In lieu of pancakes, I bring you something else breakfasty!
Last night, I started to make a cake for someone. I had grand plans of spreading pliable, freshly made ice cream across thick banana bread French toast cake layers coated in magic chocolate-coconut oil shell, chocolate chips, nuts, etc.
…this isn’t my first banana bread French toast rodeo, but this time, unfortunately, I used the most tender, crumbliest vegan banana bread recipe known to man and half of my egg-sogged, meant-to-be-French-toasted layers instantly crumbled.
So then I was like “ugh” freak out *huff huff* wring hands “ugh!” *roll eyes*smash bread with spatula before I was like duh!
Are you picking up what I’m putting down?
French toast banana bread was instantly chunked, layered with cinnamon coconut cream, sliced bananas and chocolate chips and a way-too-involved parfait was born. Or would this be trifle? According to google, this is perhaps not a trifle because there is no custard. Just cake, cream and fruit.
Good ‘nuff for me.
For the sake of ease, I could recommend that you use a sturdier banana bread that won’t fall apart during the French toast process, like this one. But truthfully, this vegan banana bread recipe from Babycakes is so amazingly plush and spiced (no, that tablespoon of vanilla is not a typo) and just all around delicious that I really hope you make it despite its nightmarish reaction to French toast batter. These parfaits could be just as good with simple cubes of banana bread.
You don’t even have to make the parfaits if you just make the banana bread. But seriously, these parfaits are perfect spring party food. Something about blooming flowers and towering sunshine just screams a need for piles of cool, sweet cream over lush cake chunks studded with chocolate chips and banans, no?
Banana Bread French Toast Parfaits
Ingredients
- For Babycakes' banana bread:
- 3/4 cup spelt flour
- 3/4 cup oat flour*
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon chia seeds optional
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/3 cup neutral oil canola, vegetable, etc.
- 2/3 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup almond milk
- 1 tablespoon good quality vanilla
- 1 1/4 cups mashed bananas about 3 large
- Cinnamon French toast batter
- For the coconut cream:
- 1 can full-fat coconut milk
- 2-4 tablespoons powdered sugar
- dash of vanilla
- dash of cinnamon
Instructions
- For the banana bread:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease a standard 13x18" cookie sheet (or loaf pan) well and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, baking soda, chia seeds (if using), salt and cinnamon. Add oil, maple syrup, almond milk and vanilla directly to the dry ingredients and mix again. Fold in bananas (the smoother the mash, the better).
- Pour batter into sheet pan and spread evenly. Bake for 14-17 (40-45 if using a loaf pan) minutes, or until banana bread springs back under your finger (it will feel a tad spongy). Remove from oven and cool completely.
- Once the banana bread has cooled, prepare the French toast batter. Cut off squares of banana bread, dip in French toast batter, and fry for two minutes on each side in a lightly greased, preheated skillet over medium heat, until golden.
- For the coconut cream:
- Place the coconut milk in the fridge overnight (do NOT use milk that has not been thoroughly chilled).
- Remove the milk from the fridge and turn the can upside down. Remove the lid. Use a spoon to scrape off the solid coconut mass at the top (reserve the liquid at the bottom for another use).
- Using a hand mixer, beat the coconut cream until fluffy. Add powdered sugar, cinnamon and vanilla and continue to whip until combined.
- To assemble:
- Cut banana bread French toast slices into cubes. Layer cubes with coconut cream, sliced bananas, chocolate chips and repeat as desired. I layered some into glass mason jars and some into a 6" springform pan. With the pan version, I layered the banana bread, bananas and chocolate chips and popped it into a preheated 350 oven for about 10-15 minutes to get everything warm and melty, then topped it with the coconut cream like frosting. Delish.
Spelt is actually not gluten free.
oh my mistake, jerome! thanks for the comment!!
OMG I need this in my life right nowww!!!!! I’ve never made banana bread french toast but I’m going to have to now so I can make these parfaits ahhh!
It’s gonna take some serious willpower to not just eat the banana bread plain but I think it’s totally necessary!!:) These parfaits look amazing! I pretty much love anything with layers and I’m ALL about having healthy desserty things for breakfast:):)
Looks beautiful Erika! I love how you saved the day! This does look really delicious and comforting. Funny you mention this. Over the weekend I was testing out a brownie recipe and they were delicious, but they didn’t bake up quite perfectly. So, my dilemma was what do I do with all his brownie-like mess?? Ahhhh, it became brownie ice cream! I decided to make some homemade almond milk for the ice cream base and threw in the brownie chunks. Omg, it was so good! Sometimes our messups turn out to be awesome yummy recipes 🙂
YUM! This looks good. I love your creativity 🙂
Erika, I love everything about this post. You show time and time again how incredibly funny and witty you are (*wrings hands* <– love that!). Your photos and styling just get better all the time. And this dessert is killer – damn, I want a banana bread french toast parfait right.now. Can you send me a few jars? Thanks, girl 😉
Oh Nancy. You are too sweet! What’s your address? 😉
You are a certified genius my friend, this recipe is overwhelmingly awesome 🙂
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Yum, Erika, and way to go making lemonade out of lemons! Or shall I say delicious parfaits out of luscious crumble-ies? 😉 Genius and totally pro. THOROUGHLY impressed =) xo
Haha good one 😉 Thanks so much 🙂
What about Piled Cake? To me, looks like that 😉 When you go for something that not really exist yet you can have hard time finding the right name for it. Eater way, looks super yummy combination of flavors! Have to get some bananas tomorrow morning for the banana toast. Just watching your photos make me want some!
Lol Irena–I love that name! I’m definitely making it a goal to make something called “Piled cake” in the future. Oh man, PLEASE try making banana bread French toast. It will rock your world!
Lookat you, you’re such a smarty! Brilliant idea! Yummersssss
Perfect way to save your recipe! Sometimes it’s all about being creative 🙂
A-men 🙂
These rock, sista! Yum!
Thanks Tahny! 🙂
Genius. Just, genius.
Thaanks 🙂
What a tasty looking parfait!
“Just cake, cream and fruit.”
um, good ’nuff for me, too! This looks so delicious! The sweet dense bread, light cream, fresh fruit, oh my gosh.
One time, I tried to bake brownies for a friend’s birthday and I burnt them horribly. I was super squeezed for time, though, so I scraped off the burnt bits, saved the inner non-burnt bits, and bought chocolate pudding snack packs from the grocery store. I spread the pudding in a pie plate and crumbled the brownies over top. ta-dah!
ps – I also did this sitting in the car in front of my friend’s house. ftw.
Omg that is actually hilarious. Go you!! I love resourcefulness 🙂 That is an awesome idea! I will definitely be keeping that in mind for my next brownie fail (which is sure to happen).