Banana Date Cake with Crunchy-Caramelized Maple Coconut Topping

A cake from my teen years has now grown up.

Bonjour my dear,

If you follow me on IG, you've probably seen that I've been in Brazil for almost a month—drinking fresh coconut water by the beach, nibbling on honey-roasted cashew nuts under the shade of fragrant cashew trees, and, on the not-so-whimsical side, dealing with minor health issues.

It's nothing serious, I promise—just a bad knees situation that has been keeping me way too much at home, but way too tired/unmotivated to do much but catch up on my reading. I have, however, been gradually stepping out of my recovery shell to work on some recipes I've developed back in California. Mostly because I believe they are so good and worth sharing before they end up in the sad sad folder of 'recipes-I've-written-that-never-really-end up-anywhere.

This cake, in particular, is too good to wind up there.

The recipe is inspired by a cake I frequently enjoyed during my teen years, lovingly baked by Rosana, a delightful woman who served as the exceptional cleaning lady at my first boyfriend's home. Without fail, she would bake this cake every Friday. Without fail, I made a point to stop by every Saturday.

My boyfriend's sister, who happened to be my closest friend, was the perfect companion for cake. We always had the best time together, laughing so much and indulging in cake without any concern about saving some for others, occasionally even inviting friends to those impromptu cake parties. It didn't bother us if my boyfriend didn’t join in. In fact, we almost preferred it that way, but please don't ever tell him I told you this.

There was no reason for me to want those days to end, but I knew my dear friend was about to move out of town for college, and I would be left cakeless and heartbroken. So I figured I needed the recipe to make it on my own whenever nostalgia hit.

After years of begging for the recipe, since Rosana refused to share it, afraid we would start baking the cake and she would lose her throne, she finally, one day, secretly wrote it on half a worn-down page of a notebook and gifted it to me.

Rosana also whispered some details of her baking process, which was simple yet precise. She noted that I should wait until the next day to eat the cake, as she always found it to get better with time. Interestingly enough, this turned out to be the opposite of what happened to my romantic relationship—my boyfriend and I broke up a few days later. You know, kids! Nevertheless, I kept my affection for his adorable family (and his sister, my beloved friend) and held onto Rosana's magic recipe.

Since then, I've baked the cake many times, tweaking here and there, changing the oil flavor, for example, or adding maple syrup—not a common ingredient in Brazilian baking. Now, with a touch less sweetness, a heightened sophistication, and an air of maturity, it's as though this cake has evolved and is capable of making smarter decisions.

More drastically, I even swapped the chopped quince paste from the original recipe (which is delicious and perfectly fine) for heavenly California dates, which are simply irresistible to me: my favorites are from Rancho Meladuco.

Have you ever seen prettier dates? @rancho_meladuco_date_farm

I hope Rosana doesn't ever read this, but I am of the school of thought that this cake should be served warm, much like any good relationship. I even indulge in pouring an extra drizzle of maple syrup over the warm cake, letting the aromas meld together—rich butterscotch, brown butter, and nutty scents. It's wonderfully decadent!

Unlike the boyfriend, this recipe is a keeper.

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For the cake:

• 2 cups (340gr) soft pitted Medjool dates

• 2 eggs

• 1 cup (220 gr) dark brown sugar

• ½ cup (120 ml) coconut oil + 1 tbsp for the pan

• 1 cup (112gr) almond flour

• 1 cup (120gr) all-purpose flour

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 5 very ripe large bananas, chopped (not smashed) - choose bananas with vibrant yellow skin adorned with brown spots or patches, ideally the ones that have been hanging around for a week or so. When gently pressed, they should give, indicating their softness and sweetness, making them perfect for baking.

For the topping:

• 1 cup (85) shredded dry (unsweetened ideally) coconut flakes

• ½ cup (120ml) maple syrup

• Maldon salt, to sprinkle over

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and position a rack in the center. Brush 1 tablespoon of coconut oil onto a 9-inch round baking pan and then lightly flour it.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour and baking powder. Set aside.

3. Roughly chop the dates.

4. In a large mixing bowl, use a hand whisk to beat the eggs and brown sugar together until well combined and the mixture begins to pale. Add the coconut oil and mix, then incorporate the almond flour and chopped dates until smooth. Some of the softer parts of the dates will melt and blend into the batter.

5. Add the sifted flour and baking powder mixture, whisking just until combined.

6. Switch to a rubber or silicone spatula and gently fold in the chopped bananas until evenly distributed throughout the batter. Be careful not to overmix; you want to see distinct pieces of banana.

7. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan, spreading it out evenly.

   Sprinkle the shredded coconut flakes over the cake batter, then evenly drizzle the maple syrup over the top. If you prefer, mix the shredded coconut flakes with the maple syrup in a small bowl until well coated, then spread the coconut mixture evenly over the cake batter—it works just as well.

8. Bake in the preheated oven for about 50 minutes, then check for doneness with a toothpick. The ripeness of the bananas and the moisture content of the dates will determine the baking time, so trust your instincts. Does it smell done? What does the topping look like? Is it starting to become crunchy? It may need longer than 50 minutes, so keep a close eye on it during the final minutes.

9. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 10-15 minutes, then run a butter knife or offset spatula around the edges. Place a wire cooling rack or a flat plate upside down on top of the cake pan. Using oven mitts or kitchen towels, securely hold both the pan and the rack/plate together and carefully flip them over in one swift motion. Gently tap the bottom of the cake pan to help release the cake. If needed, give the pan a gentle shake. Be patient and allow the cake a moment to settle and release itself from the pan.

10. Sprinkle with Maldon salt while still warm.

11. After slicing, drizzle with additional maple syrup and/or serve with crème fraîche. Oh, so good!

    Bon appétit!