Gluten Free Banana Cake with Walnut Dream Frosting

I get a lot of people asking me about gluten free cooking.  My book, The 30-Day Vegetarian does have many gluten free meal ideas, but when it came to cakes I had been at a loss to replicate the moist and light texture within a whole foods paradigm.  That was until I discovered BEAN CAKES!

My family and I simply loved the chocolate bean cake recipe that we created on Father’s Day, so I have been experimenting on what flavors complement various bean varieties to come up with more gluten-free as well as guilt-free desserts!

While the Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting hit the spot, I wanted to make a new cake that would be even lower in fat and completely dairy free!

Introducing my newest in a line of gluten free not-so sweet desserts is my banana walnut dream that uses tofu to make a rich creamy frosting.  Let me be up front, if your body can handle the high sugar coma of a traditional frosted supermarket cake and your waist line can afford the extra cargo, then this light version of banana nut cake may not be your cup of tea.  But if you are like me and the friends I know who are looking for ways to reduce fat and sugar in their diet and have been missing dessert because of it for some time … well sacrafice no longer!  This cake not only is good for your waist line at only 220 calories and 5.8 grams of fat, it has 10 grams of dietary fiber, only 1.5 grams of sugar and a whopping 11.8 grams of protein per serving!! (Calculations based on information entered into  http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-calculator.asp Serves 16.)

With this much protein and low sugar, I don’t feel bad about having a slice of this cake for breakfast!

Banana Cake

• 2 can Navy Beans (drained)
• 2 Bananas
• 1 Apple (cored)
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 3 Eggs

In your heavy duty food processor, puree beans, bananas and apple until you have a smooth batter.  Add your baking powder and continue to process as you add the eggs one at a time.

Pour batter into two parchment lined cake pans and bake in a preheated 400° oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes.  Cool cakes completely before frosting.

Walnut Dream Frosting

• 1/2 cup Walnut Pieces
• 2 Bananas
• Juice from 1 Lemon
• 1 TBL Honey
• 1 Brick Firm Tofu

In your heavy duty food processor, process nuts until you have a smooth nut paste.  Next add your bananas and the juice of one lemon and continue to process until light and fluffy.  Add your honey and tofu and puree until your frosting resembles a traditional butter cream.  The firm tofu really helps to keep this frosting thick and delicious, you will be amazed at how well it spreads over your cooled layer cake.