Vegan Chocolate Banana Bread - Glow Diaries (2024)

This Vegan Chocolate Banana Bread is a delicious quick bread that combines the rich, deep flavor of dark chocolate and cacao with the natural sweetness of ripe bananas. It is decadently moist and delicious without being overly sweet. Plus, it’s simple to make and uses regular everyday ingredients – no egg replacers needed. The perfect better-for-you sweet snack or breakfast.

Vegan Chocolate Banana Bread

I love a good quick bread. They’re the perfect balance when I’m craving something a bit sweet but I also want to feel energized. Ever since I made my Chocolate Zucchini Bread recipe, it got me thinking about making a chocolate version of my Easy Banana Bread. It’s not as sweet as cake, but still very rich and moist – perfect for a sweet snack or breakfast with a cup of coffee. This recipe uses a hint of instant coffee, but you can’t taste it at all, it is just there to enhance the richness of the chocolate flavor.

If you’re also into better-for-you baking, then definitely try my Buckwheat Banana Bread or my lightly sweetened Zucchini Muffins.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• The rich combination of dark chocolate and ripe bananas creates a moist, indulgent loaf that’s packed with flavor and chocolatey goodness.
• Easy to make, with simple ingredients this recipe is low effort and very straightforward.
• Perfect as a breakfast treat, a snack, or a dessert.

Ingredients You’ll Need

You’ll find the specific quantities for each ingredient listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this post, but for your convenience, here’s a shopping list of everything you’ll need:

• All-purpose flour
• Cacao powder
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Ripe bananas
• Vegetable oil
• Brown sugar
• Milk (I use soy)
• Instant coffee
• Vanilla extract
• Dark chocolate chips

Instructions

Follow this step-by-step guide with photos to make my Vegan Chocolate Banana Bread recipe. For detailed timings, temperatures, and exact quantities, check the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Step One: In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.

Step Two: Whisk dry ingredients until combined.

Step Three: In a separate medium-sized bowl, combine the mashed bananas, vegetable oil, brown sugar, egg, milk, coffee muddle, and vanilla extract. Mix until well combined.

Step Four: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.

Step Five: Stir until just combined.

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Step Six: Add ½ cup of the chocolate chips. and mix until just combined.

Step Seven: Mix chocolate chips into the batter until just combined.

Step Eight: Pour the batter into a lined loaf tin. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of chocolate chips on top.

Step Nine: Bake for 50 minutes or until completely cooked through the center.

Step Ten: Allow to cool before slicing. Enjoy!

Substitutions & Variations

• Vegetable oil can be substituted with coconut oil, melted vegan butter or margarine.
• Any kind of milk will work in this recipe. I prefer soy as it has a similar nutritional profile to dairy milk, but you can use almond, oat, rice or even dairy as well. The only milk I wouldn’t recommend is coconut, as I find it imparts too much of its own flavor.
• If you don’t have brown sugar in the pantry, it can be replaced with coconut sugar or granulated sugar.
• Use any kind of chocolate chips you’d like – I’ve opted for dark chocolate because I like that it’s not overly sweet.
• Instant coffee can be replaced with brewed or espresso coffee, or omitted altogether. Keep in mind it doesn’t actually impart any coffee flavor into the final baked good – it’s just included to enhance the rich chocolate flavor.
• Add-ins such as walnuts or pecans instead of chocolate chips (or go half-half) can be used if you’d like to experiment with a more nutty flavor profile. I haven’t tested it myself, but I think a sprinkle of some dried cranberries would also work very nicely with the dark chocolate.
• Cacao powder can be substituted for cocoa powder. It doesn’t have the same health benefits as cacao, but will still taste delicious.

Storage

Store your Chocolate Banana Bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. If you live in a warm climate, or want to keep it for a few days longer, then store it in the refrigerator for up to a week. Be sure to wrap it tightly in plastic wrap as it will dry out faster.

You can also freeze your chocolate banana bread – it holds up really well. I find the best way to do this is to pre-slice the loaf, wrap the slices individually in plastic wrap, and place them in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or in the microwave on defrost setting for 30 seconds at a time until thawed.

Expert Tips

For an extra moist and flavorful loaf, let the Chocolate Banana Bread cool completely before slicing. This allows the flavors to meld and the texture to set, making each slice perfectly tender and delicious. If you can wait, letting it rest overnight will make it even more flavorful!

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FAQ

Serving Suggestions and More Recipes

Enjoy your Chocolate Banana Bread on its own, or for an extra indulgent treat, spread a layer of nut butter on top – try it with my Healthy Biscoff or Homemade Nutella on top.

More Recipes You Might Like:

• Classic Banana Bread: For a simple and easy snack, try my original Vegan Banana Bread recipe without chocolate.
• Chocolate Zucchini Bread: Just as moist as this banana version but with a more subtle flavor profile. Very tasty and hidden veggies are always a win for kids and adults.
• Zucchini Muffins: A mildly sweetened handheld snack that is moist and healthy with flavors of cinnamon and vanilla.

This Chocolate Banana Bread is rich, moist, and packed with dark chocolate chips. It’s a favorite of mine for a breakfast treat or snack when I’m craving something chocolatey. Enjoy it as a better-for-you sweet treat any time of day. If you enjoyed this recipe, I would be incredibly grateful if you could leave a star rating and review—it helps others find and enjoy my recipes! Don’t forget to tag me in your photos on Instagram @glowdiaries___, I love to reshare your posts in my stories.

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