Spring skillet cake (vegan)
Cakes
This recipe is the result of a few culinary stars aligning in my life -- or at least that’s how I interpreted a couple of food coincidences. First, vibrant stalks of rhubarb started to appear at the market: an elusive and exciting annual moment. Second, a single banana sat ripening in my fruit bowl, and I began to daydream of new ways to use it. (It's not often that you find a recipe for just one over-ripe banana, in my experience.)
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<br />After bringing home a big bundle of rhubarb, it dawned on me that the stalks might pair nicely with ginger: refreshing brightness alongside fragrant warmth. And I pictured different sweet fruits that would match nicely, and wondered if the blackening banana on my counter could fit the bill. I also remembered how mashed banana can replace eggs in baking, holding together the batter while diffusing its tropical taste — and this recollection heightened my hunger for a light, new dessert.
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<br />Finally, orange zest would add a citrusy tang to echo and balance the tartness of the rhubarb. The result was not only a flavorful, ultra-moist, vegan dessert; it also turned out to be stunning, with a blanket of brilliant pink rhubarb draped over its top (and decadent caramely edges, too!).
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<br />Bright-tasting and beautiful, this is a truly uplifting spring dessert. The creamy-sweet banana tames the tartness of the rhubarb, while the double dose of ginger offers a welcome warmth to the otherwise cool notes. With its luxuriously moist crumb, this citrus-speckled cake delivers a complex harmony of texture and flavor. All in all, it not only leaves you feeling satisfied and light, but also celebrates springtime in every bite.
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<br />[This recipe was first posted on my web site, buttersugarflowers.com, in April 2015.]
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