Plantain Honey Bundt Cake
Prep Time: 20 min. Cook Time: 30 min.
Total Time: 50 min.
Serves: 10-12
Macronutrients: 3.6g protein · 34.1g carb · 13.7g fat*
*1 piece out of 12 pieces, including the chocolate chips
For a visual, see my instagram video here!
About the Dish:
This bundt cake resembles a naturally sweetened version of traditional banana bread. I personally LOVE plantains and I digest them very easily. They are a great addition to a recipe when you want a naturally sweetened baked good while also adding some density.
Plantains are also VERY inexpensive!
I used to make bundt cakes with my memere growing up whenever I would sleep over her house. Granted they were chocolate box cake mix with store bought chocolate frosting, but that doesn’t change my love for the bundt cakes or the time we spent together making them!
I just love how beautiful they look and the precise pieces you can cut. It is ALWAYS satisfying when you get the whole cake out of the pan with every piece in tact!
About Plantains:
Plantains are a member of the banana family. They are a staple in Central & South American, Caribbean, African, and Southeast Asian cuisines. They are technically a fruit but they are treated as a vegetable in terms of, you need cook them as if they are a vegetable because they are very starchy!
Plantains are best used in baking when they are ripe, this is when they are mostly black. They resemble a very overripe banana. If you buy them at the grocery store and they are green, just let them sit out on your counter for 4-5 days and they will darken, becoming ripe and ready to use. Most grocery stores will have some ripe ones as well that won’t take long, if any time at all, to be recipe ready.
Green plantains are great for frying and boiling, but not for this cake!
Why Plantain & Coconut Flour?
Plantain flour is made from simply dehydrating plantains and blending them into a fine powder. They contain antioxidants, nutrients such as magnesium, iron, potassium, Vit A,K,C, & B6, and are overall a low inflammatory flour for most people.
Regular white flour made from highly processed wheat is very inflammatory and contains gluten, which most people do not tolerate well. The high starch content of refined grains and lack of fiber due to the removal of the bran and germ produces a rapid increase in blood sugar when consumed. The chemicals and pesticides used to produce mass quantities of the white flour we see on grocery store shelves is also very concerning and has been linked to cause many different cancers.
I also like using coconut flour, which is made from dehydrating coconut meat and blending. It has a higher protein, fat, and fiber content than white flour and is also gluten free.
I am not trying to say that flours are NECESSARY in an optimal diet. They are by no means necessary and they serve as a TREAT. Whole foods are much healthier and any flour should be consumed in moderation. As you know, I love treats and these are the two flours I feel most comfortable using!
The chocolate I use is only sweetened with dates or honey!
HU chocolate used to be my go-to but these chocolate chips are very hard to find now and they have also tested high in lead (like most chocolate).
Down below is my new go-to! They are only sweetened with honey and this brand specifically tests for heavy metals. I use the sea salt one and chop it into small pieces for my recipes that call for chocolate.
Follow any of the links to view a list of all of the foods or kitchen items that I recommend. It will provide an Amazon link to purchase if you wish.
As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases.Equipment:
Rubber Spatula
Small Pot for melting butter
2 Mixing bowls (1 large & 1 medium)
Ingredients:
1.5 C overripe plantains (approx. 2 large)
2 eggs
3/4 C raw honey
1 stick (8 Tbsp.) salted butter
1/4 C raw milk or 1/2 C plain greek yogurt
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract (optional)
3/4 C plantain flour
1/2 C coconut flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ceylon cinnamon (optional)
chocolate (optional) see above for brands I recommend
Steps:
Pre-heat oven to 350°F
In your large mixing bowl, mash your 2 plantains with a fork. If you need to see how to cut and peel plantains, please see pictures above or this instagram video
Melt your butter in a small saucepan or microwave.
Add eggs, honey, melted butter, milk (or yogurt), and vanilla to the mashed plantains and whisk or use hand mixer until very thoroughly combined (minimal lumps).
In your medium bowl, combine all dry ingredients: plantain flour, coconut flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Whisk until well combined. You don’t need to over whisk, plantain flour is very messy and will float into the air easily.
Slowly, while mixing, add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Whisk or use hand mixer until thoroughly combined (no lumps, a few small pieces of plantain is okay.
Add optional chocolate chips or anything else you desire at this time. I don’t eat nuts but a walnut or pecan would go great with this bread!
Generously butter your bundt pan and apply a very thin dusting of coconut flour over the butter, this will help the bread not stick while cooking. Do the same if you’re using a 9x9 glass pan or anything else, however this step is VERY important if using a bundt pan.
Add the batter to your buttered and floured pan.
Place on the middle rack in your pre-heated oven and bake for 30 minutes if using bundt pan and 35-40 minutes if you’re using the 9x9 glass pan. Or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center and the cake is golden brown
After removing the cake from the oven:
If using bundt pan: after 5 minutes of cooling, use a butter knife to loosen all the edges as it cools to ensure easy removal. Let cool for another 5 minutes. Get a plate and place over the bundt cake, then flip the pan onto the plate and your cake should have removed successfully and be on the plate, design/peak side up! See my instagram video for a visual.
If using 9x9 pan: I would cut your desired pieces and remove individually with a spatula. Or eat as you go out of the container, covered to keep fresh
For a visual, see my instagram video here!
This bread can easily sit out at room temperature for a few days if properly covered/sealed. After a few days I would store it in the fridge although It may be a tad dry after refrigerating. I recommend pouring some raw milk over the top or warming a piece in the oven at 200°F and adding some butter…mmm.
Changes/Substitutions
This recipe is very easy to work with whatever you might having rotting around on the counter, whether it be a banana OR a plantain.
I have made this recipes with 2 plantains and 1 banana because the plantains weren’t quite big enough. You could also use 2 large bananas and NO plantains. It will still have the earthy plantain taste from the flour. With that being said you could easily replace the plantain flour with green banana flour!
You can make this bread however sweet you prefer. I have used anywhere from ½-1 C of honey. I just prefer my desserts sweeter, especially with the earthiness of plantain flour and if I am serving to family/friends who have a more commercial product type palate.
In my very first attempt at this recipe, I used nutmeg. I am not a nutmeg person but this would be a nice addition if you’re a fan!
Raw milk can be replaced with 1/2 C of greek yogurt! This is actually what I used to use in the beginning of creating this recipe but I dont have yogurt on hand as often, and I ALWAYS have raw milk. Either way is great and moist.
I don’t eat nuts due to following a more animal-based diet and I do not seem to digest them well. However, this recipe would taste great with walnuts or pecans.
If you try any other variations please let me know how they come out!
Sadie creates naturally sweetened and savory dishes with an animal-based way of eating in mind.
Meal prep is her specialty.
She likes to make traditional recipes that are inclusive to everyones palate and lifestyle, while showcasing natural alternatives.
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