Chocolate and chestnut banana bread
This chocolate and chestnut banana bread is a delicious dairy-free bake made without any added sugar. The natural sweetness comes from ripe bananas, while cocoa, almond butter and roasted chestnuts give the cake a rich flavour and satisfying texture. It’s easy to make and can be baked in the oven or air fryer, making it a useful recipe when you want a simple homemade treat without a lot of preparation. Enjoy a slice for breakfast, with your morning coffee or as an afternoon tea snack. To make it vegan, simply replace the egg with a flax egg. The cake is best served completely cooled, when the chestnuts and banana give it a lovely moist texture.
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180°C. If using an air fryer, preheat according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Mash the bananas in a large mixing bowl with the vanilla extract.
- Add the egg, almond butter and almond milk and mix well.
- Add the oats, flour and cocoa powder. Stir until you have a thick, dense but spoonable batter. If it seems too dry, add a small splash of almond milk.
- Gently fold in the chopped chestnuts.
- Divide the batter between two small loaf tins lined with baking paper.
- Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until the cakes are risen and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. If using an air fryer, check after about 20 minutes, as cooking times can vary between models.
- Leave to cool in the tins for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.