This Healthier Chocolate Banana Bread is made with whole wheat flour, agave, coconut oil and plenty of bananas. It’s peppered with dark chocolate chips to create a healthier, but still delicious bread!
Hiya everyone, hope you are doing good. I had a bunch of extra brown bananas the other day and I wanted to make something different than “normal” banana bread, so I created this Healthier Chocolate Banana Bread!
My Healthier Chocolate Banana Bread is made with whole wheat flour, agave, coconut oil, bananas, cocoa powder, oat milk, dark chocolate chips and a few other standard ingredients you’d find in anything. There’s no added sugar (apart from what is in the chocolate chips) and no butter. You can use non dairy milk or dairy milk too.
This is a real bung it in the bowl and mix recipe, no mixers required, it’s a one bowl recipe that results in soft, wholesome Banana Bread with an added hit of chocolate.
I have been loving experimenting more in the kitchen during lockdown. A lot of it has come from the fact we haven’t been able to get certain ingredients, so we just have to make do.
It’s certainly made for some interesting dinners! Luckily my husband is very easy going and I’ve never made anything disgusting. It might not look great, but it tastes good!
Let’s talk about this amazing Healthier Chocolate Banana Bread…
I have found flour almost impossible to find around here, so for this Healthier Chocolate Banana Bread, I used whole wheat flour. It adds a depth of flavour and a real heartiness to the bread.
I find whole wheat flour a little drier than plain flour and, as well as that, I added cocoa powder to this recipe. There was a real risk that this banana bread could have ended up dry.
However, I added in coconut oil, agave and oat milk to make sure there was plenty of moisture. I have also added yoghurt to my healthier banana breads, but this time I wanted to use milk.
You’ll get the best results if you use very ripe bananas as they will be extra sweet. That and they are much easier to mash haha!
You can use agave, honey or maple syrup as your sweetener. I’m allergic to honey and I didn’t have maple syrup, so I used agave. I used maple syrup in my Healthier Banana Bread and I do love the flavour that maple syrup gives.
This Banana Bread is incredible. I could not wait to dig in straight out of the oven. It isn’t overly sweet or bitter, the flavours are perfectly balanced. The cocoa powder adds a richness and then you get bursts of melty dark chocolate chips. A warm slice of this bread with butter on is pure heaven!
As with anything with banana, it tastes better on the second day when those flavours have had a chance to mellow. It keeps well and is a great way to start your day. What a happy experiment this became, let me know how you like this Healthier Chocolate Banana Bread!
Healthier Chocolate Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (390g) very ripe bananas
- 1/2 cup (160ml) agave/maple syrup/honey
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup (100g) coconut oil, melted and slightly cooled
- 2 1/4 cups (315g) plain whole wheat flour
- 1/2 cup (50g) cocoa powder
- 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda/baking soda
- Pinch of salt
- 3/4 cup (129g) dark chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup (60ml) milk; dairy, soy, oat whatever you like.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160C/325F and spray a 2lb loaf tin with cooking spray. Place a strip of grease proof paper across the loaf tin with enough overhang to lift the banana bread out.
- Place the bananas into a large bowl and mash them with a fork until smooth. A few larger chunks is ok, but get it as smooth as possible. Add in the agave, eggs and vanilla and whisk until well combined and smooth.
- Add in the melted coconut oil gradually, while stirring, until everything is combined.
- Add in the whole wheat flour, cocoa powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and chocolate chips and mix until the mixture starts to come together, then add in the milk and continue to mix until everything comes together and there are no lumps of flour.
- Tip your cake mixture into your prepared pan, smooth into an even layer with the back of a wooden spoon/spatula. Place in the oven for 50-60 minutes, until risen and an inserted skewer into the centre comes out clean. Just be aware you might hit a chocolate chip and see wetness on the skewer. Just keep an eye out for no crumbs on it!
- Leave to cool in the pan completely, before transferring to a cutting board to slice and serve! This bread is great at room temperature or warm. It goes well with butter, jam, peanut butter…. it's very versatile!
- Healthier Chocolate Banana Bread will keep in an airtight container, at room temperature, for 5 days.