I’ve been hyping this recipe on Instagram for the last week, and with due reason. It’s SO good & one of the easiest things you’ll ever bake. This blog makes baking feasible + fun- even for the most unexperienced baker.
Banana Chocolate Cake is not to be confused with chocolate chip banana bread. It’s also not quite chocolate banana bread, either. This is a chocolate loaf cake recipe that incorporates mushy bananas for the best flavor combo, ever. I only started working on this unassuming little recipe last week; but am already head over heels in love and oh so defensive about this fudgy slice. Some of the best chocolate cake recipes these days incorporate beets or black beans for moisture, but I thought bananas were more palatable and would that extra oomph factor.
I tried baking it as a cake and I tried baking it as a loaf- and guess what? They both work! The texture factor is unreal thanks to 4 very ripe bananas that not only add moisture, but bring an incredible amount of natural sweetness, too. I’ve tested this recipe against spelt flour, all-purpose gluten free flour, & my beloved oat flour. All three uber affordable flour options; and all of which work very well. Instead of vegetable oil or canola oil (ahem, I wage a steady war against canola oil in this blog) I suggest you try using vegan butter or melted coconut oil. Yes, the coconut oil debacle still rages on. And I am planning to weigh on a separate blog post. But I will say this much: all oils have their pros and cons. I’ll take coconut oil over canola oil ANY day.
Now let’s talk about choc-o-late. Cause this girl has a serious penchant for chocolate! And, for bananas. It all goes back to my childhood and my dad’s OCD grocery store shopping habits. The man in question only eats 3 fruits: bananas, pineapple & papaya. Everyone who knows him knows this to be totally true. But banana is at the very top of his (short) fruit hierarchy. When he sees there’s only 2 left; he’ll run to the store and come back with 12. Or 15 bananas. We joke that there’s never been zero bananas at our house. My dad also goes to the grocery store every single day, (and… that’s also not a joke) !
Soooooo, I ate bananas every darn day: by technical default. And one would think I would hate them by now, but quite the opposite. I can’t get tired of them. I also happen to digest them very well. And, they’re the best snacking mechanism, in my humble opinion. They give your body instant potassium, natural sugars & healthy fats. Lately, I’ve noticed a movement on social media to “kill the banana!” and make banana-free smoothie bowls. Well, this is my own bid to “bring back the banana!” Because friends, bananas are life.
And if you like this little recipe, may I suggest you check these out, as well:
Banana Chocolate Cake
Ingredients
- 1 plus 1/3 cup your choice of spelt OR all-purpose gluten free flour OR oat flour *
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp raw cacao powder OR good quality unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 cup semisweet or dairy-free chocolate chips (leave 1/4 cup behind for sprinkling)
- 2 eggs at room temperature * or 2 flax eggs
- 4 very ripe bananas, mashed
- 1/2 cup organic coconut sugar (for sweeter cake try : 3/4 cup)
- 1/2 cup of melted coconut oil OR vegan butter OR grassfed butter
- 1 tsp of pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp of espresso powder or instant coffee (brings out the chocolate flavor)
for 1 flax egg: 1 tbsp flaxseed meal to 3 tbsp of lukewarm water. Mix well and let sit for 5 mins to thicken.
Spelt is not gluten free, but is easily digestible. Oat flour (if made with GF certified oats) is totally gluten-free. So is gluten-free all purpose flour. I loved the spelt & oat flour versions far more! 😉
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350F and grease a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan or cake pan with coconut oil or avocado oil spray. You may also add parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together: flour, raw cacao powder, coconut sugar & baking soda.
- In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a large fork and whisk with the eggs, coconut oil & vanilla. Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients into the large, wet ingredient bowl. Mixing/whisking as you go. Don’t overmix. This results in very dense cake.
- Fold the chocolate chips in, leave about 1/4 cup behind for sprinkling on top of the loaf before it goes into the oven.
- Place inside the oven and bake for approximately 55-65 mins. All ovens vary. Insert a knife in the middle of the cake pan to see if it comes out mostly clean.
By: Aleyda/ The Dish On Healthy
Love love healthy chocolate recipes!
Totally agree!! Especially when banana and chocolate are involved. 🙂 @briraefit