Healthy Banana Chocolate Cake: A Guilt-Free Chocolate Dream
Ingredients
For the Cake:
3 large ripe bananas (about 1.5 cups mashed)
½ cup oat flour (60g)
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (50g)
2 large eggs, room temperature
¼ cup pure maple syrup (60ml)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
Optional Chocolate Ganache:
½ cup dark chocolate chips
¼ cup almond milk or coconut milk
Detailed Instructions
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)
Line an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper
Lightly grease the sides of the pan
Making the Batter:
Banana Preparation:
Choose very ripe bananas with brown spots
Mash thoroughly until no lumps remain
Measure to ensure you have 1.5 cups
Wet Ingredients:
In a large bowl, combine mashed bananas
Add room temperature eggs
Pour in maple syrup
Add vanilla extract
Whisk until well combined
Dry Ingredients:
In a separate bowl, whisk together:
Oat flour
Cocoa powder
Baking powder
Salt
Combining:
Gradually fold dry ingredients into wet
Mix until just combined
Don’t overmix to keep cake tender
Fold in walnuts if using
Baking Process:
Pour batter into prepared pan
Smooth top with spatula
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until:
Toothpick comes out mostly clean
Top springs back when lightly pressed
Edges start to pull away from pan
Optional Ganache Topping:
Heat almond milk until just simmering
Pour over chocolate chips
Let stand 2 minutes
Stir until smooth
Pour over cooled cake
Storage Tips
Room temperature: 2 days in airtight container
Refrigerated: up to 5 days
Freezer: up to 3 months (wrap well)
Nutrition Information
Per slice (1/8 of cake, without ganache):
Calories: 145
Protein: 4g
Carbohydrates: 25g
Fiber: 4g
Sugar: 12g (all from natural sources)
Fat: 5g
Potassium: 280mg
Iron: 1.5mg
Expert Tips
Use very ripe bananas for maximum sweetness
Make fresh oat flour by blending rolled oats
Bring eggs to room temperature for better mixing
Don’t overbake – cake should remain fudgy
Cool completely before adding toppings
Sift cocoa powder to prevent lumps
Variations
Add ½ teaspoon cinnamon or espresso powder
Replace walnuts with pecans or almonds
Add dark chocolate chips to the batter
Top with sliced bananas
Spread with almond butter instead of ganache
Add orange zest for chocolate-orange flavor
This healthy banana chocolate cake is perfect for:
Clean eating desserts
Gluten-free diets
Post-workout treats
Kid-friendly healthy snacks
Breakfast cake
Special occasions requiring a healthier option
The beauty of this cake lies in how it transforms everyday healthy ingredients into a decadent dessert that satisfies even the strongest chocolate cravings. It’s particularly impressive served to those who are skeptical about healthy desserts – they won’t believe it’s made without traditional flour or refined sugar!
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