This delicious Gluten-FreeBanana Slice features a moist cake packed full of aromatic banana flavour, studded with chocolate chips and topped with a rich, smooth, vanilla-flavoured cream cheese frosting. So simple to prepare, this is the perfect recipe for afternoon tea, an easy dessert or abake sale.
100g(3.5 oz) cream cheese - at room temperatureSee Note 5
½teaspoonvanilla extract
150g(1 cup) icing/powdered sugarSee Note 6
Instructions
For the Banana Slice:
Preheat your oven to 180 Degrees C (355F).Ensure that you have all your ingredients measured and ready to use.
Line a 27cm x 18cm (11″ x 7″) tin with non-stick baking paper.
Sift the flour, baking powder and baking soda together and set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or using hand-held electric beaters, combine the room temperature butter and caster sugar.On medium speed, beat for about 3 minutes until the mixture is a pale, creamy colour.Scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary to ensure the mixture is well amalgamated.
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, and scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally.
Add the mashed bananas and vanilla extract and combine. The mixture may appear to curdle at this point, but it will come together.
With the mixer on the lowest speed, add half the sifted flour mixture alternately with half the milk until only just combined. Do not overbeat.
Remove the bowl from the mixer, or scrape down the hand beaters. Add the chocolate chips and use a spatula to combine them with any remaining flour.
Turn the mixture into the prepared baking tin, smooth the top and place it into the preheated oven on the middle rack. Cook for 25 – 28 minutes or until a fine skewer inserted into the centre of the slice comes out clean.
Remove the slice from the oven and allow it to cool completely in the tin. This will prevent it from breaking up if you try to remove it while still warm. Once cool, carefully transfer the slice to a board or serving plate and then top with the frosting.
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
Place the softened cream cheese and vanilla in a small bowl and, using handheld electric beaters or a wooden spoon, mix together until smooth.Sift the icing sugar to remove any lumps. Add to the cream cheese and mix until it forms a smooth, creamy frosting.
Spread the frosting over the slice. Enjoy immediately or store the Banana Slice in an airtight container and keep it in a cool location. If serving the following day, store the cake well covered in the fridge. Cream cheese frosting should not be kept at room temperature for longer than two hours, and that includes the time to soften the cheese.
Notes
Bananas: to obtain the best flavour, use very ripe bananas, ideally at the stage when their skin is slightly blackened. The darker the skin of the banana, the sweeter, more intense the flavour.
Vanilla: for the best flavour, use good quality vanilla extracted from vanilla beans, not one synthetically flavoured.
Gluten-free flour: I have used a commercial all-purpose flour, made from a blend of naturally occurring gluten-free flours. However, you can substitute regular all-purpose flour if you don’t need the cake to be gluten-free. Our gluten-free flour blends contain either xanthan or guar gum to stabilise and provide structure to our recipes. Not all gluten-free flour blends are equal. It may take trial and error to find one which you like.
Tablespoon: we use a standard Australian tablespoon which is 20 ml (4 teaspoons).
Cream cheese: use cream cheese found in a block in supermarkets, not the spreadable kind.
Icing sugar: I have used pure icing sugar. If you use icing sugar mixture, be sure that it is gluten-free if required.