Vegan Vanilla Peanut Butter Swirl Banana Cake
A really super easy and deliciously versatile light and fluffy traybake! This is has been the biggest bake success with my teen for a long time. The recipe is reliable... and versatile and with plenty of options for flavours, textures and style to suit your family OR guests. The finishing touches are up to you.
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Small mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Sieve
- Wooden spoon
- Spatula
- Measuring spoons
- Weighing scales
- Parchment / greaseproof paper
- Cake tin
- Small saucepans for melting icing ingredients
Ingredients
For The Sponge Cake
- 225 g plain flour (replace a tbsp of flour with a tbsp of cocoa for a chocolate cake)
- 200 g unrefined castor sugar (may sub with white or golden castor sugar)
- 1 tsp baking soda (ensure you use bicarbonate of soda not baking powder)
- 1 pinch salt
- 240 ml unsweetened soy drink (sub with other non dairy milk style drinks)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 80 ml light vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp white wine or apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp peanut butter
Option Cake Ingredients (choose 1 or 2 options!)
- 1 banana - sliced
- 1 tbsp very strong coffee
- 2 tbsp chopped nuts
- 50 g chocolate chips
- 2 tsp spices - cinnamon and ginger
- 1 carrot - grated
For The Chocolate Icing
- 100 g dark chocolate broken into pieces
- 50 g dairy free butter style spread
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
For The Salted Peanut Butter Caramel Icing
- 2 tbsp peanut butter
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- 1 tsp sea salt
Instructions
Make The Sponge
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C - 160 for fan assisted)
- Grease and line with parchment - a 11 x 7 inch tray bake tin
- In a large bowl sift together the flour, baking soda and spices
- Stir in the sugar
- In another bowl mix together the soy drink, vanilla extract, oil, salt and vinegar. Leave the mixture to thicken slightly for a minute
- Then add the liquid to the dry ingredients. Whisk til combined and no flour remains at the bottom of the bowl
- Fold in your ingredient options if using
- Pour the mixture into the tin and evenly spread to the edges
- Add dollops of peanut butter and swirl in through the top.
- Bake for 30 minutes til firm and golden (colour varies depending on ingredients).
- The sponge is cooked when a knife inserted comes out clean
- Leave to cool in the tin for 5-10 mins before removing from the tin and cooling completely on a wire rack. Leave the lining paper intact
Icings
Chocolate
- In a small saucepan melt together the chocolate icing ingredients gently over a low heat
- Leave to cool for 5 minutes
Peanut Butter Caramel
- In a small saucepan melt together the peanut butter icing ingredients gently over a low heat
- Leave to cool for 5 minutes
Ice The Sponge
- Pour over and spread the chocolate icing
- Drizzle over the peanut butter icing and smudge to create a marble effect with a spoon
- Leave to cool and set in the fridge for 10 mins
- Slice into squares and serve!
