Moist Banana Coconut Lime Cake

I know it's been awhile since my last post.  I've been spending my free time just cleaning up my apt, organizing, and thinking.     I got some good books from the library, so I've been reading and taking a well needed computer break.  The weather cooled down a bit last night so it was a perfect opportunity to bake!  

I love coconut and I 'm currently on a coconut kick.  This recipe uses coconut in four forms, but it not over powering.  The crumb is wonderful, the inside is moist and flavor is so yummy.  Coconut with lime is a wonderful pair.  The banana flavor is light and just adds extra sweetness and moisture.  One of the books I've been reading is The Coconut Oil Miracle (Previously published as The Healing Miracle of Coconut Oil).  I now only use coconut oil to cook with.   That  still doesn't mean I make fried foods with it everyday.  Like my pastor once said  "Anything taken to the extreme is error".  I use it just like I would use any other oil sparingly.   I still love my olive and walnut oil I just will not heat them it up.  The book is a good read, go check it out but first try this recipe.   You will be in love with coconut too!

Banana Coconut Lime Cake

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup extra virgin coconut oil
• 1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 raw cane sugar
• 1/2 palm sugar
• 2/3 cup shredded coconut
• 2 eggs
• 1 ripe banana
• 1/2 coconut cream
• 1/4 cup warm water 
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp lime oil

How to make:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and flour baking pan.
2. Mix palm / cane sugars and shredded coconut in a large bowl.  Sift in flour and baking powder to sugar and coconut mixture.
3. In a separated bowl beat eggs, oil, banana, coconut cream, water, vanilla, and apple cider vinegar.
4. Stir into dry ingredients, mixing until combined add more warm water if needed.   (batter should thick but loose).  Add lime oil.
5. Pour batter into prepared pan.
6. Bake in the oven for about 1 hour or until golden brown.

Eat for breakfast or instead of a biscuit or cornbread for dinner.  yum!

Sweet Potato Turnovers

The smell of roasted sweet potatoes in the oven always puts a huge smile on my face growing up.  This  sweet potato turnover is something I came up with in honor of Black History Month.  My goal was to create a bite size healthier version and of the classic southern American sweet potato pie.  These mini pies will be easy for me to take to work for lunch.

  First I roasted a bunch of sweet potatoes in the oven till it was very soft and well cooked.  I then let them cool while I made the pastry dough.    I used whole wheat pastry flour, butter, sea salt and cold water.    For the filling I used mashed sweet potatoes cinnamon, nutmeg, sea salt and ground dates (for texture and added sweetness).  

I bake them till it was golden brown.  Taste great hot or cold.  I keep them in an air tight container in the frig.