Gluten-Free Frosted Banana Spice Cake and Cupcakes

Banana spice cake goodness.

We felt like baking our basic almond flour based Banana Snacking Cake yesterday. Usually we don't frost it but after a moment of not-so-deep reflection, the inspired idea of an apple cider icing got the better of both of us. We beat up a one pound box of powdered sugar with a dab of sweet butter, a splash of natural apple cider and pinches of nutmeg.

Here's what we did yesterday- please note: there are some from the original recipe (tweaking, always tweaking).

Note: See below for a cupcake version of this recipe designed for a reader's dairy-free daughter. Reader Susie shares her conversion of this recipe to a chocolate cake recipe, below.

Frosted Banana Spice Cake Recipe

This is one of my most popular gluten-free cake recipes. Make this yummy dairy-free cake as spicy or sweet as you like.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups almonds

1/2 cup brown rice flour or sorghum flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon Apple Pie Spice (a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

2 large organic eggs

1/3 cup light olive oil

2 tablespoons honey or raw organic agave nectar

1 1/3 cups organic light brown sugar

4 medium (not too big) very ripe bananas, cut up and mashed into puree

2 teaspoons bourbon vanilla extract

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Prepare a 9 x 13" baking pan by lining it with greased parchment.

Process the almonds in a food processor by pulsing on and off until a fine almond meal is formed. Pour the almond meal into a dry mixing bowl.

Add in the rice flour, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt and spices and whisk to combine.

In a clean mixing bowl beat the eggs; add the oil, honey, brown sugar, banana puree and vanilla. Beat well.

Add the dry ingredients into the wet, and beat for two minutes.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan and bake in a preheated oven for 33 to 35 minutes until done. Check the center for doneness with a wooden pick. The cake should appear slightly golden brown at the edge, yet still be moist inside.

Cool the cake completely on a wire rack before frosting.

Simple Apple-Nutmeg Icing

To achieve a more concentrated apple flavor, heat the apple juice or [apple cider] in a small saucepan and lightly simmer until it reduces and thickens into a light syrup.

Ingredients:

1 1-lb. box confectioner's (powdered) sugar

1/2 cup unsalted sweet butter or vegan margarine such as Smart Balance

2-3 tablespoons natural apple cider* as needed

1 to 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, to taste

2-3 dashes of nutmeg, to taste

Instructions:

Pour the sugar into a mixing bowl and add the butter with 2 tablespoons of the apple cider. Start beating and continue to beat to incorporate the butter and cider. Add more apple cider a teaspoon at a time, until you achieve the consistency you like. Crank up the mixer and beat the heck out of it until the frosting is smooth and glossy.

Frost the cake [we removed it from the pan and placed it on a cutting board first].

Sprinkle the icing with chopped nuts, if you like.

Chill it briefly in the freezer before slicing and wrapping the pieces for freezing.

This cake is very moist and slightly chewy. Makes 15 pieces.

Recipe Note:

Gluten free cakes keep best beyond the first day, that is, when wrapped and frozen in a large zip lock freezer bag. Unwrap before thawing at room temperature.

Frosted Banana Spice Cupcakes

Here is a dairy-free version of my spice cake recipe- tweaked as cupcakes for Lindsay and her dairy-free daughter's first birthday. The theme of the birthday party was Monkeys. How cute is that?

Ingredients:

1 cup almonds

1 cup brown rice flour or sorghum flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum

1/2 teaspoon GF Apple Pie Spice (or a blend of cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice)

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

2 large organic free-range eggs

1/3 cup light olive oil

2 tablespoons GF brown rice syrup- or raw agave syrup

1 1/3 cups organic light brown sugar

4 medium very ripe bananas, cut up and mashed into puree

1 1/2 teaspoons bourbon vanilla extract

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a 12-cupcake pan with paper inserts.

Process the almonds in a food processor by pulsing on and off until a fine almond meal is formed. Pour the almond meal into a dry mixing bowl.

Add in the rice flour, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt and spices and whisk to combine.

In a clean mixing bowl beat the eggs; add the oil, syrup, brown sugar, banana puree and vanilla. Beat well.

Add the dry ingredients into the wet, and beat for two minutes.

Spoon the batter into the prepared cupcake pan and bake in a preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes until done. Check the center for doneness with a wooden pick. The cupcake should appear slightly golden brown at the edge, yet still be moist inside.

Cool cupcakes completely on a wire rack before frosting.

Simple Coconut Milk Icing

Lindsay came up with the idea of changing the apple cider in the above frosting recipe to coconut milk. I thought it was a brilliant idea.

Ingredients:

1 1-lb. box confectioner's (powdered) sugar

1/2 cup unsalted vegan margarine such as Smart Balance or Spectrum Organic Shortening

2-3 tablespoons coconut milk

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla or coconut extract

Instructions:

Pour the sugar into a mixing bowl and add the butter with 2 tablespoons of the coconut milk. Start beating and continue to beat to incorporate the butter and coconut milk. Add more coconut milk a teaspoon at a time, until you achieve the consistency you like. Crank up the mixer and beat the heck out of it until the frosting is smooth and glossy.

Frost cooled cupcakes and chill. Makes 12 cupcakes.

Gluten free cupcakes keep best (beyond the first day) if wrapped and frozen in a large zip lock freezer bag. Unwrap before thawing at room temperature.

GFG Note:

Reader Susie used this Banana Spice Cake recipe for chocolate cake with the following changes:

1. Omit Apple Pie Spice

2. Increase oil by 1 tablespoon

3. Increase brown sugar to 1 1/2 cups

4. Add 1/2 cup powdered cocoa, such as Hershey's cocoa

Thanks, Susie!