Finally I have gotten around to posting the recipe for my healthy hummingbird cake that has been asked for! It is paleo, gluten-free, sugar-free, dairy-free and pretty much SIBO-friendly.
As a part of some of my treatment, I had to go onto a SIBO protocol, which included a very restrictive diet with not only many foods being cut out, but also specific quantities of each food. As you progress onto the semi-restricted phase of the diet, certain fruits are introduced and so of course I wanted something to make the most of this.
The combination of coconut, chestnut and almond flours give the cake its characteristic and delicious texture, while also sticking within SIBO guidelines (so long as you don’t eat a quarter of the cake in one go, which is hard).
I only use fresh pineapple, preferably organic (as with all the ingredients), because the canned stuff, apart from basically always containing a sugar syrup of some sort, is never as good taste, texture and health-wise. I never add extra sweetener when a dessert already contains fruit, however if you like yours extra sweet I would suggest a pinch of natural stevia (the powder should be green), which is fructose-free, or a tiny amount of honey which is also SIBO friendly in small quantities and will give the hummingbird cake even more of that nectar sweetness it’s known for. Rice malt syrup although not SIBO or paleo friendly, is another good option because it is fructose free. However, with the pineapple and banana I find the cake’s sweetness perfect, and I don’t like to overdo the sugars, natural or not.
If you have a nut allergy, I’m sure it would work to just use extra chestnut flour instead of almond flour (it just won’t produce as much of that ideal texture), and omit the pecans. Don’t alter the amount of coconut flour though as it is highly absorbent and will tip the balance of the cake.
But without further ado, here is the recipe – happy baking! 🙂
Ingredients:
- 2/3 cup coconut flour
- 1/2 cup chestnut flour
- 1/4 cup almond flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp sea salt/ ground pink Himalayan rock salt
- 1 cup desiccated coconut
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 3 large (about 2 cups) ripe bananas, mashed
- 1 cup finely chopped fresh pineapple, with juice
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup coconut oil, melted (or oil of choice – if you can tolerate dairy I recommend a mix of coconut oil, ghee and butter)
- 1/4 tsp pure stevia powder or 2 tsp honey/to taste (optional – I don’t find the need for any extra sweetener)
- 4 large eggs, lightly beaten
- A splash (approx 3-4 tbsp) coconut milk
- Coconut flakes for topping
Method:
- Preheat oven to 190ºC / 170ºC fan forced and grease/line a cake tin (I use a 20cm round tin).
- In a large bowl, sift together flours, baking soda, spices, and salt. If using stevia, add it now. Stir through the desiccated coconut and pecans and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, combine mashed bananas, pineapple, vanilla and melted oil (make sure the oil is adequately cooled before adding so it doesn’t cook the eggs when added). If using the honey, add it now and stir well. Slowly add the beaten eggs while stirring and mix well until thoroughly incorporated.
- Make a well in the dry mixture and gradually stir in wet mixture until well combined. Add a splash of coconut milk until the desired consistency is reached and the dry ingredients are completely incorporated.
- Pour and spread into the cake pan and bake for 45-55 minutes or until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tin for a few minutes before turning onto a cooling rack and allow to cool before serving (if you can!).
- Top with coconut flakes, and/or a coconut cream icing (see below), or a cream cheese frosting if you can tolerate dairy. Otherwise it’s great served with yogurt, (coconut or normal full-fat). The cake will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.
For the coconut icing: Without shaking, leave a can of coconut cream in the fridge overnight to allow the cream to separate from the water. Just before serving, scoop out the cream from the top of the can into a bowl, leaving the liquid in the bottom of the can (you can use this in smoothies or as an addition to deserts like chia pudding). Beat the coconut cream in the bowl with an electric mixer until thick enough to spread. If desired, you can add cinnamon and/or vanilla, and if you want it even sweeter you could add a pinch of stevia or a drizzle of honey.
If you wanted a layer cake, you could divide the mixture between two separate cake tins, baking for slightly less time each. Dollop and spread whichever icing you choose in between and around the layers and decorate with coconut and even pineapple flowers 🙂
Enjoy! xx
Containing necessary nutrients and protein, it goes towards a great meal!
Chezichi Health 