Healthy Banana Crumb Coffee Cake

Perfectly sweetened, irresistible crumb topping, and baked to perfection. What more could you ask for in a healthy banana crumb cake that is just begging to be eaten with your morning coffee?

I swear bananas are different these days. Lately, when I go to the store they only have green unripe bananas. So I usually decide to buy a crap ton hoping that maybe they will all become ripe at different times. But bananas lately have a different plan. All those bananas like to become ripe at the same freaking time.

The heck bananas?!

I bought 9 billion of you to eat slowly, not to eat all of you at once. But you give me no choice now other than to bake you, or be sent to the freezer to spend your life there until I am ready for you.

I love making things with bananas, so I really should'nt be complaining. Just stating a fact really.

Fact. Bananas be crazy these days, and like to go bad quicker.

So what have I been making when my 979343 bananas become way too ripe to eat? This amazing healthy banana crumb coffee cake of course.

This gluten free banana cake is made without refined sugars, and comes out so perfect with the right density that it slices amazing. But it is still moist with a great crumb.

I love to eat this anytime. I also love serving this for breakfast to my two older kids. That way they stay away from refined sugars and carbohydrates at the start of their day.

When are bananas best to bake with?

If you are new to baking with bananas you may be wondering when they are "ready" to be used for baking. This probably has a lot to do with personal preference. But as a general rule of thumb I like to bake with bananas that are yellow with medium to heavy amount of brown spots. These are overripe bananas.

That's not to say I haven't successfully baked with bananas that are almost black on the outside. But the flavor is typically better if you eat them before they turn that dark.

On the contrary I have also baked with a ripe banana. But it still isn't the same as baking with a overripe banana.

You want your bananas to be overripe so that you get the sweetness in your baked goods. They will also be easier to work with if not hard.

Why is this banana crumb coffee cake healthy?

Every one has their own version of healthy. My version may not match yours. If it doesn't, no hard feelings here. But if you are looking to improve your health and eat foods that taste amazing and don't make you feel like crap, this gluten free, grain free banana crumb cake is perfect for that.

Using flours such as coconut flour and almond flour offer you health benenfits that you will not get with traditional wheat flours, or even a gluten free flour baking mix.

Both flours are high in good for you fats and low in carbohydrates. Your body will process this differently than a carbohydrate that has been refined. Your blood sugar will respond differently therefore, so will how you feel after you eat it.

There are no refined sugars in this banana coffee cake. This means that you are eating a sugar that still retains healthy benefits. It will also effect your blood sugar differently than white table sugar.

Real maple syrup is full of macro nutrients such as manganese, zinc, calcium and potassium. This means you are lowering your risk of heart disease, building important cells, and boosting your immune system.

Real food is medicine friends. I know I say it all the time. But it literally blows my mind that you can eat something that tastes so yummy like maple syrup and heal the body at the same time.

Is this paleo?

Pretty darn close. The banana cake itself is paleo. The topping is made with butter. And that probably doesn't fall into everyone's paleo diet. I consider butter paleo af, but you may not. If you do not eat butter and are paleo, you can try substituting the butter in the crumb topping with coconut oil. Just make sure the coconut oils is hard, just like cold butter would be.

Ingredients

To make this banana crumb coffee cake you will need:

• over ripe bananas- dark yellow with medium to heavy amount of brown spots
• eggs
• almond flour
• coconut flour
• maple syrup
• olive oil
• baking soda, baking powder, salt
• vanilla
• cinnamon

Topping:

• butter
• coconut sugar
• almond flour
• cinnamon

Substitutions

I have successfully made this cake substituting the olive oil with melted coconut oil.

I have not tried other substitutions for this cake. If you do and it works out be sure to let me know in the comments!

Subbing out the flours would be difficult. Coconut flour adds a lot of structure and absorbs liquid differently than other flours.

How to make healthy banana crumb coffee cake

1. Start with making your crumb topping in a separate bowl. Place your coconut sugar, almond flour and cinnamon in a medium size bowl. Mix well. Cut butter into small pieces and then use a pastry cutter to work the butter into the flour mix. Work until you have a fine crumb. You could also use two butter knives and criss cross back and forth on the mix until you have fine crumbs.
2. Next, add your bananas, eggs, vanilla, oil and maple syrup to a blender or food processor. Blend until completely smooth. Pour this into a large bowl and add your almond flour, coconut flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt into the bowl. Mix until well combined.
3. Pour the mixture into a 9x9 or 10x6 pan that has been prepared with parchment paper or greased. I like to use parchment paper as it is the easiest to work with. To make it fit in your pan easier crumble it up into a tight ball then place a few drops of water on it. Crumble some more then unwrap and remove any excess water. The parchment paper will be more pliable to work with.
4. Spread it evenly in the baking dish. Then evenly sprinkle the crumb topping on the top of the cake.
5. Place in the oven at 350° F and bake for 35-40 minutes. A toothpick should come out clean when inserted in the center.
6. Let cool before serving. If you used parchment paper you can gently lift the cake out of the dish to let it cool. Once cool I place it back in the dish with out the parchment paper and slice.
7. This can be stored on at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the fridge for a little longer. I have done both.
8. This is extra delicious with some grass fed butter smothered on top 🙂

Don't forget to let me know what you think in the comments below! Also if you haven't started following me on Instagram yet I would love to connect with you! Follow me here!

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Looking for more banana recipes to use up the 9 billion bananas you have? I got you boo. Check em out here:

Banana Breakfast Cookies