Banana Brownie Cake (Vegan)

I bought a container of roasted carob powder about a month ago, and I have been trying to incorporate it into baking recipes.  For anyone who is already lost, carob powder is a caffeine-free, lower-fat version of cocoa powder that is frequently seen in vegan baking recipes.  Carob powder is sometimes substituted for cocoa powder in vegan recipes (both pure cocoa and carob powder are 100% vegan).  Everyone knows that chocolate goes so well with bananas, so I figured carob and bananas would mesh well together also.  This recipe from "Versatile Vegetarian Kitchen" inspired my recipe below.  All I changed was the amount of bananas in the batter (I added in one more in place of the applesauce), the type of flour used (I used white whole wheat flour in place of the brown rice flour), and the type of baking pan used (I used an 8" springform pan in place of the 8x8"  square pan).  I also decided to bake my cake with banana slices on top.  They become kind of funky looking after they are baked, but I think the banana embellishment adds a lot of visual interest.

Enjoy and feel free to modify my recipe!

(UNBAKED)

(BAKED)

BANANA BROWNIE CAKE (VEGAN)

DRY INGREDIENTS
-3/4 cup white whole wheat flour (King Arthur's Flour is my favorite brand)
-3/4 cup carob powder OR cocoa powder
-3/4 teaspoon baking powder
-1/2 teaspoon salt

WET INGREDIENTS
-1 1/4 cup mashed bananas (I used 2 large bananas + 1 small banana)
-1/2 cup sugar
-1/4 cup canola oil
-2 teaspoons vanilla extract

TOPPING
-2 small bananas, sliced into coins

Preheat oven to 350F, and lightly grease an 8" springform pan with oil.

Combine all of the dry ingredients with a whisk in a medium bowl.  In a separate, larger bowl, combine the wet ingredients.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingrtedients a little at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Spread the batter into the prepared springform pan with a spatula.  Place the sliced banana coins on top of the batter in any configuration you wish.  Lightly press each slice into the batter.

Bake for about 30-35 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Cool on a cooling rack, remove from springform pan, and serve.