BANANA CHIA CAKE with APPLE CRUMB TOPPING

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!

Growing up my Dad was my everything - after he and my Mother divorced he became my primary care-giver and I thought the sun shone right out of him! So obviously Father's Day took on a lot more meaning for me over the years than Mother's Day and now, even though my Dad lives interstate and I don't get to see him, he is very much top of mind when this day rolls around!

I am lucky enough to have a pretty great Father-In-Law too! Danny's Dad is a big bear of a man with a thick Dutch accent and a good heart - definitely a chap worth celebrating! And since he lives a mere 45 minute drive away I do get to see him on Father's Day and love nothing than using the visit as a reason to bake!

My sister-in-law put a kibosh on 'bad' foods for this years Father's Day gathering - I think she's on a new weight loss mission - so I put my original plans on hold and found a new recipe via Holy Cow Vegan in the hopes that it would pass my SIL's definition of healthy. After too many year's with skewed food habits I try to not subscribe too heavily to the whole good/bad food mantra - all plant-based things in moderation works much better for me!

This cake has it all... healthy ingredients, delicious flavours and the perfect spices to warm your tummy and make you glow from the inside out (perfect for you Northern Hemisphere folk hanging out in Autumn/Fall right now)! 

What You'll Need :

1¼ cup plain wholemeal flour
¼ cup chia seeds
1½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
¼ tsp salt
1 cup tinned apple slices (or applesauce)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 bananas (the riper, the better)
2tbs coconut oil (or vegetable oil of choice)
½ cup brown sugar

For the crumb topping:
1 small apple, diced tiny
¼ cup plain wholemeal flour 
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tbs coconut oil (or vegetable oil of choice)

Find the original recipe and method here at Holy Cow Vegan

I made two main changes to my cake - the first was in the batter. Rather than using applesauce I used tinned apple slices which I combined into a big bowl along with the sugar, coconut oil, banana and vanilla. I used a fork to mash it all together until there was no whole pieces of banana or apple slice and the coconut oil was well incorporated.

My second change was to the crumb topping. I added in some apple that I had diced up very small (don't peel it for a fibre boost!). I also added in some cinnamon and nutmeg to this mix as well - I really wanted to get those warming spices infused into all the delicious parts of the cake.

Oh My Word! The smell of this cake baking was torturously good! I tried to think of ways to sneak a piece before heading to my FIL's house without it being obvious that I have no self-control! To keep my SIL happy I slice the cake into 16 small pieces but feel free to make them whatever size you want - this cake is packed with healthy, plant-based ingredients so get your munch on without going to the trouble of beating yourself up about it!