Gluten-free Banana Cake with Coffee Frosting

by Julia Kholodovska
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If you are looking for a perfect combination, you should try to make this super delicious Banana Cake with Coffee Frosting and Chocolate Caramel. This triple pleasure dessert brings together soft and fluffy vanilla sponge cakes, a rich chocolate caramel sauce, delicate and very flavorful coffee cream cheese frosting, and a layer of fresh sweet bananas… It’s even more delicious than it sounds. This cake is almost guaranteed to win you over.

Why You’ll Love This Banana Cake Recipe

  1. Gluten-Free: This recipe provides a delightful gluten-free alternative to traditional banana cake. By using white rice flour and cornstarch, the cake maintains a light and tender texture without compromising on taste.
  2. Decadent Flavor Combination: The combination of bananas, peanut butter, chocolate caramel sauce, and coffee frosting creates a flavor profile that is rich, indulgent, and utterly delicious. Each component complements the others, resulting in a cake that is truly a taste sensation.
  3. Customizable: The coffee peanut frosting offers a unique twist with its nutty, savory undertones. However, the recipe also provides flexibility by suggesting alternative options like silken tofu or regular cream cheese. This allows you to adapt the frosting to your personal preferences or dietary needs.
  4. Versatile and Impressive: Whether you’re serving it for a special occasion or simply indulging in a homemade treat, this cake is sure to impress.
  5. Dairy-free Option: By using vegan cream cheese or silken tofu as a base for the frosting, this recipe provides a dairy-free option for those with dietary restrictions or preferences.
  6. Healthier Option: In addition to its delicious taste and texture, this recipe offers a healthier alternative to traditional banana cakes. It contains a moderate amount of sugar and easily can be made sugar-free, substituting brown sugar with Swerve sweetener.

Slice of cake with bananas layer on a white plate

Ingredients

  • Eggs: help to achieve a fluffy and tender texture and bind the ingredients together.
  • Rice Flour: a gluten-free alternative to wheat flour. It adds a light and tender consistency to the cake.
  • Cornstarch: lightens the cake and improves its tenderness.
  • Light Brown Sugar: adds sweetness and contributes to caramel flavor notes. Any other type of sugar or dry sweetener will also work.
  • Baking Powder: helps the cake rise and provides a light and fluffy texture.
  • Vanilla Extract: enhances the flavor of the cake with a subtle, sweet aroma, complementing the banana and coffee flavors.
  • Banana: is used as a filling between cake layers, adding natural sweetness, moisture, and a fruity element.
  • Cream Cheese: provides a creamy base for the frosting. We use vegan cream cheese for a dairy-free option, but you can substitute it with silken tofu or regular cream cheese.
  • Almond Milk: helps to adjust the consistency of the frosting. Feel free to use any other milk of your choice.
  • Peanut Butter is needed for both frosting and caramel. It infuses the frosting with a nutty and savory flavor, adding richness and depth to the overall taste. In caramel, it provides a creamy texture.
  • Powdered Light Brown Sugar sweetens the frosting. You can use any powdered type of sugar you want.
  • Dark Chocolate: contributes a deep chocolate flavor to the caramel and helps to achieve the desired texture in the frosting.
  • Coconut Oil: binds the frosting ingredients together, providing a smooth and creamy texture to the frosting.
  • Water is used as the base for the caramel.
  • Coffee: Instant coffee provides a coffee flavor to the frosting, enhancing the overall taste profile.
  • Salt enhances the overall taste and helps to balance the sweetness of the caramel.

Ingredients for banana cake with coffee frosting

Step-by-Step Guide

This recipe is quite easy and quick to make. Many words, but really not many actions. The most difficult thing is to wait until it will be soaking overnight in the fridge. Regardless of whether you’re an experienced baker or new to the kitchen, the following detailed instructions will guide you in creating the best cake possible.

How to Make Gluten-free Sponge Cake

  1. Preheat your oven and prepare the 7-inch (or 18 cm) cake pan by greasing it with oil or lining it with parchment paper.
  2. In a small bowl, mix together the rice flour, cornstarch, and baking powder.
  3. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with sugar on high speed until they reach a pale color and foam-like consistency (about 3 minutes).
  4. Pour the dry ingredients and vanilla extract into the egg mixture and beat on low speed for a minute to combine without any lumps.
  5. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center.
  6. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 20 minutes before transferring it to a cooling rack. Allow it to cool completely. Once cooled, wrap the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

This gluten-free rice flour sponge cake serves as a fantastic base for celebration cakes, allowing for endless possibilities when it comes to pairing it with various frostings and fillings. For an alternative to bananas, try this raspberry jam as a delightful filling for your cake, or use this coconut caramel instead of chocolate caramel. Feel free to experiment!

How to Make Coffee Cream Cheese Frosting

  1. Heat up the milk and brew coffee using the milk. Let it cool slightly.
  2. In a high-speed blender, blend the cream cheese with the milk, peanut butter, and powdered sugar until smooth.
  3. Melt the chocolate and coconut oil, then add them to the frosting mixture. Blend again until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy without any lumps.
  4. Refrigerate the frosting for about 1-2 hours to allow it to thicken and become more convenient to work with. Initially, the frosting may be quite thin, but it will thicken in the refrigerator.

How to Make Chocolate Caramel Sauce

  1. In a small saucepan, combine water, peanut butter, instant coffee, salt, and sugar. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly. Lower the heat, add finely chopped chocolate, and continue stirring until the chocolate melts completely.
  2. Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the chocolate caramel sauce to cool before using it to assemble the cake.

Assembling the Cake

  1. Cut the cake into 2 equal layers. Place a small amount of frosting on a cake turntable and secure the first sponge layer on top of it.
  2. Spread a layer of frosting evenly over the first cake using a spatula. Pipe a ring of frosting around the border of the cake. Spread diced bananas inside the ring and drizzle chocolate caramel sauce over the bananas.
  3. Place the second layer of cake on top. Coat the top and sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. Transfer the cake to the refrigerator and let it chill overnight.
  4. Before serving, decorate the cake with banana slices, peanuts, and chocolate.

Banana cake with coffee frosting, decorated with bananas

Expert Tips

By following these helpful tips, you’ll create a perfect cake:

  • Room Temperature Ingredients: Make sure all your ingredients, especially the eggs and cream cheese are at room temperature before beginning the baking process. This helps in achieving a better texture and smoother consistency in the cake and frosting.
  • Beating the Eggs: When beating the eggs with the sugar, use an electric mixer on high speed and continue for a good 2-3 minutes. This allows air to be incorporated into the eggs, resulting in a lighter and more airy sponge cake.
  • Chilling the Cake Overnight: After baking and cooling the sponge cake, it’s better to wrap the sponge cake with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge overnight. In this case, it will be easier to cut the sponge cake into two equal layers without any crumbling. So, this makes it easier to assemble the cake.
  • Choosing the Right Coffee: Make sure to choose an aromatic coffee with an intense body to bring the perfect coffee flavor to the frosting. In combination with peanut butter, bananas, and chocolate, coffee gives the final chord to this rich flavor profile.
  • Chill the Frosting: To achieve the ideal consistency for frosting, refrigerate it for 1-2 hours. The initial thin consistency will thicken up, making it easier to work with and providing a smooth and creamy texture.
  • Avoid Overcooking the Caramel: When melting the chocolate for the caramel sauce, be careful not to overcook it. Stir constantly while melting the chocolate and remove it from the heat promptly to maintain a smooth consistency. Overcooking can result in a grainy texture.
  • Soak Option. If desired, you can additionally soak the cake with coffee or sweetened water. However, it is not necessary, as this layer cake already has a soft and delicate consistency when combined with frosting and caramel.

Slice of coffee banana cake on a plate

Storage Instructions

Store the cake in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. If you want to extend its shelf life, you can freeze the cake. Thaw the frozen cake in the refrigerator overnight before serving, keeping in mind that the texture may slightly change. The leftover frosted cake should be refrigerated, but allow it to come to room temperature briefly to soften the frosting. Whether refrigerated or frozen, proper storage will help preserve the flavors of this delightful cake for an extended period.

More Gluten-free Cakes to Try

This delectable Banana Cake with Coffee Frosting combines the natural sweetness of bananas, the richness of chocolate caramel sauce, and the irresistible flavor of coffee-infused frosting. Whether you’re hosting a special occasion or simply treating yourself, this cake is sure to impress. Enjoy every moist and flavorful bite, and don’t forget to share the joy with your loved ones. Happy baking!

Coffee Peanut Cake with Bananas and Chocolate Caramel Sauce

Gluten-free Banana Cake with Coffee Frosting

Rating: 5.0/5
( 4 voted )
Prep Time: Cooking Time: Total Time:
Cuisine: Yield: 10 servings
Calories for Serving: 200 kcal 20 grams fat
If you are looking for some perfect combination, you should try to make this Coffee Peanut Cake with Bananas and Chocolate Caramel Sauce. It’s a triple pleasure dessert – soft and fluffy vanilla sponge cakes are combined with the rich chocolate caramel sauce, delicate and very flavorful coffee peanut cream cheese frosting, and are supplemented by a layer of fresh sweet bananas.

Ingredients

For the Cake:

  • 3 large eggs (about 6.4 oz or 180 g)
  • ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar
  • ½ cup (80 g) white rice flour
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the Coffee Peanut Frosting:

  • ⅓ cup (80 ml) almond milk (or any other milk)
  • 2 tsp instant coffee
  • 9 oz (250 g) cream cheese (vegan for dairy-free version, or silken tofu, or regular cream cheese)
  • ⅓ cup (85 g) peanut butter
  • ½ cup (65 g) powdered light brown sugar
  • 1.8 oz (50 g) dark chocolate (with at least 70% cacao)
  • 3 tbsp (40 g) coconut oil, melted

For the Chocolate Caramel Sauce:

  • ¼ cup (60 g) water
  • 2,5 tbsp (45 g) peanut butter
  • 2 tsp instant coffee
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 3 tbsp (30 g) light brown sugar
  • 1.5 oz (40 g) dark chocolate

For the Filling:

  • 1 large banana, diced (about 5.3 oz or 150 g)

Instructions

  1. Make the Cake. All the ingredients for the cake should be at room temperature. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and line the base and sides of a 7-inch (or 18 cm) cake pan with parchment paper.
  2. In a small bowl, mix together the rice flour, cornstarch, and baking powder.
  3. In a separate bowl, beat the eggs with sugar on high speed until they reach a pale color and foam-like consistency (about 3 minutes).
  4. Pour the dry ingredients and vanilla extract into the egg mixture and beat on low speed for a minute to combine without any lumps.
  5. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and bake for about 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center.
  6. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 20 minutes before transferring it to a cooling rack. Allow it to cool completely. Once cooled, wrap the cake with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
  7. Make the Frosting. Heat up the milk and brew coffee using the milk. Let it cool slightly. In a high-speed blender, blend the cream cheese with the milk, peanut butter, and powdered sugar until smooth. Melt the chocolate and coconut oil, then add them to the frosting mixture. Blend again until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy without any lumps. Refrigerate the frosting for about 1-2 hours to allow it to thicken and become more convenient to work with. Initially, the frosting may be quite thin, but it will thicken in the refrigerator.
  8. Make the Caramel: In a small saucepan, combine water, peanut butter, instant coffee, salt, and sugar. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly. Lower the heat, add finely chopped chocolate, and continue stirring until the chocolate has melted completely. Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow the chocolate caramel sauce to cool before using it to assemble the cake.
  9. Assemble the Cake: Cut the cake into 2 equal layers. Place a small amount of frosting on a cake turntable and secure the first sponge layer on top of it.
  10. Spread the layer of frosting over the first cake using a spatula. Pipe a ring of frosting around the border of the cake. Spread diced bananas inside, and top the bananas with chocolate caramel sauce.
  11. Top with the second layer of cake. Coat the top and the sides of the cake with the remaining frosting. Place it to the refrigerator overnight. Decorate with banana slices, peanuts, and chocolate.

Nutrition

Calories: 307kcal Fat: 16.4g Saturated Fat: 7.7g Cholesterol: 57mg Sodium: 150mg Carbohydrate: 34.3g Fiber: 1.9g Sugar: 22.7g Protein: 7.7g Vitamin D: 9mcg Calcium: 63mg Iron: 2mg Potassium: 240mg
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FAQs

Can I use a different type of nut butter instead of peanut butter?
Yes, you can substitute peanut butter with other nut butter like almond butter or cashew butter. It will provide a different flavor profile but will still work great in the recipe.
Can I use a different size cake pan?
The recipe calls for a 7-inch (or 18 cm) cake pan. If you use a different size, the baking time may vary. Adjust the baking time accordingly and keep an eye on the cake for doneness.
Can I skip the coffee in the frosting?
If you're not a fan of coffee flavor or prefer not to use it, you can omit the coffee from the frosting. The cream cheese frosting will still be delicious without it.
Can I use regular wheat flour instead of white rice flour?
The recipe was specifically designed to be gluten-free using white rice flour. However, if you don't require a gluten-free version, you can substitute rice flour with all-purpose flour.

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