Banana Cream Cheese Cake

[mific]

I've made banana cakes a few times, but they were always a bit too dry for my liking, especially after the first day. So I invented this version, the key differences being addition of yoghurt, cream cheese and extra eggs, and psyllium powder, all for moisture. Not everyone will like it as it's deliberately gluggy, not at all light or fluffy, but I enjoy it as it's kind of halfway between a cake and a cheesecake. In summary: unusual texture, tastes great. 

Ingredients:
5 ripe bananas, mashed
¾ cup brown/muscovado sugar
½ cup maple syrup
4 eggs
1 cup Greek Yoghurt
250 grams cream cheese
1 cup banana flour or any GF baking flour mix
3 tsp Baking Powder
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla essence
1½ tsp salt
½ cup ground psyllium (or plain metamucil)
⅓ cup lite olive oil

Directions:
Preheat oven to 170 degC (340 degF). Grease a 27cm round springform or regular cake tin and line the base with baking paper.
Mash the bananas and cream cheese, or do it all in a food processor. Mix in the yoghurt, maple syrup, sugar, and eggs and beat until smooth. Mix in the flour, vanilla, spices and salt. Add the psyllium, mix well, and let it hydrate for 5-10 min. Add the oil last and mix thoroughly until emulsified.
Pour into the cake tin. Tap tin to settle the batter.
Bake for 50 minutes with a foil cover then 20 min uncovered, until cake is just cooked in the middle (insert a skewer - if it comes out clean the cake's cooked). Cool in tin for 5 minutes then release the sides and cool on a rack
I find it keeps for several days, even out of the fridge. I just wrap it up in a tea-towel - it doesn't dry out. :)

This technique of adding a bit of psyllium powder to cakes works well in general, if they tend to be a little dry. I improved the classic orange almond cake I made today by adding 2 Tbsp of psyllium powder. 


 

Comments

[mergatrude]

Ooh, that looks dense and yummy! I will often add Greek yoghurt instead of milk to muffins and things. Good idea!

My fixit for banana cake/bread is either to add raspberries (frozen add more moisture), or to toast the slices and smother them in butter.