Banana Cake with Avocado in a Slow Cooker (Crock Pot)

Banana Cake in a Slow Cooker

Like many folks, I'm trying to eat healthier.  This Banana Cake in a Slow Cooker has organic sugar and organic coconut sugar, whole wheat flour, yogurt and avocado in it.  Avocado in a cake?  Sure!  It's a very healthy fat source, loaded with monosaturated fats, (like coconuts are), also, according to Acocado Central

Avocados contribute nearly 20 vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients, including 4% of the recommended Daily Value (DV) for vitamin E, 4% vitamin C, 6% folate, 8% fiber, 2% iron, 4% potassium, with 81 micrograms of lutein and 19 micrograms of beta-carotene.

 Yay for avocados!  

I, also, got a new slow cooker for Christmas.  I've seen a lot of slow cooker recipes floating around and several were for desserts.  I thought I'd take a try at Banana Cake in a Crock Pot since I had several over-ripe bananas, and I used the avocado because I have quite a few of those, as well.

Banana Cake in a Slow Cooker

Spray a 7-quart slow cooker with olive oil cooking spray.  Put the lid on and pre-heat the crock for about 5 minutes while making other preparations.

In a mixing bowl with an electric mixer cream on medium-low speed:

3 ripe bananas (about 6" long bananas)
1 ripe avocado (about 1/2 cup -- or butter, coconut oil, etc.)

Add and continue mixing:

2/3 cup yogurt (either plain or vanilla)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Add, continuing to mix:

3/4 cup coconut sugar
3/4 cup organic sugar

Add while mixing:

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 1/2 cups unbleached flour
1 teaspoon sea salt (Real Salt or Himalayan)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

Mix on medium speed for two minutes, then pour the batter into the prepared slow cooker.  Place the lid on the cooker and bake the cake for approximately 1 1/2 hours, or until a knife inserted off center comes out clean.  Remove the stoneware and place it somewhere to cool for approximately 10 minutes with the lid off.  Carefully turn the cake out onto a plate, platter or rack, and allow it to cool completely before frosting it with Cream Cheese Frosting, (recipe follows), if desired.

Cream Cheese Frosting

Frosts one cake 

Beat in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy:

6 ounces cream cheese (room temperature)

1/2 cup butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Gradually add while continuing to mix until well combined:

1 1/2 to 2 cups powdered sugar (organic preferred)

Use to frost cake as desired.  Refrigerate covered any leftovers.

Sour Dough Coffee Cake

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Sour Dough Coffee Cake

Several months ago, a friend of mine, James, suggested I give sour dough a try.  It's taken me a while to get it going, but roughly a week ago, I started my sour dough starter.  I'm not going to post pictures and instructions because there are a lot of them out there that have done quite admirable jobs at it.  James gave me instructions, then I found a site that gave the same instructions with pictures.  This is the link to that site.  

I will say that a lot of sites offer to sell you sour dough starter, and while that may be all well and good; I wanted to make my own.  There's just something really satisfying about creating your own starter culture and then baking with it.

My sour dough starter was ready to use yesterday, but I didn't know what I wanted to do with it.  I've not been feeling well the last few days, so I didn't want to do anything very involved.  Another friend suggested I make a sour dough coffee cake.  That sounded good!  I found a recipe online, tweaked it, and here's my take on the Sour Dough Coffee Cake.  I hope you like it!

Sour Dough Coffee Cake

Pre-heat the oven to 350F.  Spray a 9" square baking pan with cooking oil spray and set it aside.

In a mixing bowl, combine 

1 cup sour dough starter

1/3 cup olive oil (or equal parts olive oil and coconut oil)

1 egg, beaten

In another bowl combine

1 cup unbleached flour (I use King Arthur because it isn't brominated)

1/2 cup sugar (organic preferred)

1/4 cup coconut sugar

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until they are combined.  Pour the batter into the prepared pan.  

In another bowl mix the topping until crumbly

1/4 cup coconut sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar (organic preferred)

1 tablespoon flour (as above)

2 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Sprinkle the topping over the cake batter.  Bake the cake at 350F for approximately 35 minutes or until a knife inserted off center comes out clean.  Allow the cake to cool for about 10 minutes before serving warm.  Delicious!