Plantain cake

This cake is naturally sweetened by very ripe plantain, banana and coconut. The inspiration for this cake came from Patricia, food ambassador who had made a similar cake to share with participants for her birthday. 

Around 10 portions

Ingredients

220 grams of flour (can use spelt, wholemeal, self raising or a mix)

2 large very ripe plantain plus 1 extra for decoration

1 very ripe banana

80 millilitres of plant based or dairy milk

80 millilitres of any oil, such as sunflower, melted coconut, rapeseed

1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon of baking powder

Half a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda

2 tablespoons of ground flaxseeds or chia seeds

50g of dessicated coconut (optional or 50g extra flour instead)

1 tablespoon of ground ginger

1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg

100 grams of raisins or chopped pitted dates (optional) 

Method

1. Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (fan oven)/200°C/gas mark 6.
2. Lightly grease a loaf tin with a little oil and line with a strip of baking paper. If you make the paper slightly longer than the tin it’s easier to remove the loaf. You can also  make this recipe as cupcakes (use 12 cupcake cases and reduce the cooking time to 25 minutes).
3. In a large bowl mash the 2 plantain and banana – using a potato masher or hand blender. Stir through the flaxseeds, cider vinegar, oil and milk.
4. In a separate bowl mix together all the dry ingredients.
5. Pour your wet ingredients over your dry ingredients.
6. Pour the mixture into the loaf tin. Any extra you can put into a cupcake tray.
7. Cut the extra plantain in half lengthways and place each piece on top of the loaf tin, cut side up.
8. Bake in the oven for approximately 50 to 60 minutes until a knife comes out clean. If  the top starts to turn brown before the inside is cooked, then cover with foil.
9. Leave to rest for at least 20 minutes before cutting.