Picota Cherry Chocolate Banana Bread
This one is an absolute MUST to add to your baking lists. It’s a simple, one bowl, chocolate laden delight, that will make for an ideal afternoon accompaniment to your cup of afternoon tea. This cake is gluten free, but also free from dairy and refined sugars. However, it still takes super sweet and super chocolatey.
INGREDIENTS:
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups oat flour
• 1/3 cup coconut palm sugar
• 2 ripe bananas
• 1/4 cup coconut oil
• 3 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp bicarb
• Pinch salt
• 1/2 cup Picota cherries- stoned
Frosting:
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 1 heaped tbsp cashew butter
• 2 tbsp honey
• Almond milk- as needed
• 1 cup Picota cherries to decorate
METHOD:
• Preheat your oven to 180c and line a loaf tin with baking paper.
• In a large mixing bowl, mash the bananas with the back of a fork, then beat in the coconut oil and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy.
• Crack in the eggs one at a time whilst mixing so that everything is fully incorporated.
• Next, fold through the dry ingredients so that you’re left with a beautifully smooth and chocolatey cake batter!
• Pour the mixture into your tin and scatter the cherries throughout, pushing some of them into the loaf. Bake this for around 45 minutes, until cooked through and a knife comes out clean.
• Allow the cake to cool completely on a wire wrack whilst you whip up the frosting.
• For the decadent chocolate frosting, mix together the cashew butter, cacao powder and honey. Then, drizzle in a little almond milk, mix, then repeat this so that you’re left with a smooth, spreadable consistency.
• Lather the icing over your banana bread and garnish with a layer of the Picota cherries to finish!