Banana, Coconut, and Date Cake

The banana, coconut, and date cake is an exotic dessert that combines the tropical flavors of banana and coconut with the natural sweetness of dates. Here is a variant with an Italian twist that could enrich the recipe. In Italy, we love to add dried fruit, like hazelnuts or almonds, to add crunchiness and depth of flavor. Therefore, I suggest adding chopped hazelnuts to the basic recipe.

Ingredients

• 3 ripe bananas
• 1 cup of pitted and chopped dates
• 1 cup of coconut flour (or finely chopped dehydrated coconut)
• 1/2 cup of chopped hazelnuts (optional for an Italian touch)
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup of brown sugar
• 1/2 cup of coconut oil or melted butter
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon of baking powder
• A pinch of salt

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C and grease a cake pan with a little coconut oil or butter. You can also line it with parchment paper to facilitate the removal of the cake.
2. In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork until pureed.
3. Add the chopped dates, chopped hazelnuts (if you decide to use them), coconut flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well to incorporate all the ingredients.
4. In another bowl, beat the eggs with the brown sugar, coconut oil (or melted butter) and vanilla extract until smooth.
5. Combine the wet ingredients with the dry ones and mix until you have a uniform batter.
6. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and level the surface with a spatula.
7. Bake for about 30-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
8. Let the cake cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer it to a rack to cool completely.

This dessert is excellent served plain or accompanied by a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a contrast in temperatures and flavors.

Curiosity

Coconut is a much-loved ingredient in Italian pastry, often used in variations of classic desserts. Despite not being native, its use has become widespread thanks to its versatility and the exotic flavor it can bring to dishes.