Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Pinterest Twitter Instagram RSS Facebook
    Buy GO DAIRY FREE and EAT DAIRY FREE today!
    Go Dairy Free
    • Need to Know
      • Newbies Start Here!
      • Take the Challenge!
      • Dairy-Free FAQs
      • Latest News
      • Milk Allergies
      • Lactose Intolerance
      • Other Health Issues
      • Testimonials
      • Calcium Guide
      • Holidays & More
      • Best Books
      • The Community
    • Recipes
      • Recipes by Category
        • Alisa’s Recipes
        • Sarah’s Recipes
        • Appetizers
        • Beverages
        • Bread
        • Breakfast
        • Cheese Substitutes
        • Condiments & Dressings
        • Cream Substitutes
        • Desserts
        • Entrees
        • Kids Can Cook
        • Milk Substitutes
        • Pasta
        • Salad
        • Sandwiches
        • Sauces
        • Sides
        • Snacks
        • Soup
      • Full Dairy-Free Recipe Index
      • Gluten-Free Recipe Index
      • Vegan Recipe Index
    • Reviews
      • Dairy Substitutes
        • Butter
        • Cheese
        • Cream
        • Creamer
        • Dessert Toppings
        • Ice Cream
        • Ice Cream Novelties
        • Milk
        • Yogurt
        • More Kitchen Essentials
      • Sweets & Snacks
        • Protein Shakes
        • More Creamy Beverages
        • Snack & Protein Bars
        • More Snacks
        • Chocolate
        • Cookie Dough
        • Cookies & Brownies
        • Pies & Cakes
        • Pudding & Mousse
        • More Sweet Treats
      • Meal Makers
        • Baking Mixes
        • Bread Products
        • Breakfast Pastries
        • Cereal & Granola
        • Cheesy Pasta & Rice
        • Frozen Pizza
        • More Entrees
        • Dip and Spreads
        • Salad Dressing
        • Sauces
      • All Product Reviews
        • New Product Reviews!
        • Browse by Product Type
        • Full Review Index
        • Gluten-Free Review Index
        • Vegan Review Index
    • Grocery Guide
      • Alisa’s Dairy-Free Kitchen
      • Brands We Love
      • Dairy Substitutes
      • Dairy Ingredient List
      • Understanding Food Labels
      • No Dairy Product Lists
      • Ordering Specialty Foods
      • Best Grocery Stores
    • Eating Out
      • Fast Food Listings
      • Recommended Restaurants
    • My Books!
      • Go Dairy Free 2nd Edition (best seller!)
      • Eat Dairy Free 1st Edition (full color!)
      • eBooks & Printables
      • Book Supplements & Resources
    • About Us
      • Meet Us
      • Contact Us
      • Join Us
      • Work With Us
    Go Dairy Free
    You are at:Home»Dairy-Free Recipes»Dairy Free Desserts»Vegan Bananas Foster Cake with Caramel Frosting

    Vegan Bananas Foster Cake with Caramel Frosting

    18
    By Alisa Fleming on June 6, 2010 Dairy Free Desserts, Dairy-Free Recipes

    I frequently hear complaints from kids with summer birthdays. With school out of session, they feel forgotten, and many of their friends are on vacation when it’s time for their celebration. For those summer birthday woes, I have a solution. Dazzle the birthday boy or girl with this vegan bananas foster cake recipe, complete with caramel frosting. What better way to take their mind off of the shorter guest list than with a delicious mouthful of one of the best vegan cake recipes in history (in our humble opinion).

    Vegan Bananas Foster Cake Recipe

    Best of all, this entire recipe is egg-free, dairy-free, and nut-free … you can even make it soy-free if you choose! It was originally created for My Sweet Vegan: passionate about dessert, the popular full-color cookbook by Hannah Kaminsky. And now it’s in her second edition, Sweet Vegan Treats: 90 Recipes for Cookies, Brownies, Cakes, and Tarts. Hannah says this dessert is a real showstopper.

    Banana cake is often a disappointing, dry mess as many people think it’s perfectly all right to use any old banana bread recipe, slap some frosting on top, and call it a cake. Step it up a notch with a sweet treat that is actually meant to be a dessert, and you will understand what a huge difference it makes.

    Vegan Bananas Foster Cake Recipe

    Special Diet Notes: Bananas Foster Cake

    By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, egg-free, nut-free, peanut-free, optionally soy-free, vegan, and vegetarian.

    5.0 from 2 reviews
    Vegan Bananas Foster Cake
     
    Print
    Prep time
    20 mins
    Cook time
    30 mins
    Total time
    50 mins
     
    Banana cake is all too often a disappointment. Dry as a brick, austere as a bran muffin, many people think it’s perfectly alright to use any old banana bread recipe, slap some frosting on top, and call it dessert. Bananas can do so much better, given the freedom to embrace their sweeter side! Taking a page from the show stopping grand finale that is bananas foster, these tender layers are soaked in rum before assembly and topped with a subtly salted caramel frosting that pulls the whole dessert together. In the typical showy fashion of the original, the garnish could be made with the addition of some rum and set ablaze to let the alcohol cook off. Knowing my personal ineptitude with fire, though, I think it is safer to recommend a simple sauté. The end results are still extraordinary, even without the stove top conflagration.
    Author: Hannah Kaminsky
    Recipe type: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Serves: 10 to 12 servings
    Ingredients
    Banana Cake
    • 2½ cups all-purpose flour
    • 2 teaspoons baking powder
    • 2 teaspoons baking soda
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • ⅔ cup unsweetened dairy-free milk beverage
    • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
    • ½ cup dairy-free buttery spread or sticks
    • ¾ cup sugar
    • ½ cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
    • 5 ripe, medium-sized bananas
    • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
    • 6 tablespoons dark rum
    Salted Caramel Frosting
    • 1 cup dairy-free buttery sticks
    • 3½ cups confectioner's sugar
    • ⅓ cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1½ teaspoons water
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    Sautéed Bananas
    • 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar, firmly packed
    • 1 tablespoon dark rum
    • 1 firm, large banana, sliced into ¼-inch rounds
    Instructions
    1. Preheat your oven to 350ºF (175ºC) and lightly grease and flour two 8-inch round cake pans.
    2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and set aside. In a separate small bowl, combine the non-dairy milk and vinegar, also moving this to the side for now.
    3. In your stand mixer, cream together the butter and both sugars until light and fluffy. Mash the bananas well and mix them in, along with the vanilla. Add the flour mixture, alternating with the milk in two or three additions, into your mixer. Ensure that everything is fully combined before equally dividing the batter between your two prepared pans.
    4. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of each layer comes out clean. Remove from the oven, and while they are still warm, poke the cake tops numerous times with your testing toothpick. Pour 3 tablespoons of rum over each layer. Let the cake layers cool completely before turning them out of the pans to assemble.
    5. For the frosting, cream the butter well and incorporate the confectioner's sugar slowly. Microwave the brown sugar, salt, and water together for 30 to 60 seconds, just until the sugar dissolves and begins to bubble a bit. Let the brown sugar stand for a few minutes to cool off, then pour it into the butter mixture. With the mixer on high, beat the frosting vigorously until all the ingredients are fully incorporated, light, and fluffy. Stir in the vanilla and frost the cake as desired.
    6. For the final banana garnish, combine the brown sugar and rum in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Cook until the sugar dissolves. Add the banana slices and stir to coat all the pieces well. Sauté for about 2 minutes, until the sugar bubbles and darkens into a golden caramel, stirring gently every so often. Remove the bananas from the skillet and transfer them to a silicone baking mat. Separate each slice so that they do not stick together. Let them cool completely before applying them artistically to adorn the cake.
    Notes
    This recipe is originally from My Sweet Vegan, by Hannah Kaminsky, but is now in her second edition, Sweet Vegan Treats.
    3.5.3229

    Alisa Fleming
    • Website

    Alisa is the founder of GoDairyFree.org, Food Editor for Allergic Living magazine, and author of the best-selling dairy-free book, Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook for Milk Allergies, Lactose Intolerance, and Casein-Free Living, and the new cookbook, Eat Dairy Free: Your Essential Cookbook for Everyday Meals, Snacks, and Sweets. Alisa is also a professional recipe creator and product ambassador for the natural food industry.

    Related Posts

    Dairy-Free Cinnabon Recipe - Copycat for those famous Cinnamon Rolls! Also nut-free and soy-free

    Dairy-Free Cinnabon Copycat for Tender, Gooey Cinnamon Rolls

    Dairy-Free Oreo Cookies Guide and news on Gluten-Free Oreos

    Oreo Offers The Most Dairy-Free Cookie Flavors

    Dairy-Free Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe - creamy, cheesy, rich, and fulfilling. Optionally gluten-free, nut-free, and soy-free. Plant-based nd vegan-friendly.

    Dairy-Free Stuffed Mushrooms with Perfect Cheesy Creamy Flavor

    18 Comments

    1. Nicole on February 8, 2022 5:15 pm

      What a great recipe. Very easy to follow yet looks fancy!

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on February 9, 2022 10:24 am

        Glad you enjoyed it Nicole!

        Reply
    2. laurie c corwine frame on May 28, 2021 8:16 pm

      This cake is beyond fabulous! thank you for sharing the recipe. I needed to bake it in a 9×13 pan, it was a glass pan and I baked it 50 minutes. I don’t think I nailed the adjusted time as it was still overly moist in the middle. Any suggestions on 9X13 baking time for the next time?

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on May 29, 2021 11:28 am

        It definitely should have been done in that time. My guess is you might have had more banana – the measurements are always trickier when it’s by the banana vs by the mashed cup. But you can bake until it springs back lightly when touched, and the edge begins to pull away.

        Reply
    3. ashok on December 27, 2020 10:37 pm

      Guys, Thanks For sharing this Great Recipe. My Family Loved it. I am definitely sharing this recipe and this website with my friend. Hope they also love it. Thank you again for sharing such a great recipe.

      Reply
    4. E Schoenfelder on July 5, 2018 1:22 pm

      When you say vegan margarine, do I have to buy the sticks or can I use the Earth Balance that comes in the plastic box?

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on July 5, 2018 2:57 pm

        In general, the sticks are made for baking, so they will yield better results and a better taste (some of the buttery spreads have ingredients that don’t fare as well when baked). It is up to you if you want to try the buttery spread instead though!

        Reply
    5. Pietro on September 10, 2017 3:28 pm

      Hi! sorry why do you courdle the soy milk? Doese this make the texture of the cake better? Do you use just one of the two parts of the courdled soy milk or just the less liquid one? thanks a lot 😀

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on September 10, 2017 4:00 pm

        You are creating a faux buttermilk to help the cake rise and texture. But I’ve found that the curdling part isn’t necessary. You can see my notes here -> https://www.godairyfree.org/recipes/brown-soda-bread

        Reply
    6. Ida on November 5, 2016 1:33 am

      Should this be made same day as served or is it okay to make it day before? 🙂

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on November 7, 2016 8:40 am

        You should be able to make it the day ahead, but I would do the garnish on the same day.

        Reply
    7. Corinna on February 27, 2016 3:14 pm

      Can this be done with out the rum? If so, suggestions? and no, I don’t have rum extract either… Ihave Crown Whiskey?

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on February 27, 2016 4:37 pm

        I would either skip the poke “rum” drizzle or try the whiskey! It adds not just flavor but moisture to the cake.

        Reply
    8. Susan Shortill on February 6, 2016 3:42 pm

      This is easily the most amazing vegan recipe I have ever tasted. Is there a way to adapt it for cupcakes? I want to use it for my epic Oscar Party, this recipe is such a show stopper

      Reply
      • Alisa Fleming on February 6, 2016 6:43 pm

        So glad you like it Susan! I’m sure it would work quite well as cupcakes. Just fill the wells 2/3 to 3/4 full and I’m guessing they would take 18 to 24 minutes. I’ll ask Hannah to weigh in on this.

        Reply
      • Hannah on February 6, 2016 6:54 pm

        Great idea! Alisa’s suggestions are on the money, but they will probably take only 15 – 18 minutes to bake. Just keep an eye on them and check for doneness with the standard toothpick trick. Happy Baking!

        Reply
    9. Pingback: Asher’s Second Birthday! | Maternal Happiness

    10. Pingback: danny’s birthday (weekend) | pandasandlemons

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    Rate this recipe:  

    Go Dairy Free - The Guide and Cookbook for Milk Allergies, Lactose Intolerance and Casein-Free Living
    10 Everyday Tips to Strengthen Bones and Prevent Osteoporosis on a Dairy-Free Diet

    How to Strengthen Bones and Prevent Osteoporosis on a Dairy-Free Diet

    Dairy-Free Caramelized Onion Dip Recipe that's almost too Good to be True! Served with new Enjoy Life Lentil Chip flavors. All naturally vegan, gluten-free, top allergen-free, nutritious, and delicious.

    Caramelized Onion Dip for Your Favorite New Dairy-Free Chips

    Enjoy Life FoodsFames Chocolates. From Brooklyn with loveEat dairy free bookChocolate Emporium
    Go Dairy Free is the leading website for information on the dairy-free diet. We share dairy-free recipes, product reviews, news, recommendations and health guides to aide those with milk allergies, lactose intolerance or a general need or desire to live without dairy. Dairy-free does include milk-free, lactose-free, casein-free and whey-free, too! We also offer ample resources for gluten-free, soy-free, food allergy, vegan and paleo diets. Please note that ingredients, processes and products are subject to change by a manufacturer at any time. All foods and products should be considered at risk for cross-contamination with milk and other allergens. Always contact the manufacturer prior to consumption. Disclaimer - All Rights Reserved - Privacy Policy Go Dairy Free © 2005-2022 Fleming Marrs Inc.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.