This vegan chocolate banana cake is inspired by my chocolate peanut butter banana bread. That bread is hugely popular, and since I had many ripe bananas I needed to use and a birthday coming up, this cake was perfect for it. It’s a baked alternative to my super easy 2-Ingredient No-Bake Chocolate Cake (which I highly recommend trying). Cakes are my passion, and making healthy versions of classic cakes has been my mission for more than 10 years so that everyone can enjoy Earth-conscious recipes for special occasions.
Ingredients and Substitutions
All you need to start baking this chocolate banana cake recipe are:
Ripe Banana – With black spots on the skin. All-Purpose Flour or plain flour – This cake won’t work with healthier flours like almond flour or coconut flour. Baking Powder and Baking Soda to rise the bread. Avocado Oil – Or any neutral oil like canola oil, melted coconut oil, or light olive oil. Coconut Sugar – You can also use unrefined cane sugar or soft brown sugar. Any crystal sweetener you have at home will work well. Vanilla Extract – for flavor. Almond Milk or any plant-based milk of choice. Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – for a perfect chocolate taste. Dark Chocolate Chips – Or semi-sweet dairy-free chocolate chips. The less cocoa your chocolate chips contain, the sweeter the cake will be. I use 70% cocoa vegan chocolate chips.
For the vegan chocolate ganache you will need:
Vegan Cream – You can use vegan soy cream or canned coconut cream – the top thick part of the cane. Dark Chocolate Chips – or normal vegan chocolate chips.
How To Make Vegan Chocolate Banana Cake
This chocolate cake is the most easy banana cake ever, made with just a few simple ingredients and takes under 10 minutes to whip up.
Preparation
Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper at the bottom. Use cooking oil spray to grease the sides and bottom of the pan. Set it aside. First, peel and mash the banana into a puree. It’s fine if there are still bits and pieces of banana showing. You can use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, a fork, and mash on a chopping board, or blend the bananas in a food processor. What matters is to measure the amount required by the recipe by packing the mashed banana in a measuring cup. Set it aside.
Preparing The Batter
Vegan Chocolate Ganache
To decorate the cake, make sure you wait until the chocolate cake has cooled completely to room temperature or the vegan chocolate ganache is going to melt in the cake.
Storage Instructions
Store the cake in an airtight cake box in the fridge for up to 5 days. Freeze the vegan chocolate cake whole, or in slices, for up to one month. Thaw the day before in the fridge.
Allergy Swaps
Below are some ingredient substitution ideas if you need them.
Gluten-Free – The recipe will probably work with an all-purpose 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. Note that gluten-free flour blends always change a vegan cake’s texture into a more dense gummy cake. Nut-Free – Swap the almond milk for soy milk, coconut milk, or oat milk. Oil-Free – I haven’t tried an oil-free version of this cake yet. Some readers report success using peanut butter or vegan yogurt.
