text: Banana Walnut Cake with Date Sweetened Chocolate Frosting | Amy Green | Gluten Free Recipes
  Are your recipes a work in progress? Mine are. I've been playing with this recipe for quite some time…adding this or that, taking something away, looking for just the right balance between flavor and texture. Without a doubt, this version is my favorite. I love the moistness of the cake and the crunchiness of the walnuts. The freshly ground nutmeg and the cinnamon balance each other and are so fragrant.
  Serves: Makes one (9 x 13-inch) cake or two (8-inch) round cakes
  Prepare the baking pan of your choice with unflavored cooking spray and line with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
  Cream agave and oil until light.
  Add banana and beat until mixed well. Add eggs, vanilla, orange juice, and zest. Mix until combined.
  Sift gluten-free flour blend, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, and baking powder. Mix into batter on a medium-low speed until smooth. Do not over mix.
  Stir in crushed pineapple and walnuts.
  If using (2) 8" round pans, divide batter evenly by using measuring cups.
  Yields Makes enough to frost one (8-inch) round cake
  Put date sugar in a medium sized glass bowl. Bring water to a boil and pour over date sugar. Stir until mixed and let sit for an hour. It's okay to let it sit longer – this softens the date sugar.
  Remove from heat and put into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Process for several minutes, until mixture is smooth. Store in refrigerator overnight before using. Mix with a hand mixer on high speed before using.
  http://amygreen.me/banana-walnut-cake-with-date-sweetened-chocolate-frosting/
  Thanks, Ann. Yes - I would serve this at a dinner. It's good. My hubby likes his with ice cream (of course...).
  Food on Friday is really brimming this week...lots of great posts! If you haven't been to Ann's site you should - she hosts a blog carnival for all things food.
  Thanks for visiting my site, Amy! This cake looks lovely. I've been on a banana and walnut kick lately I'll have to try it. Beautiful!
  Angie - Absolutely! You have such great info on your blog. :)
  Happy GF Baking! -Ali :)
  Zmama - Best wishes on your new journey. Thanks for stopping by.
  Ali - I got my date sugar from NOW Foods. I just pulled the package out of the pantry and the only ingredient is date sugar from dried dates. Nothing else. I shot the manufacturer an e-mail just to double-check so when I get that info I'll post it.
  I've made the frosting from real dried dates after hydrating them in hot water and it's delicious too.
  Dates are certainly great with chocolate. I noticed that you're a newlywed too - Joe and I have been married almost 9 months. It's flown by...he is such a good man. :)
  Wow, so very informative too. I'm always looking for natural ways to cut sugar (that my kids don't notice), but it usually messes up the texture. Right now I'm messing around with my whole wheat bread recipe...at least I will be when this heat lets up. I may have to sacrifice a cool house just to try this cake though, because you know, "Life is so much better with good cake". :)
  Esther - Thanks for stopping by! I hope you can come up with some yummy lower sugar foods your kids love...they're a tough audience sometimes. Sneaking in healthy food is a great mom trick. We don't have kids but I do it to my husband all the time. Tonight he actually ate and enjoyed watercress. I'm still shocked.
  Amy - I emailed NOW foods a few years ago about the gf issue and I don't remember exactly what they said but I know I couldn't use it. They may have changed their manufacuring processes by now, you never know. I am glad you emailed them and look forward to their response. Date sugar is just such a great thing and your frosting looks amazing!
  That looks delicious. When I see your recipes I am inspired to seek out more natural sweeteners. Keep posting... I'll get there eventually!
  Ali - thanks! :) When you can't eat white sugar, date sugar can fill in some gaps.
  Amy - good to hear from you. That's funny because when I read your blog I'm inspired to stop right where I am and count all of my blessings. That's always a good thing.
  Linda - Thanks for stopping by! I like knowing that I can improve on something I've already created...constantly making the food just a little better. :)
  Dana - You're welcome. I love using dates, too - actually any dried fruit not coated in sugar really adds lots of flavor.
  Sophie - I'm going to have to check out your pudding. It sounds great. I'm trying to make some sugar-free frostings and I think I can start with a pudding base. Thanks for stopping by!
  Shirley - you're welcome. :)
  Hi Jessica! You are a gem!!! I sent the info you gave me to my trusted friend & blog designer - Joy @ fivejs.com and she got right on it. I think all is fixed. Again, thank you so much. :) If you ever need anything let me know.
  I love this kind of cake, and it's dairy free too! Thanks for adding it to the cake challenge.
  Perfect! I needed a healthy chocolate frosting recipe. I'm making a birthday cake tomorrow. This was just in the nick of time :)
  @Jan, So sorry you had a flop I'm not sure what happened with your frosting. It's fabulous. Yes, it has a different texture because date sugar doesn't fully dissolve but it's not at all unpleasant. I used instant coffee granules. Are you sure you used a flavorless oil, like canola, and it wasn't rancid? That would give it a funky taste for sure. Hugs, Amy
  am excited to have come across your recipe for a 'sugar-free' frosting recipe! Would like to know if this date sweetened chocolate frosting recipe can be doubled, with the extra portion frozen to be thawed and used at a later date? Hope to hear from you soon! Thanks.
  Hi Amy, I'd like to try this cake but have two questions first. Could I use flax eggs or egg replacer inplace of the eggs without ill-effects? And what frosting can I make to go with this without chocolate or coffee? Thanks so much! It looks delicious!
  @Tammie, I usually have great success with flax eggs but I haven't tried it so I can't say for sure it will work. This whipped cream cheese frosting would be so good with this cake: http://simplysugarandglutenfree.com/whipped-cream-cheese-frosting/
  I don't use canola oil and would substitute another light-flavored oil in it's place. Have you ever seen a canola plant? No, because there isn't one - canola oil comes from genetically modified rapeseed plants primarily grown in Canada - Canada+oil = canola. Rapeseed oil is toxic and I wouldn't use even a genetically-modified-to-be-"safe" version.
  @Mary Anna, My friend is an expert in the allergy friendly cooking world and said that canola oil is the only oil she's found without possible contamination from the other big 8 allergens. I've learned that not everything in life is so black and white.