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Banana breakfast cake cut into 9 pieces in a square baking dish.

Banana Breakfast Cake

A deliciously moist banana cake that makes a healthy snack or breakfast. You will be surprised how fast your family will empty the dish on this one!

Yield: 9 pieces (one 8x8 pan) 1x
Prep: 20 minutesCook: 40 minsTotal: 1 hour
Units:
Scale:

Ingredients

  • 2 cups white whole wheat flour (sub: 1 cup wheat flour + 1 cup all-purpose flour)
  • 1/2 cup sugar (I often use unrefined coconut sugar)
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 ripe bananas
  • 1 cup pumpkin puree or cooked sweet potato flesh (sub: butternut squash puree)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/3 cup melted coconut oil (sub: avocado oil or melted butter)
  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt (sub: sour cream)
  • 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (I used carob chips, since they are low in sugar and dairy-free)

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Instructions

Make It Now:

  1. Prep: Preheat oven to 350°F degrees. Spray an 8×8-inch baking dish (or a 9×13 baking dish, but note the shorter cooking time) with non-stick spray.
  2. Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  3. Wet Ingredients: In a blender*, combine the bananas, sweet potato, eggs, vanilla, coconut oil, and yogurt. Blend until smooth. (If needed, add just a splash of milk to help the blender get moving.) 
  4. Finish Batter: Using a spatula to clean out the blender, add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir gently with a spoon just until combined (do not over-mix). Batter will be thick. Fold in the chocolate chips. Spoon batter into prepared 8×8 inch pan and spread evenly using a spatula.
  5. Bake: Bake for about 35-40 minutes (for a 9×12, bake 25-28 minutes). It’s done when a toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. 

Freeze For Later: Bake breakfast cake just until done. Cool completely. Either cover the baking dish tightly in a few layers of foil or plastic wrap or carefully lift the cake out of the baking dish and wrap in several layers of foil or plastic wrap, pressing as much air out as you can. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Prepare From Frozen: Thaw on the counter. Warm a slice in the microwave for 15-20 seconds and top with a pat of butter, if desired.


Notes/Tips

*If You Don’t Have a Blender: In a mixing bowl, mash the banana and sweet potato really well with a fork or potato masher. Then, add the rest of the wet ingredients and whisk them together until well combined.

Can I cut back on the sugar? To cut back the sugar amount, use 1/3 cup coconut sugar and leave out the chocolate chips.

Storage Instructions: Let cake cool completely and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Store on the counter for 2-3 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days. Or use our freezing instructions above to store for 3+ months.

How to Turn Batter Into Muffins: Bake muffins at 350°F for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Dairy-Free Version: Use dairy-free Greek yogurt or sour cream and dairy-free mini chocolate chips (like Enjoy Life brand).

Gluten-Free Version: Use 1:1 gluten free baking flour in place of the whole wheat flour. I like Bob’s Red Mill brand.

© Author: Rachel Tiemeyer
Cuisine: American Method: Baked