Vegan Banana Cake Roll with Cream Cheese Filling

Roll cakes used to intimidate me, but now I find that they are easier to make than a layer cake because the frosting is far less fussy (if they have any). So when I had some over ripe bananas and I was craving banana cake this week, that is what I decided to make. I rarely end up with over ripe bananas lately because I eat a lot of them but I bought too many so it was the perfect time to make a cake!  Sure you can freeze them and make ice cream or a smoothie but cake is far more fun!  Plus I had never made a banana roll cake and I was excited about it.

When I was in college I bought a book with many really good baking recipes and it contained a banana cake with cream cheese frosting that quickly became one of my family's favorites.  We made it for birthdays, holidays and celebrations and everyone loved it.  I have since veganized it and made it healthier and this roll cake is based off of that recipe because I knew it would be delicious!

The cake batter is actually completely sweetened with dates and bananas, and it makes for a sweet soft cake that rolls more easily an is far less likely to break when rolling. My main tip for rolling these is chill them until they are completely cool, make sure the frosting is the right consistency and then once you have spread it on evenly use the parchment to assist you at rolling it tightly, peeling it off as you roll.  You will get the hang of it don't worry.

I filled this with a rich and creamy faux cream cheese frosting and it was perfect!  I decided to make a sweet banana cream frosting for the outside.  It was so good!  Soft and sweet, scented with banana and vanilla with a luscious creamy frosting!  If you have over ripe bananas on hand, you know what to do with them!

Vegan Banana Cake Roll with Cream Cheese Filling
Makes one 15 inch long rolled cake, serves 8-10

Ingredients:

15x10 inch jelly roll pan

Cake:

• 1 1/2 cups organic whole wheat pastry flour*
• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1 1/4 cups packed soft medjool dates, pitted, soaked in water for 30 minutes and 1 cup of the soaking water reserved
• 1/4 cup almond butter
• 1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup mashed banana
• 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

Filling:

• 1 15 oz can full fat organic coconut milk  (you want a brand that is mostly the thick cream like Thai Kitchen full fat coconut milk or coconut cream or it will not work and won't thicken), chilled
• 1/2 cup raw cashew butter
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp cider vinegar
• 3/4 cup melted coconut butter (warmed to liquid)*

Frosting:

• 1 cup full fat organic coconut milk  (you want a brand that is mostly the thick cream like Thai Kitchen full fat coconut milk or coconut cream or it will not work and won't thicken), chilled
• 1/2 cup mashed banana
• 1/2 cup raw cashew butter
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp cider vinegar
• 3/4 cup melted coconut butter (warmed to liquid)*

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and position rack in center of oven.
2. Line a 15 x 10 inch jellyroll pan with parchment paper.
3. Coat parchment paper and pan sides lightly with oil so that the cake doesn't stick.
4. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and sea salt in a large bowl to blend well.  Set aside.
5. Place dates, reserved water, almond butter, banana, and vanilla extract into a blender, and blend until smooth, then whisk this blended mixture into the flour mixture until well blended. Whisk in the cider vinegar until bubbles form.
6. Transfer cake batter to prepared pan and bake cake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 15-20 minutes.
7. Cool cake completely.
8. To make the filling, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until completely smooth.  Pour into a bowl and place in the freezer until the consistency of stiffly whipped cream (about 30-45 minutes depending on how warm it has gotten.  Once it is ready place in the refrigerator until ready to assemble.
9. When ready to assemble, spread filling over the top of the cake, then roll up jellyroll style starting with the short side and using the parchment to assist you in rolling.  Be careful because the cake is fragile, but if it cracks as you roll it no worries, keep rolling.  Let chill in the freezer once rolled for a few hours before frosting the outside.
10. To make the frosting, combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until completely smooth.  Pour into a bowl and place in the freezer until the consistency of stiffly whipped cream (about 30-45 minutes depending on how warm it has gotten.  Once it is ready place in the refrigerator until ready to frost.  Spread the frosting over the outside of the cake, and serve!

Keeps for up to 1 week covered in the refrigerator.

*If you would like to make this gluten free, swap the whole wheat flour for Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour (I have tested this brand and know it works, but have not tried other brands so I am not sure if they would turn out the same).

*If you don't have coconut butter but you have cacao butter, you can sub melted cacao butter for the coconut butter and the cake will have a white chocolate flavored frosting/filling.