Banana, Carob, Peanut Butter Upside Down Cake
From All-Creatures.org Vegan - Vegetarian Recipe Book: How Mary and Frank and Friends Eat

"We are dedicated to cruelty-free living through a vegetarian - vegan lifestyle. Let no animal suffer or die that we may live!"

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups Spelt or Whole Wheat Flour
1/2 cup Oat Flour (ground rolled oats)
2 tsp. Baking Powder
6-7 Bananas, medium to large, ripe
1/2 cup Carob Powder
1/4 cup Peanut Butter
6 Dates, pitted
1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1/4 tsp. Cinnamon, ground

(To enlarge the photo of the Banana, Carob, Peanut Butter Upside Down Cake, click on the photo or link)

Preparation

Banana carob peanut butter upside down cake is an easy to prepare vegan recipe that is great for breakfast, desserts, and for snacks. It will make 8 servings, and leftovers can be stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for a few days.

We baked this banana carob peanut butter upside down cake in our microwave oven in about 10 minutes, but it can also be baked in a conventional oven, preheated to 350 degrees F., in 20-30 minutes.

If you grind your own flour, as we do, you can grind the spelt or wheat berries together with the rolled oats.  If not, the rolled oats can be ground in the blender with the bananas.

In the bottom of a 2 quart glass baking dish, place a layer of sliced bananas (1-2 bananas).

Place the flour, carob powder, cinnamon, and baking powder in a mixing bowl, and mix thoroughly.

In the container of a high speed blender, place the remaining peeled bananas, peanut butter, dates, and vanilla (and rolled oats if they were not ground with the grain), cover, and run the blender at high speed until the ingredients are creamy smooth.

Add the blended banana mixture to the flour mixture in the mixing bowl, and mix thoroughly and rapidly.  The dough should be slightly on the stiff side (you should be able to stand a tablespoon up in the dough, but it will slowly fall over).  Add a little water as necessary to adjust the thickness, and mix again.

Spoon the dough into the baking dish on top of the bananas, being careful not to move the banana slices.  We usually start on the outer edge of the bananas and work to the center.  Once the banana slices are covered, add the remaining dough.  Smooth on top, cover the baking dish, place in the oven, and bake until the cake has a springy-spongy texture to the touch. (To enlarge the photo of the banana carob peanut butter upside down cake, click on the photo or link)

Remove the cake from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for about 15 minutes with the cover on. 

Uncover the baking dish.  Using a flat table knife, gently slide the knife around the edge of the cake to make sure that it is separated from the baking dish.

Place the cake plate upside down over the top of the baking dish.  Firmly hold the plate and baking dish together, and carefully invert the baking dish over the plate and set on the counter.  The cake should fall onto the plate.  If it does not, slide the cake plate over to the edge of the counter and lift the outer edge of the baking dish up a couple of inches; then slide the table knife in between the cake and the dish and gently nudge the cake until it falls onto the plate.  (To enlarge the photo of the banana carob peanut butter upside down cake, click on the photo or link)

Slice, serve, and enjoy!

Ingredients Information

Baking Powder

Bananas

Carob Powder

Cinnamon, ground

Dates, Deglet

Oats, Rolled

Peanut Butter

Spelt

Vanilla Extract

Wheat, Hard White

Utensils and Equipment Information

Bowls, Stainless Steel Mixing

Dish, Glass Baking

Knives

Measuring Cups, Dry

Measuring Cup, Liquid

Measuring Spoons

Spoon, Large Mixing

Vita-Mix

The above recipe is in keeping with God's creation intent (Genesis 1:29-31): 'Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food. And to all the beasts of the earth and all the birds of the air and all the creatures that move on the ground-- everything that has the breath of life in it-- I give every green plant for food." And it was so. God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.' (NIV) Let no animal suffer or die that we may live!