Banana cake with banana caramel creme and roasted pecans is worth the extra effort. You can make the cake with all of the toppings listed below, or you can use any of the frostings in the book to create your own favorite combinations. 

Ingredients

BANANA CARAMEL CREME

½ large ripe banana, chopped

¾ cup brown sugar

¾ cup vanilla soy creamer,

or ¾ plain soy creamer

plus 2 tablespoons sugar and

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons vegan butter

substitute, at room temperature

¾ cup silken tofu, well drained

ROASTED PECANS

2 cups raw pecans

¼ cup vegan butter substitute,

melted

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon granulated

sugar

Method

To make the creme, combine the banana, brown sugar, soy creamer, and vegan butter substitute in a food processor or blender and process until completely smooth.

Pour into a saucepan and cook on medium heat, whisking often, until the mixture boils and the sugar is dissolved. Once the mixture reaches 200 degrees For begins to boil vigorously, cook without stirring for 8 minutes. Pour into a bowl and cool, stirring occasionally.

Process the tofu in a blender or food processor until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Stir into the cooled mixture and refrigerate for 4 to 12 hours.

To make the pecans, preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place the pecans and vegan butter substitute in a bowl and stir until the pecans are evenly coated.

Arrange the pecans on a baking sheet and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon of the salt. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Sprinkle with the remaining ½ teaspoon of salt and all of the sugar.

Cool completely. (The pecans may be roasted up to 2 days in advance, cooled, and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.)

Tips

Although the caramel creme topping must be prepared several hours in advance and the assembled cake needs to be refrigerated for an hour or two before serving, this recipe is worth the extra effort. You can make the cake with all of the toppings listed below, or you can use any of the frostings in the book to create your own favorite combinations.