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:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C)
2. Line an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper
3. Lightly grease the sides of the pan

Making the Batter:

1. Banana Preparation:

• Choose very ripe bananas with brown spots
• Mash thoroughly until no lumps remain
• Measure to ensure you have 1.5 cups

1. Wet Ingredients:

• In a large bowl, combine mashed bananas
• Add room temperature eggs
• Pour in maple syrup
• Add vanilla extract
• Whisk until well combined

1. Dry Ingredients:

• In a separate bowl, whisk together:
  • Oat flour
  • Cocoa powder
  • Baking powder
  • Salt

1. 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:

1. Pour batter into prepared pan
2. Smooth top with spatula
3. 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:

1. Heat almond milk until just simmering
2. Pour over chocolate chips
3. Let stand 2 minutes
4. Stir until smooth
5. 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!