dairy free cakes can still be delicious!
The base of this dairy free cake is a lightly spiced banana cupcake, made with light brown sugar, oil and a mashed banana. The brown sugar has more moisture and adds a slight treacle flavour to the bake, which is perfect for any banana based cake. The oil also helps to make it a nice soft and moist bake.
Super simple and quick to make, these are the perfect beginner friendly bakes. My nephew has followed these instructions and could make these near enough independently. The first step is to add the eggs and sugar together and beat until nice and fluffy, this usually takes around 1-2 minutes. Add oil and vanilla and mix together until just combined, before adding in the mashed banana. Lastly add the self raising flour and cinnamon. Make sure that everything is blended together, but try to avoid overmixing, and then distribute into the prepared cupcake cases. The cake will be a darker bake, this is perfectly normal for a banana based cake, especially when brown sugar has been used.
I always recommend using vanilla paste over extract. It is a thicker consistency, so doesn’t add too much liquid to the batter. It also has a more natural vanilla taste. I find the liquid extract can have quite an artificial flavour, which can completely change the taste and texture of the cake.
These are delicious on their own or covered in your favourite dairy free icing!
Ingredients
- 1 Egg
- 60 g / 2 oz Light Brown Soft Sugar
- 40 ml Vegetable Oil
- 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Paste
- 1 Banana, mashed
- 90 g / 3 oz Self Raising Flour
- 1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180*c/350*f/Gas Mark 4/160*c Fan Oven.
- Line a cupcake tin with cases and set aside
- Place the eggs and light brown soft sugar into a bowl and using an electric mixer beat together until light and fluffy, this normally takes around 1-2 minutes.
- Add the oil and vanilla paste, mixing until just combined.
- Stir through the mashed banana.
- Add the self raising flour and cinnamon and blend until fully combined, being careful not to over mix, and spoon the mixture into your prepared tin.
- Cook for 20 to 25 minutes, until light and fluffy. You can tell it's ready when it springs back when lightly pressed. You could also insert a skewer into the middle of the cake and if it comes out clean, then the cake is ready.
- Once ready, remove from the oven.
- Allow the cakes to sit in the tin for roughly 5 minutes, then place on a wired rack to cool.
- Eat as they are or top with your favourite dairy free icing and enjoy!
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