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Banana Coconut Carrot Cake
Sweet mashed bananas and toasted coconut bring a tropical twist to this incredibly moist carrot cake. You won't need to cream any butter here, as sunflower oil keeps the crumb beautifully soft and tender. It's finished with a naturally sweet honey cream cheese frosting that pairs perfectly with the warm cinnamon spice. Top it off with crunchy coconut chips for a dessert that always hits the spot.
Ingredients
- 200g grated carrot
- 2 small or 1 large ripe banana, mashed
- 30g desiccated coconut
- 3 eggs
- 250ml sunflower oil
- 250g golden caster sugar
- 1–2 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or extract
- 325g plain flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 350g full-fat cream cheese
- 2–3 rounded tablespoons runny honey
- 50g coconut chips, lightly toasted
- 2 x 20cm round cake tins
Instructions
- 1Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan or gas mark 4) and arrange a rack near the middle. Grease two 20cm round cake tins and line the bottoms with buttered baking parchment.
- 2Place the grated carrot, mashed banana, and desiccated coconut into a mixing bowl and stir them together.
- 3Whisk the eggs, sunflower oil, golden caster sugar, milk, and vanilla in a separate bowl until the liquid is completely smooth. Fold the carrot and banana mixture into the wet ingredients.
- 4Sift the plain flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and ground cinnamon directly into the wet batter. Stir the mixture with a large spoon or rubber spatula just until no dry streaks remain. Overmixing will make the cake tough.
- 5Pour the batter evenly into the two prepared cake tins. Smooth the tops into an even layer using a spatula or the back of a spoon.
- 6Bake the cakes for roughly 30 minutes. Test for doneness by inserting a skewer into the center to see if it comes out clean. Let the cakes rest in their tins for 10 minutes before turning them out onto a wire cooling rack.
- 7Flip the cakes right side up and allow them to cool entirely.
- 8Beat the full-fat cream cheese with the runny honey until smooth. Spread the frosting over the cooled cakes and scatter the lightly toasted coconut chips on top.
Notes
- Storage: Keep the frosted cake in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Bring it to room temperature before eating.
- Make ahead: You can bake the cake layers a day in advance. Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and store them at room temperature until you're ready to frost.
- Tip: Make sure your bananas are very ripe and spotty for the best natural sweetness and moisture.