This is a great cake with or without the rum butter glaze, which can also be used as a sauce aside the cake (or over ice cream) instead of on top of it.
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground ginger (or up to 1 tsp more, if a spicier cake is desired)
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup coconut sugar or firmly packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 4 very ripe large bananas, mashed
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil or 1/2 cup unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted and cooled
- 1 cup toasted or flavoured pecans, very coarsely chopped, or 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (optional)
- 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup dark rum
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter or coconut oil
- pinch salt
Instructions
Make the cake: Lightly grease and flour a 9- x 5-inch loaf pan; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, allspice and salt; set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using a handheld mixer), beat the coconut sugar and eggs for 5 minutes. Add the bananas and vanilla, mixing to combine well. Add the oil, mixing to combine well. Add the flour mixture and mix until just combined. Stir in the pecans (if using).
Transfer the batter evenly into the prepared pan and smooth out the top. Bake in a 325º F oven until the top of the cake is firm to the touch and deeply browned and a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean, about 65 to 75 minutes. Allow the cake to cool about 10 minutes before removing it from the pan.
Make and apply the glaze (optional): After removing the cake from the oven, combine the brown sugar, rum, butter and salt in a small saucepan. Heat on medium-low until the mixture comes to a simmer and the sugar is dissolved. Reduce the heat to low.
Transfer the cake to a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Using a toothpick, poke holes all over the top of the cake, to almost the full length of the toothpick. Slowly spoon half of the glaze evenly over the top of the cake. Wait 2 minutes and spoon the remaining glaze evenly over the top of the cake. The cake will be ready to eat once cooled, but will taste even better if wrapped overnight and served the next day.
