This Vegan Chocolate Banana Bread is 100% amazing. It's easy to make in one bowl, rich, chocolatey, fudgy, and super indulgent!
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Spotty bananas at the ready because we're making rich, fudgy, and delicious Vegan Chocolate Banana Bread!
It can be breakfast (starting the day with chocolate is always a good idea!), a snack, or a dessert. Enjoy it as it is or spread it with vegan butter, nut butter, tahini, or date caramel.
It's also rich and fudgy enough to be dessert. Try warming a slice gently and topping it with caramelized bananas and a dollop of dairy-free vanilla ice cream!
Love banana bread? Be sure to try my Tahini Banana Bread, Spelt Banana Bread, Choc Nut Banana Bread, and Chocolate Coconut Banana Bread too!
Mel x
Ingredients
Here is what you need at a glance, along with some important ingredient notes & substitution ideas:
- Overripe bananas - The spottier the better!
- Flour - All-purpose, spelt, wholewheat, or gluten-free all-purpose are all fine to use.
- Maple syrup - For extra fudginess. You can use sugar instead but it will change the texture of the cake and it won't be as moist or fudgy.
- Nut/seed butter or oil - I prefer making this with nut butter as the fat because it adds more flavour but any liquid oil is fine to use instead.
- Baking powder and baking soda - When you don't use eggs you need to make up for the leavening they would otherwise provide by adding both of these. The baking soda reacts with an acid (in this case cocoa) and creates extra lift to make up for the no-egg situation.
You'll also need a loaf pan to cook it in. No loaf pan? Make my Vegan Chocolate Banana Muffins instead.
Success Tips
- Use a scale to weigh the ingredients. Precision is key to excellent results when baking, and cup measurements are not accurate enough for optimum and consistent results. This kitchen scale is cheap and works brilliantly.
- Use really ripe spotty bananas
- Don't over-mix the batter.
- Be sure you don't over-bake this banana bread. It's beauty is the fudginess and we don't want to lose it! It's better to very slightly under-bake it than it is to go over.
- Add some extra chocolate chips to the top before baking to make it look extra pretty (or as an excuse to eat more chocolate).
Variations
I recommend following the basic recipe as closely as possible for best results, but it is perfectly ok to make it your own by adding some mix-ins. How about:
- Chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans would be great).
- Dried fruit (tart cherries would be lovely! )
- Shredded coconut
- Chopped dates for extra fudginess
Recipe FAQs
If none of your bananas are super ripe and spotty, simply place 3 of them on a baking tray with their skins still intact (i.e. not peeled) and bake them at 350°F (175°C) for 8 minutes. Remove them from the oven. They will be black. Allow them to cool before scraping the mushy banana out and going ahead with the recipe.
Recipe
Vegan Chocolate Banana Bread
Author:WATCH HOW TO MAKE IT
Ingredients
- 3 medium 7 - 8 inch long ripe & spotty bananas , (weighing approx 375 grams or 13 oz in total when peeled)
- 6 tablespoons natural nut/seed butter or oil of choice
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ packed cup (115 grams) sugar , any type (white, cane, coconut, brown)
- ¾ teaspoon fine salt
- 1¾ cup (215 grams) flour , spelt, all-purpose flour (plain flour in the UK), wholewheat or gluten-free all-purpose flour blend.
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda , (bicarbonate of soda in the UK)
- ½ cup (50 grams) cocoa powder
- ½ cup (85 grams) dairy-free chocolate chips plus a few more for sprinkling on top
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease and line a 9 x 5 or 8.5 x 4.5 inch loaf pan with a strip of parchment paper down the middle with some extra overhanging at each end to act as handles for lifting the cooked cake out.
- Puree the bananas until smooth. You can do this by hand with a fork or in a mixer.
- Add the nut/seed butter or oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract, sugar and salt to the bananas and beat until smooth and light and fluffy.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda and cocoa powder and mix gently until everything is just combined. Do not over mix because it will affect the texture and rise.
- Then add the chocolate chips and stir just enough to distribute evenly.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, even out the top and sprinkle with an extra handful of chocolate chips.
- Bake for around 45 - 50 minutes until the loaf is coming away from the sides of the pan and is firm with a bit of bounce when you poke the centre of it. This bread is best when very slightly under-cooked as it has maximum fudginess then. If you insert a toothpick, instead of it coming out clean like with most cakes, you want a bit of fudgy cake clinging to it. If it feels liquidy put it back in the oven for another 5 minutes then check again.
- Remove from the tin immediately once done using the parchment paper as handles and place on a cooling rack. Be sure to remove the strip of paper from it's bottom by gently turning it on its side and peeling it away.
NOTES
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Kelsang Lamshe says
I just tried this tonight but the top cracked wrote badly and it's very crumbly to cut. I used a silicon loaf tin and it spread out sideways quite a lot, could this have caused it? It tastes good though.
A Virtual Vegan says
I don't advise using silicone bakeware. It will be why you haven't had such a good result. It doesn't have enough structure to support cake-y recipes as they rise, hence the reason it spread out sideways and probably also why it cracked. Silicone also doesn't conduct heat like a metal pan does and they don't bake as evenly or as well. I've tried silicone pans myself and ended up giving them to the thrift store. Use a metal loaf pan and you will be fine.
Dan says
Any substitute for the sugar in this recipe? Super keen to try it looks great, but trying to cut down on sugar....
A Virtual Vegan says
Sugar is important for the structure in cakes and muffins. If you remove it they likely won't have the same texture or rise. You might get away with reducing it by a 1/3 though, although I can't guarantee they will turn out quite so well. And I can't recommend a substitute without testing it, as it would completely change the recipe and other things would need to be altered too.
Andrea Körn says
Hi Mel, I made this banana bread many times and I love it! I always use peanut butter because cashew butter is so expensive. Thank you so much for this recipe!!!
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm thrilled that you are enjoying the recipe Andrea. I think I need to do a peanut butter version for the blog one day soon!
Andrea says
Yummy! I actually used tahini as I had no cashew butter.I baked them for 20 minutes in my silicon muffin pan.They came out fabulous.Thank you
A Virtual Vegan says
Ooo I bet tahini was lovely. It works so well with chocolate. I need to try that!
Deb says
Hi Mel, what brand of cashew butter do you use? My butters are difficult to stir and are dry when I reach the bottom of the jar. Thanks. Recipe looks delish, will have one in the oven by lunch.
A Virtual Vegan says
I tend to buy Nuts To You Cashew Butter. It's one of the only brands that is widely available here. As soon as I open my nut butters, I give them a really good stir with a knife, then I store them upside down (lid down). That way by the time you get to the end of the jar it will have been flipped around enough times for the oil to continually redistribute and keep the nut butter hydrated and smooth throughout. Thats the theory anyway. It does seem to help. Oh and don't keep it in the fridge. It stays better just in the pantry.
Denise says
Made this yesterday, superbly delicious. Going down a storm with the family. A great way to use up over ripe bananas (though actually on this occasion I bought extra bananas with a strict instruction that 3 must be left to over ripen for me to use in this recipe ????????).
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you so much Denise. I'm thrilled you are all enjoying it so much!
Pam says
This chocolate banana bread is sooo delicious! Made it last week and it turned out fabulous. I had to chuckle at your saying it will keep for 4-5 days. As if it would last that long! My non-vegan husband gobbled it up. I used a combination of peanut butter and almond butter this time and all almond butter the previous time. Perfect each time. Gooey chocolate deliciousness! This recipe is a winner. Thanks :)
A Virtual Vegan says
I'm so pleased you are enjoying it Pam. And I'm glad it's not just us that polishes it off in a ridiculously short time!
Michelle says
I have just made this and this is my first Vegan cake and it is absolutely beautiful.
I will definitely make again.
Yummy
A Virtual Vegan says
That's great Michelle. I'm so glad it turned out well for you!
Kellie says
Dangerously delicious! Made it with white whole wheat flour instead of spelt and used frozen bananas. Came out perfect! Will be making this soon & often. Thank you!!!
Genevieve M says
This is by far and above my family's favorite banana bread! (and I've made a ton of banana bread over the years) I've made this at least a half dozen times in the past few months and it gets gobbled up immediately by my husband and kids. Thanks for the great recipe!
A Virtual Vegan says
Yay! That's so good to hear. Thank you Genevieve. I'm thrilled you and your family are enjoying it!
Carol says
Hi, Mel... thank you so much for this recipe. It turned out great! I used peanut butter and coconut sugar and baked it in a glass loaf pan. I used cups to measure and had no problem with the results. I love the fudgy quality to it; so delicious. I was also thinking this would make a lovely hostess gift. Looking forward to making it again. Thank you for all of your efforts and for sharing! :-) <3
A Virtual Vegan says
You're so welcome Carol. I'm glad you enjoyed it. And yes it would make a great hostess gift!
Lorraine Howes says
Just made this cake......absolutely gorgeous!
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you Lorraine!
Riley says
Wow. This is tHE best baanana bread ever. I've made it twice in 2 days!
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you Riley. I'm so pleased you enjoyed it!
Simone says
Just finished baking 3 loaves and ...it's perfect. Thank you for sharing this great recipe xoxo
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you Simone. I'm so glad you are happy with the recipe and thank you for coming back to leave feedback. It's much appreciated!
Beth says
This looks delicious and I am wanting to make it as my son's first birthday smash cake! How long would you bake it for in a cake pan or sheet tray?
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you. As a cake pan or sheet tray will be shallower it would probably take 25 minutes, maybe 30. Check it around then with a toothpick or knife. If it comes out clean it's done. If it doesn't put it back for a few more minutes. Try to make sure the pan you use has a similar volume to a loaf pan of about 9 x 5 inches or adjust the recipe to suit if not so it fits the pan ok. Good luck and I hope he enjoys it!
Dave Cavaliere says
Vegan or not... this Chocolate Banana Bread is absolutely delicious ... enjoyed by the whole family
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you Dave. I'm so glad you all enjoyed it
Sharon says
This recipe was a winner! So delicious. I’m so happy to find a spelt flour bread recipe I used raw cacao and almond butter. Also used Sukrin brown sugar instead of the white sugar. I should have checked it before 50 minutes as it was a tad dry and probably done at 45 minutes. But still so good.
Thank you for this recipe!
A Virtual Vegan says
So glad you enjoyed it Sharon! Spelt flour is my all time favourite so I always use it when I can! Thank you for coming back to leave feedback. It's much appreciated!
Bob Antunes says
This looks really delicious and I would love to make it for my wife who is a chocolate lover. Do you think that I could substitute brown rice flour for the spelt flour?
A Virtual Vegan says
I have no experience of baking with rice flour so I have no idea how it would turn out. Sorry. If you try it though let me know how it goes!
Tanya says
Made these for dessert tonight. Did not have any choco chips, but still delicious!! Put them in muffin cups instead of a loaf. Turned out great. This recipie is a keeper!!
A Virtual Vegan says
Thank you Tanya. I'm so glad you enjoyed them!
Mary Brown says
Made this today. SO YUMMY, did not have cashew butter so substituted almond butter, did not have spelt flour so used good old all purpose flour. Baked for 50mins. It is FABULOUS!!!!
A Virtual Vegan says
That's awesome Mary. I'm so glad you enjoyed it and thank you so much for coming back to leave feedback. It's much appreciated!