After sharing some recommendations for plant-based eating in my last two posts, I’m finally back with another recipe. I’ve been making this fully plant-based banana bread pretty much weekly lately, as it’s so quick to throw together and perfect for snacking on at work or enjoying on the couch with a cup of tea. I love how fudgy it is when I don’t bake it quite through and how melty the dark chocolate chunks are, before the loaf cools!

The fact that it’s made from simple and nutritious ingredients and is only sweetend with fruit and maple syrup makes it even more irresistible (#begoodtoyourself 😉 ) and the perfect staple bake for week nights or lazy weekend mornings.

The recipe is actually an adaption from my Pumpkin PB Chocolate Chip Mini Loaves, which are perfect for fall. Definitely check them out too if you enjoy this recipe.

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Makes: ca. 6-8 slices

Ingredients

• 250g mashed banana (i.e., ca. 2 large-ish bananas, peeled)
• 2 tbsp ground flax- and/or chia seeds
• 100g soft dates*
• 5 tbsp maple syrup
• 1/4 cup natural, unsalted peanut butter (almond/cashew/hazelnut should work too)
• 1/4 cup (65 ml) plant-based milk
• 130g wheat or spelt flour (wholemeal or regular; buckwheat flour should work too for a gluten-free version, but I haven’t tested this yet)
• 1/2 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground vanilla bean
• 1 pinch salt (unless using salted nut butter)
• Ca. 50g chocolate of choice (I use 75-85%), chopped
• optional extras:
  • spices (e.g. cinnamon, cardamom)
  • chopped nuts: peanuts, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts etc.
  • dried berries: cranberries, raisins, goji berries etc.

* The dates must be soft. If your dates are dry try soaking them in hot water first and draining, before blending. I use the Sukari pitted dates from Dattelmann (international website), which are gorgeously squidgy. They’re already pitted and (super) soft. Perfect for snacking or using in baking/cooking. Using their pre-prepared date paste is even easier! You can get 15% off items not already on sale with the discount code “blueberry15” {brand collaboration}.

Method

1. Combine the mashed banana with the ground flax/chia seeds and set aside.
2. Blend together the dates, maple syrup, plant milk and peanut butter and combine with the banana mixture (don’t forget to lick the spoon – it’s divine 🙂 ).
3. Stir together the flour, baking powder, vanilla and salt (and spices) and combine with the rest of the batter. Finally, add in the chocolate chunks and chopped nuts and/or dried berries if using.
4. Pour the mixture into a small loaf tin that you’ve greased (e.g. with coconut oil) or lined with baking parchment and bake in an oven preheated to 180°C for ca. 35-40 minutes. Oven time may vary, so keep an eye on your bake. The top should be firm to the touch but the middle should still be slightly moist. Leave to cool in the tin for at least 10 minutes.
5. Serve as is or with some extra nut butter, jam and/or (n)ice cream.

Note: Once cooled, you can slice and freeze this cake to save for later.

Enjoy!

Feel free to tag @blueberrysmiles22 if you share your creations on Instagram, so I can share in the joy 🙂