Chai Banana Crumb Cake
IT’S BANANA CAKE!
I’m really making progress here. First off, I just used an exclamation point after the words “banana cake.” And second off, I’ve gone from not ever having posted a banana cake/loaf/bread/muffin/cupcake recipe on the blog to posting a wholesome maple chocolate chip walnut banana bread and fluffy banana chocolate chip crumb muffins. And now this!
If you’re confused, allow me to explain: I don’t like banana baked goods.
But. In the past couple years, I’ve warmed up to several banana-based desserts. Two of which I just linked above. And the third of which is this chai banana crumb cake.
To be honest, it still very much surprises me that there are so many banana cake groupies; I really don’t understand how someone would pick a banana cake over a vanilla cake or a chocolate cake or really any other variety of cake in the universe.
But, alas, it’s hard to question taste. So, I’ve stopped questioning. And decided to start learning, and perhaps even adopting. And this is where the progress I speak of developed.
Because I eat banana cake now! Happily, even! Banana cake is still not my first or even fourth choice, but if it’s there, I’ll help myself thankyouverymuch.
But there’s something about this particular banana cake, this chai banana crumb cake, that makes it especially palatable to me: it’s packed with chai spices. Plus, it’s got a chai spiced crumble.
What I’m trying to say is, these flavorful spices hide some of that strong banana flavor, so the banana taste is not as overwhelming as it is in a classic banana cake.
And I mean it when I say this banana crumb cake is “packed with chai spices.” We’ve got ground cinnamon. And ground ginger. And ground black pepper (yes, black pepper; yes, a generous amount; yes, it’s spicy; yes, it’s delicious). And ground cardamom. And ground nutmeg. And ground cloves.
And some more ground cinnamon and ginger and cardamom in the crispy crumble.
This chai banana cake is soft and tender. It’s moist and fluffy. It’s light yet slightly hefty and dense. And it’s got those spicy kicks from all those chai spices and it’s unique and comforting and sophisticated and special.
And the crumble is crispy and clumpy and melt-in-your-mouth and flavorful and the perfect addition and in general, I’m of the belief that a crumb topping is always a welcome addition to cakes, so I may be biased, but semantics.
Also. This banana chai crumb cake is dairy-free. And is whisked together so quickly by hand. And is so welcome right now, it being September and almost fall and all.
Soft. Tender. Moist. Fluffy. Hefty. Sweet. Spicy. Comforting. Unique. Easy.
Chai banana crumb cake — thanks for helping me move my progress for banana cake tolerance along.
Chai Banana Crumb Cake
Yield: 12-15 servings
2/3 cup oil (canola. vegetable, melted coconut)
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs
1/3 cup orange juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 large ripe bananas, mashed
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Crumble:
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4-6 tablespoons oil (canola, vegetable, melted coconut)
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line or grease a 9x13” baking pan.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the first six ingredients, through mashed bananas, until mostly smooth.
3. Pour the dry ingredients over the wet and stir everything together until just combined.
4. In a small bowl, mix together the crumble ingredients until a wet, sandy mixture forms.
5. Pour batter evenly into prepared baking pan. Sprinkle crumble over gently. Bake banana cake for 40-55 minutes, until cake springs back when touched and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Store cake in fridge for longer-lasting freshness.
