Do you ever get a craving that you just can’t shake? I’m not exaggerating when I say I’ve been craving banana cake since December. It came out of nowhere and just would. not. go. away. Of course every recipe for banana cake that I could find was incredibly rich and full of buttermilk, sour cream, and calories.

Of course every recipe for banana cake that I could find was incredibly rich and full of buttermilk, sour cream, and calories. Luckily, this cold weather that we’ve been having practically necessitates having cake in the oven, so I’ve been working on a lighter version of banana cake! These banana cupcakes are perfectly portioned and definitely hit the spot.

These banana cupcakes are definitely still a treat – they clock in at just under 300 calories a piece – but they’re a significant improvement over other banana cake recipes out there. To lighten them up (and make them dairy free!) I swapped the butter for coconut oil and the buttermilk for Silk cashew milk! Whipped egg whites add volume to the batter and keep it tender, so there’s no need for sour cream.

Then came the difficult decision of that to frost them with? I couldn’t decide between brown sugar buttercream, whipped mocha ganache, or peanut butter frosting. The crowd on facebook was just as indecisive as I was: the vote was just about tied between brown sugar and peanut butter. I ended up opting for a dairy-free version of the brown sugar buttercream that I originally used on my baked chocolate pumpkin donuts and I was very happy with my decision. They frosting is delicious, but doesn’t distract from the cake itself.

Enjoy your cupcake with a cold glass of Silk cashew milk! It’s a lot easier to find now than it was back when I first used it in my cashew-chai French toast casserole and I’ve been keeping it around because it’s awesome in coffee. It’s rich and creamy in a way that most other non-dairy milks aren’t. The creaminess reminds me of 2% milk, but the unsweetened version only has 25 calories per serving. it also makes a great swap for dairy milk in recipes like these cupcakes, raspberry oatmeal pancakes, or smoothies.

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Dairy Free Banana Cupcakes with Brown Sugar Buttercream

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 12

Calories 290kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 1 egg separated
• ⅓ cup coconut oil
• ¾ cup sugar
• 1 cup mashed banana about 2 bananas
• ½ cup Silk unsweetened cashew milk
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt

For the brown sugar buttercream

• 3 tablespoons vegetable shortening
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• ¾ cup powdered sugar
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons Silk unsweetened cashew milk optionla

Instructions

• Heat oven to 350ºF. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
• In a large mixing bowl, use an electric beater to beat the egg white until soft peaks form. Set aside.
• In a second mixing bowl, cream together the coconut oil and sugar until it resembles fine, wet sand. Beat in the egg yolk. Stir in the bananas, cashew milk, and vanilla.
• Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients to make a thick batter; gently fold in the whipped egg white.
• Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until the tops of the cupcakes are gently domed and light golden brown.
• Remove from the oven and let cool completely.
• While the cupcakes cool, prepare the frosting: Use an electric mixer to beat the shortening until it's light and creamy. Add the sugars and vanilla and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy. If desired, beat in up to two teaspoons of cashew milk to thin out the frosting.
• Frost cupcakes after they've completely cooled.

Nutrition

Calories: 290kcal | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Fiber: 1g

This conversation is sponsored by Silk. The opinions and text are all mine.

For the past few months, I’ve been seeing recipe after recipe using cashew milk. And I’ll admit it, I was jealous. Where were they all getting cashew milk that was cheap enough to drink? I’ve only ever known it to be part of a juice cleanse and those are definitely not affordable.

Finally, I found it, right there next to the coconut milk I buy every week: Silk cashew milk. I brought some home and took a tentative taste, not fully knowing what to expect. It was thick and creamy, and definitely tasted strongly of cashews. I bought the unsweetened version; with a little honey stirred in and cinnamon dusted over the top, it’s just as delicious as the cashew milk I was familiar with.

I’m not sure why, but the idea of making French toast casserole with the cashew milk immediately jumped into my head. I love traditional French toast casserole (also known as baked French toast), but it’s typically loaded with eggs, cream, and enough sugar to make you jittery all day long. So, I lightened it up!

I scrapped the traditional custard and made one with cashew milk, bananas, and chia seeds. I cut way back on the sugar and used agave nectar instead of the corn syrup most recipes call for. Since I love warm spices with cashews, I infused the milk with chai and added lots of cinnamon and cardamom. (I think the cashew milk would also be delicious in my one-pot shrimp and udon bowls.)

My lightened up French toast casserole still has more calories than my typical breakfasts do, but it’s great for a special occasion! PS – I used regular butter, but if you use dairy-free butter the casserole would also be vegan.

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Cashew-Chai French Toast Casserole

Prep Time 8 hours hours

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 8 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Calories 450kcal

Author Lauren Keating

Ingredients

• 1 loaf 16 ounces Italian bread
• 2 cups Silk unsweetened cashew milk
• 3 bags chai tea
• 2 bananas
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 Tablespoons chia seeds
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground cardamom

For the Topping:

• 4 Tablespoons butter or dairy-free butter cut into small pieces
• ¼ cup brown sugar packed
• 2 tablespoon light agave nectar
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
• ⅓ cup cashews roughly chopped

Instructions

• Cut the bread into 1-inch pieces; place in a large mixing bowl.
• In a saucepan, bring the cashew milk to a simmer. Remove from heat and add the tea bags. Let the tea steep for 5 minutes, then discard the bags. Transfer the cashew milk to a blender. Add the banana, brown sugar, chia seeds, vanilla, and spiced; blend until smooth. Pour the liquid over the bread; turn to coat.
• Transfer the bread and any extra liquid to a 9x13-inch casserole dish. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• The next morning, heat the oven to 350ºF.
• In a small bowl, combine the butter, brown sugar, agave, and spices; mix with a form until the mixture is crumbly. Stir in the cashews. Spread the topping over the uncovered casserole.
• Bake 30 minutes, or until puffed and golden brown.

Nutrition

Calories: 450kcal | Protein: 10.1g | Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Fiber: 5.3g

This conversation is sponsored by Silk. The opinions and text are all mine.