Banana Roll Cake with cashew and walnut cream

Last two weeks I have been in rehearsals for Great Expectations (which is playing at The Nuffield Theatre Southampton 4th - 7th) so I haven't been able to get to my beloved kitchen to bake. And boy have I missed it. So on my day off, no one was going to stop me knocking up a cake. 

OH YEAH. Also we have a new blender that actually works! So now I can make all variety's of vegan creams and sauces to add to my cakes. So really, nothing was going to stop me.

My dad came home with these tiny over ripe bananas  that he got cheep for me to bake with, as we all know the riper, browner and uglier the banana the better the cake. However instead of a plain banana cake I wanted something more exiting. Inspired by my friend Adam from rehearsals (who ate about 6 mini rolls in 10 minuets and put all the wrappers in my bag) I made a banana roll cake filled with cashew and walnut cream flavored with maple syrup (cause I can do that now i have a decent fucking blender). The nut cream is great, so much better then a butter or margarine based icing, not only for the added nutty taste but the fact that its much more nutritionally good for you! packed with omega 3, protein and good fats that are need for your brain. Also the cake uses whole meal flour and maple syrup to reduce the refined sugar and white flour content, increasing the fiber, nutrition and lowering the GI index of the cake. Plus it taste bloody good. Here is the recipe my friends.. 

Tiny Banana's! The whole bunch fits in my hand

 Banana Roll Cake with cashew and walnut cream

Ingredients

Cake

125g wholemeal self raising flour

100g plain self raising flour

3 tbps maple syrup

3 tbsp vegtable oil (or any flavorless oil)

2 tbsp of brown sugar (you may need to change this according to the sweetness of your bananas)

1/4 cup coconut milk (or any vegan milk substitute)

2 cups of mashed very ripe banana

pinch of saltheaped tsp of cinnamon

-Sieve your flours, the salt and cinnamon into a large mixing bowl, set aside.

- In a separate bowl combine all the other ingredients and mash together. Taste and see if your banana's need more sugar or not.

The bad boy pre-oven

- Add your wet mixture to the flour and fold together. The less times you fold through the mixture the lighter your sponge will be.Line a tray with grease proof paper and spread mixture out evenly. Bake at 180 degrees till cooked (about 15 mins) 

- When cooked remove from oven, and lift out using the grease proof paper and trim the edges. You may need to cut the top of the cake to make a thinner sponge depending on how thinly you spread your mixture.  Whilst warm roll into a log shape and leave to cool in this position (this will help when re-rolling it up with the filling later)

Cashew and Walnut Cream

1/3 cup walnuts

1/3 cup cashews

4/5 small dates

1 tbsp of maple syrup

- Soak your nuts in water for 3-4 hours

- Drain the nuts and place in a blender along with the dates and enough water just to barely cover the other ingredients. Blitz till a smooth cream is formed.

- Remove from blender and stir in maple syrup

Assembly

Chopped walnuts

Cinnamon

-Roll your sponge out flat again and spread a layer of your cashew and walnut cream. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts.

-Carefully roll back up your sponge

- Decorate with remaining cashew and walnut cream, chopped walnuts and a sprinkling of cinnamon. 

Voilaaaaaaa