Vegan Chocolate Banana Bread
This vegan chocolate banana bread is rich, moist and so easy to make. It’s bursting with chocolate flavor but made with simple ingredients you probably already have on hand! Plus, it’s also gluten free.
I am SO excited for you guys to try this recipe. It’s rich and chocolatey but so easy to make. All you need is one bowl, a few simple ingredients you probably already have on hand and about 10 minutes of prep time!
I of course made this loaf gluten free by using gluten free all purpose flour, but you are more than welcome to use regular all purpose flour. Trust me, I wouldn’t spend the extra money on gluten free flour if I didn’t have to lol.
This recipe can also easily be made refined sugar free by swapping the brown sugar for coconut sugar and using your favorite RSF chocolate chips.
It’s a vegan take on my chocolate banana muffins, with a few tweaks to make it into a loaf. You’ll notice we’re using quite a lot of banana puree (a full 2 cups) and that’s because since this recipe doesn’t call for eggs.
I just like to use extra banana instead of using another egg replacer like flax eggs. Makes it easier and lowers the ingredient list! Try my cinnamon swirl oat flour banana bread or banana oatmeal breakfast cookies next!
How to make vegan chocolate banana bread
Puree the bananas in a blender and measure out 2 cups worth. Add to a bowl with all remaining wet ingredients and whisk together.
Add in the dry ingredients, making sure to spoon and level the flour/cocoa powder, leave aside the chocolate for now.
Whisk until a smooth batter forms. It’ll be on the thicker side. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Add to a loaf pan (mine was 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 but 9 x 5 also works) lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle on additional chocolate chips on top.
Bake for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let sit in the pan for 20 minutes, then lift out and let cool on a cooling rack.
Wait until completely cool before slicing to avoid crumbling. Enjoy!
Pureed vs. mashed banana
With gluten free and vegan banana bread, I always recommend pureeing the bananas instead of mashing.
You can run the risk of having a gummy loaf when you eliminate eggs and gluten, and having clumps of banana doesn’t help that issue.
Pureeing the banana makes the batter super smooth and puts more air into it which helps give it a nice rise. If you don’t have a blender, you can definitely just mash, but try to remove as many clumps as possible.
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Prevent it from crumbling
You can eat banana bread fresh out of the oven, however, it is very likely to crumble if you slice it right away. This is the case with most quick breads like pumpkin bread, but especially true if it’s gluten free and vegan.
For best results, I recommend letting this vegan chocolate banana bread cool for at least 1 hour before slicing.
How to store
Once prepared, this recipe will keep for about 3-5 days. I like to store it in a container covered with foil. In an air tight container it can get a bit mushy, but it’ll dry out if just left out, so foil is best!
You can store it at room temperature, but it will keep for longer in the fridge.
Frequently asked questions
What should bananas look like when you make bread?
Pretty ugly! The browner the better. You want your bananas to have lots of brown spots to ensure they’re soft and sweet.
Unripe bananas won’t be as sweet, and since this recipe is not totally packed with sugar, we want to make sure the bananas are plenty sweet!
Can I use a different sugar?
Yes! I used light brown sugar for this recipe because it adds some moisture and a subtle caramely flavor, but you are welcome to use regular white sugar, or coconut sugar if you prefer a refined sugar free version.
What’s the best pan for banana bread?
I used an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 loaf pan, but you can use 9 x 5 if you have that instead.
Whatever you use, you ideally want it to be aluminum, not ceramic or glass because it conducts heat more evenly and ensures an even bake.
You’ll also love..
- Chocolate Banana Muffins
- Double Chocolate Cookies
- Gluten Free Mug Cake
- Vegan Banana Cake
- Chickpea Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Vegan Chocolate Mousse
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Vegan Chocolate Banana Bread
by: claire cary
Ingredients
Wet
- 2 cups pureed banana* about 4 very ripe bananas
- ⅓ cup melted coconut oil refined, not virgin
- ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons non-dairy milk
- ¾ cup light brown sugar*
- 1 tablespoon apple cider or white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry
- 1 ¾ cup gluten free all purpose baking flour regular works too
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Puree the bananas in a blender and measure out 2 cups worth.
- Add to a bowl with all remaining wet ingredients and whisk together.
- Add in the dry ingredients, making sure to spoon and level the flour/cocoa powder, leave aside the chocolate for now.
- Whisk until a smooth batter forms. It’ll be on the thicker side. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Add to a loaf pan (mine was 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 but 9 x 5 also works) lined with parchment paper and smooth out of the top with the back of a spoon.
- Take a knife, and cut a roughly 1/2 inch deep slit down the loaf, lengthwise about 1 inch from the side. This will help it rise properly and form a nice crack.
- Sprinkle on additional chocolate chips on top.
- Bake for 55-65 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let sit in the pan for 20 minutes, then lift out and let cool on a cooling rack.
- Remove from the oven and let sit in the pan for 20 minutes, then lift out and let cool on a cooling rack.
- Wait until completely cool before slicing to avoid crumbling. Enjoy!
Notes
Comments
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Made this tonight for my son who has milk and egg allergies. I must have done something wrong because this came out with the top layer like hard bark and had no taste to it. I’m a little upset I feel like I wasted my time with this one. I followed the recipe all except I did not have vinegar so I used lemon juice instead. What did I do wrong?
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Sorry you’re having issues! The vinegar shouldn’t have any affect on it! What kind of pan did you use? Were your bananas really ripe? Did you use Bob’s Red Mill flour or a different one?
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