Whoa...chocolate meets banana and it's a match. Oh, and did we mention it’s grain, gluten and dairy free too?
Bananary, choco-tastic, nut-a-rific. Oh, yes. This recipe goes there. If you’re looking for a luxurious, creamy chocolate cake that is super easy to make and delivers on taste and texture, you’ve come to the right spot.
A quick scan of the ingredient list and it is hard to believe that so few items could produce such a decadent cake with a beautifully fluffy consistency. And just like our Orange Cloud Bread Danish, this dessert is made without the use of flour or starch, making it keto and gluten-free friendly. It’s also made without any dairy products so suitable if you’re dairy-free too.
The sweetness of this cake is subtle, being naturally sweetened with only banana, which is counterbalanced by the bitter notes of the cacao and dark chocolate. If you want to up the sweet-factor, wait until your bananas have lots of brown spots on the skin. The more ripe your bananas, the sweeter your cake will be.
Soft avocados are the star of the show in the frosting, providing a sinlessly smooth and silky texture that gives the cake its rich creaminess. And whilst this version of the recipe features toasted nuts on top for crunchiness, the cake could equally be complemented with a fruity finish like orange zest and strawberries. Either way, you’ll have an amazingly moist chocolate cake fit for any celebration.
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 30 mins
Makes: 16 Servings
Ingredients
For the cake
3-4 large bananas, mashed (about 400g mashed)
280g smooth almond butter
3 eggs (ideally organic, free range to get the most nutritional value)
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
¼ tsp sea salt (omit this is using nut butter that is already salted)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
50g dark chocolate chopped or cacao nibs (optional - we used Montezuma’s Absolute Black 100% Cocoa Bar)
30g roasted mixed nuts, chopped (optional)
Butter or coconut oil, for greasing the cake tin
For the chocolate frosting
2 ripe avocados (250g)
1 ripe banana, (150g)
30g cacao powder
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
Method
Preheat the oven to 175°C/gas mark 4 and grease a 20cm springform cake tin with butter or coconut oil.
In a large bowl, use a fork to mash the bananas as smoothly as possible. Add in the almond butter, eggs, bicarbonate of soda, salt, and cinnamon and combine well, creating a runny cake-like batter. Fold in the chopped dark chocolate or cacao nibs, if using.
Pour the batter into the greased cake tin and use a spatula to spread it out evenly. Bake until the top is golden and the centre is firm, about 30 minutes – inset a toothpick in the middle to check it comes out clean.
Allow the cake to cool in the pan completely before transferring to a rack to air out the bottom of the cake.
For the chocolate cream frosting, combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender until completely smooth. You can add a little melted coconut oil for an even richer taste or if your blender has any trouble getting the frosting smooth.
To assemble the cake, first slice the cake in half (we used the string method to get an even and clean cut).
Place one layer with the flat side up on a plate or cake stand. Cover top with 1/4 of frosting with a spatula or knife. Place second layer on top and spread the rest of the frosting on top and sides of cake. Top with the chopped nuts if using.
Pro tip:
Feel free to exchange the almond butter for any other nut butter of your liking. Hazelnuts and chocolate is another winning combination.
You could swap the bananas for applesauce for a choccy-apple vibe.
If you're making a layered cake, it's better to prepare the cake layers one day before serving.
Because of the lack of preservatives, it’s best to make up a batch of the chocolate frosting right before you plan to use it.
Storage:
This cake is moist, so for best shelf life store it in the fridge in an airtight container for up to a week (assuming it is still around for that long!)
The colour and texture of the frosting are best immediately after blending but leftovers can be stored in the fridge for a few days and will still taste delicious.
Nutrition per serving:
Total carbs: 16g
Net carbs: 10g
Fibre: 5g
Fat: 16g
Protein: 7g
Kcal: 220