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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.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 33 minutes
Total Time 43 minutes
Servings: 6
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: British
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 2 small ripe bananas
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ cup almond milk
  • 1 egg or 1 flax egg
  • 2 tbsp almond butter
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 1 cup self-raising flour
  • 10 cooked or roasted chestnuts roughly chopped

Method
 

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C. If using an air fryer, preheat according to the manufacturer's instructions.
  2. Mash the bananas in a large mixing bowl with the vanilla extract.
  3. Add the egg, almond butter and almond milk and mix well.
  4. 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.
  5. Gently fold in the chopped chestnuts.
  6. Divide the batter between two small loaf tins lined with baking paper.
  7. 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.
  8. Leave to cool in the tins for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.