- 1/4 cup (60 grams) very ripe mashed banana
- 1 tablespoon almond butter*
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup (could reduce the amount if watching sugars or substitute another sweetener of choice)
- 1-1/2 tablespoons (10 grams) coconut flour** (I use Bob’s Red Mill)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon sea salt (or a scant 1/8 teaspoon regular salt)
- Optional add-ins: nuts, shredded coconut, chocolate chips, cacao nibs, raisins, or other dried fruit of choice
Coconut-Banana Bread Breakfast Cakes
I often mix several batches-worth of the dry ingredients and store in small jars or mini Tupperware containers. That way, this wholesome option to a muffin is that much speedier to whip up.
Follow the basic recipe and then add extras as desired. Although I've enjoyed many of these tasty cakes with no mix-ins and just a sprinkle of coconut on top, I adore a cinnamon-raisin version and my kids swoon over a shredded coconut-mini chocolate chip mix. Cacao nibs provide crunch like nuts do, but visually they make everyone think there are extra chocolate chips in there. Win-win!
Yield: 1 breakfast cake
Follow the basic recipe and then add extras as desired. Although I've enjoyed many of these tasty cakes with no mix-ins and just a sprinkle of coconut on top, I adore a cinnamon-raisin version and my kids swoon over a shredded coconut-mini chocolate chip mix. Cacao nibs provide crunch like nuts do, but visually they make everyone think there are extra chocolate chips in there. Win-win!
Yield: 1 breakfast cake
Ingredients
Instructions
- In a small bowl, mash the banana and the almond butter together with fork until smooth. Whisk in the egg and the maple syrup.
- Add the coconut flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Stir to fully incorporate. Mix in any of the optional add-ins; a tablespoon of one or two of them is a good starting point.
- Scoop into a ramekin or bowl–no need to grease. (I use a dish with a diameter of 4 inches and a depth of 2 inches. You may vary the dimension but may have to alter the cooking time up or down accordingly–and to avoid overflow, don’t go much smaller.) Microwave on high (100 percent power) for 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Until you know how long this takes in your microwave, check it about 20 seconds early and then add time in 15-20 second increments until the center doesn’t feel squishy when lightly pressed.
- Allow the cake to cool for a few minutes and then loosen it with a dinner knife and pop it out of the ramekin or bowl. If not eating right away, place on a cooling rack to prevent the steam form making the bottom damp. The cake may be made in advance, cooled, covered and refrigerated.
Notes
- *Nutella or another nut/seed butter of choice may be substituted. When I tried Nutella for the first time, I thought everyone would like that version better. As it turns out, mild-tasting almond butter is the preferred choice in our house. Feel free to experiment.
- **To properly measure coconut flour, fluff it up a little before measuring and make sure to level off the measuring spoons. Also, for best results, make sure to squish any lumps as you are mixing the dry ingredients.