Ingredients

• 1 c. pitted dates
• 1/2 c. mixed nuts
• 1/2 c. sunflower seeds
• 1/2 c. seedless raisins
• 1/2 c. cranberries
• 1 1/2 tbsp. organic honey

Instructions

1. In a blender, blend all ingredients until a paste has formed. 
2. Press the mixture between two pieces of parchment paper in a pan . 
3. Refrigerate for at least a few hours or overnight. 
4. Cut into squares and wrap with plastic wrap or store in an airtight container. 
   

Ingredients

Cinnamon Walnut Streusel

• 1/2cup walnuts
• 1/2cup flour
• 1/2cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2tablespoon cinnamon
• 4tablespoons cold butter, cubed

Banana Cake

• 2 1/4cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4teaspoons baking powder
• 1 1/4teaspoon baking soda
• 1teaspoon salt
• 1teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2cups sugar
• 2 large eggsat room temperature
• 1cup mashed bananas(about 2 large ripe bananas)
• 1tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4cups sour ream (not nonfat)at room temperature
• 1/2cup semi-sweet chocolate chips(optional)
• 1/2cup walnuts, chopped(optional)

Cream Cheese Filling

• 8ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/4cup Reserved Batter(see instructions)
• 1/4cup sugar
• 1teaspoon vanilla extract

Vanilla Glaze

• 1cup Powdered sugar
• 1teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2tablespoons milk

Garnish (optional)

• Garnish(optional)
• mini chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and spray all inside surfaces of a 16 cup nonstick tube pan with nonstick cooking spray WITH FLOUR or grease and flour the inside of your pan. Set aside.*
2. Cinnamon Walnut Streusel: Add walnuts to your food processor and pulse 3 times. Add flour, brown sugar and cinnamon and pulse a few times to combine. Sprinkle cold butter over top and pulse until the walnuts are chopped and the mixture resembles small pebbles. (You may also combine in a bowl and cut butter in by hand). Set aside in the refrigerator.
3. Cake: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
4. Using a stand or hand mixer, beat butter and sugar until fluffy on medium high speed, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating just until the yellow disappears after each egg. Mix in vanilla and bananas until just until combined.
5. Gradually add flour mixture to banana/butter mixture in thirds, alternately with sour cream in between each third. Beat until just combined. Measure out 1/4 cup batter and set aside for cream cheese filling. Stir chocolate chips and walnuts into remaining batter until just until combined.
6. Measure out 1 cup batter (to top cream cheese layer) and spoon the rest of the batter into the prepared pan.
7. To your now empty mixing bowl, add 1/4 cup reserved batter, cream cheese, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1/4 cup sugar. Beat on medium high speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Spoon Cream Cheese Filling over batter and gently smooth, but do not touch the sides of the pan. Spread reserved 1 cup batter evenly over filling (it will be very thin).
8. Tap pan on counter a few times to get rid of any air bubbles then sprinkle evenly with Cinnamon Walnut Streusel.
9. Bake for 55-60 minutes at 350 degrees F or until toothpick inserted comes out clean (without inserting in cream cheese). Some readers have stated their cake was not done in 60 minutes, so if it's not done, bake on! Let baked cake cool on wire rack for 1 hour. Gently invert cake onto a baking sheet, remove pan, and invert back onto cooling rack streusel side up. Let cool to room temperature.
10. When ready to serve, whisk Vanilla Glaze ingredients together in a medium bowl and drizzle over cake. Sprinkle cake with mini chocolate chips (optional)