It seems like everyone is making banana bread these days. It makes sense. It’s an easy thing to make and customize. It typically uses simple ingredients and most people have bananas on hand. Plus, it’s tasty and comforting. Oh so comforting.
I remember being really sick over a decade ago and banana muffins from a local bakery totally helping me get over it. The bakery doesn’t make those muffins any more, but they have always held a super special place in my heart, and therefore so have all banana bread related items. Is there anything better than waking up knowing a banana muffin or a slice of banana bread waits? I think not.
Unless maybe were talking about banana bread coffee cake.
I’ve made so much banana bread in my days I wanted to make something a little different. Something special. Because we live in times where little bits of special are all we have to hang onto until things get better.
This could totally be a great dessert with a scoop of ice cream. Or a snack. Or breakfast, scoop of ice cream still totally optional. Although it’s great without ice cream too because it packs a punch of flavor and texture.
Let’s talk flavors. Banana, duh, with a bunch of cinnamon, crunchy walnuts, and carob or dark chocolate. The cinnamon feels like a wildcard when paired with the carob/chocolate, but the flavor totally just jives with the banana and walnuts there to bring it all together. In terms of texture, it’s the super moist banana cake, the crunch of the toasted walnuts, and that smooth snap of carob in the cooled cake or rich, melty decadence of it in the warm cake.
This has to be your next stress bake. I’m thinking about whipping up another batch myself.
PrintPaleo Banana Bread Coffee Cake
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 24 pieces 1x
Ingredients
Streusel
2 ½ cups carob or dark chocolate chips
½ cup coconut sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 cup toasted walnuts
Cake
3 cups paleo flour blend
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 cup coconut sugar
1 cup olive oil
2 large eggs
6 large bananas, mashed
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Oil a 9 by 13 inch pan.
Make the streusel. In a medium bowl, stir together the chips, coconut sugar, walnuts, and cinnamon. Set aside.
Make the cake. In a large bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, sugar, oil, eggs, and mashed bananas until a batter forms.
Spread half the batter in the prepared pan. Sprinkle with 2/3 of the streusel mixture. Top with the remainder of the batter, then the remainder of the streusel. Press the streusel gently into the batter. Bake 45-60 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Serve warm or cool completely in the pan.
Cake may be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days or frozen, wrapped in parchment and foil and placed in a zipper bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature about an hour or in the microwave about 1 minute.
Notes
Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
Debbie Eccard says
I have some bananas in the freezer right now so I may just have to make this. I don’t have all the ingredients so I may have to deviate a bit but I know it will still be delicious!!
★★★★★
Laura says
That’s what baking is all about to me … taking what you have on hand to make a recipe your own. Hope you love it as much as I did 🙂
Debbie Eccard says
Just a side note: I love how easy you have made it to print your recipes!!!