I have been making lots of versions of this gluten, dairy and sugar free banana bread lately because I keep ending up with a fruit bowl full of over ripe bananas and rather than throwing them out it’s the perfect opportunity to make a yummy banana loaf for the family. Today I decided to try a chocolate version by adding cacao to the mix and it is amazing!
This loaf is perfect for lunch boxes because it is nut free and lots of schools require that you don’t pack anything nutty in lunch boxes. This loaf is also a great option for breakfast or snacks because it is full of great real food ingredients and is totally delicious!
I hope you enjoy this loaf as much as we have.
Healthy Choc Banana Loaf
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Author: Caralee - Real Food Pledge
Serves: 10
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried dates
- ½ cup coconut flour
- ¼ cup raw cacao powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- Pinch of salt
- 2 ripe banana's
- 5 eggs
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
- ¼ cup water
Instructions
- Turn the oven on 180 degrees celsius and line a loaf tin with baking paper.
- In a food processor place the dates & coconut flour and whizz together until the dates are very finely chopped.
- Add the cacao, baking soda and salt. Whizz until combined.
- In a large bowl, mash the banana's, then add eggs, whisk together with a fork.
- Add the coconut oil and water and combine all the wet ingredients.
- Then add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and combine trying not to over mix. (I do this in the food processor as it is pretty quick)
- Pour the batter into the lined loaf pan and place in the oven for 30 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
How did you know I had overripe bananas on my counter, too? This recipe will take care of those bananas right away. Looks yummy!
Hi great loaf!!! My kids have loved it in their lunch boxes. Question for you though, you have baking soda in the ingredients and then baking powder in the instructions. Mind my ignorance if they are the same but which is it?
Hi Anna – thanks for pointing that out, it is a spelling error and meant to say baking soda. Baking powder has gluten in it so I don’t use it. Thanks 🙂
Hi there, my baking powder called Magic Baking Powder doesn’t have gluten in it. I’m a celiac, so I’m a very careful label reader.
HI Caralee, I made this but turned it into muffins with the addition of cocao nibs & walnuts (as it wasnt going to school!) & omg it was the best thing ever. I have never liked sugar & dont eat traditional baking or chocolate etc because I simply dont like the taste. But I tried a beetroot cake with cacoa icing from the local paleo store & yum I did want more of the real food cake! I just wanted to thank you for inspiring me to try this sort of cooking by sharing your story & being so generous with your recipes 🙂 This recipe was my very first attempt at making my own & it was so easy & delicious. This is definitely not going to be a first & last real food cook. I now have a healthy, non savoury breakfast option – tx again!!
Hi Alison. Thanks for your lovely message and I am so glad that you enjoyed the recipe. This recipe would be perfect as muffins, what a great idea. 🙂 xxx
Olly loved this recipe. We’ve made it twice now, with wholemeal flour because we aren’t gluten free, and I only added 4 eggs the second time round and broke in some pieces of green and black 85% chocolate into the batter. It worked really well! Thanks for the inspiration!
Hi Anna, thanks for you message. I am glad that you and Olly love the recipe! 🙂 xx
Hi there,
just wondering is there anyway to make this amazing looking loaf without a food processor?
HI. Yes you can make it by hand absolutely. You will have to chop the dates up by hand, to make that easier you could soak them in hot water before you chop them.
Mash the banana by hand with a fork and the rest of the loaf can just be mixed in a bowl. Enjoy. 🙂
Hi Caralee, made the choc banana loaf & the sweet potato bacon asparagus quiche today. it was really nice. l have been following your recipes for more than twelve months now. must say they are very nice. l have to watch what l am eating health & weight wise. Just one question though would it be possible down the track that there could be and listing of carbs protein, sugar ect. on your recipes. that would help more with people struggling with there weight.
Keep going l would be lost without your lovely recipes.
cheers Deb.,
Hi Deb. Thanks for your kind words and I am glad that you are loving the recipes. The idea of my food philosophy is that I no longer count calories, carbs, fats and sugars etc. I started my ‘real food pledge’ because I was sick and tired of that weight/diet roller coaster after being on it for two decades and I just wanted to be free from counting and worrying. This has worked for me, but I quite strictly stick to real food and I don’t eat treats or like bliss balls or this loaf all the time. Also it takes me a lot of time to create, photograph and post these recipes and working out the nutritional value of my recipes would be something else that would take up heaps of time. So that is the reason that I don’t list the values. My personal simple tip for weight loss is to get really basic until you reach your goal… veg, meat, seafood, fruit, eggs and that’s it. Eat as much as you want but nothing else. You will be amazed at how easy it is. 🙂 x
I have made the bliss balls and the loaf and although it’s nice to know i don’t have to worry about calories, and being the only one in the family that eats these ‘treats’, I’ve found myself, having a slice of the loaf and maybe a ball or two each day.
I know it’s not doing any damage eating ‘real food’ however, I’m probably pushing my daily requirement, aren’t I?
You better give it to me straight, Caralee!!
Hi Melissa. Haha… 🙂 I think you know the answer already! These are still treats so not to be eaten every day and maybe just enjoyed every now and then. One ides is to pop them in the freezer so that they are not so accessible. My rule of thumb is that if you are happy with your weight and they don’t cause you a problem then go for it, but if you are wanting to loose weight then they are off the menu because they are high in energy & they won’t help with getting to your goal. I am glad that you are loving the recipes though 🙂 xx
So easy to make and so tasty
Thanks Brooke 🙂 xx
By far my favourite banana bread recipe!
I didn’t have any dried dates so I used half saltanas and fresh dates and it worked a treat! A very versatile recipe!
This recipe is amazing!! I just discovered your website, and I’ve already made the red curry fish and sweet potato fish patties as well. I love that healthy food can taste so good! Thank you for posting these recipes 🙂
Oh Hi Carlie! Thanks for your message, I am so glad that you have been loving the recipes. Yes healthy food can taste amazing! Enjoy 🙂 xx
My girls don’t like the strong flavour of coconut oil. Can I use butter instead
Hi Sam. Absolutely, what you your family likes best.
Super fast and easy to make. It definitely will be made again.
Hi Sue. I am glad that you love it!
Outstanding, easy recipe for moist, dense, delicious bread every time. I confess to adding all the ingredients in succession to my Vitamix (blending dates and coconut flour together first, loosening clumps from bottom, then adding all the rest and mixing on steady slow speed using tamper). Ease of prep is a big motivator for me. I am baking in a glass loaf pan for a full 55-60 minutes at 360 degrees fahrenheit (exact conversion is 356 degrees) to achieve the squeaky clean skewer. Many thanks!
Hi Diane. That is how I make it too, just throw everything in the food processor, but you do need a good one to be able to do that. I am glad that you love the recipe. xx
OMG!!! Amazing!!! My 8 year old made it and then the 6 and 42 year old helped him devour it!
Thank you for all your amazing recipes-it’s been so easy to quit sugar as a family with your superb bank of recipes. Your website is a joy to search through. Well done.
Jo
Hi Jo. Thanks for your lovely message. I am so happy to hear that your 8 years old is baking, that is fabulous! Enjoy xx
Hi Caralee,
I’ve just used this recipe and am very happy with the results:) Thank you! I’m just wondering is it ok to store the loaf in the fridge or leave on the kitchen bench for the next day?
Thank you
Alina
Hi Alina
That is excellent and so good to hear! The loaf can be stored for a few days on the bench but will last longer in the fridge. I actually slice it and place it in the freezer so that I can eat it for the weeks ahead. It is great toasted straight from the freezer too.
Caralee xx