Vegan Banana Bread with 100% Cacao

This vegan banana bread is moist, easy to prepare and gets an intense, slightly bitter chocolate note from chopped Moruga 100% cacao. Unlike classic chocolate chips, real cacao brings less sweetness and more depth, fat and aroma into the dough.

If you are not sure which cacao works for recipes, compare current origins and bundles on Moruga cacao varieties.

Ingredients

For the batter

• 2 cups (160 g) rolled oats
• 2 cups (200 g) spelt flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 3 ripe bananas
• 2 cups (480 ml) oat milk
• 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
• 1/4 cup (80 g) maple syrup
• 2 tbsp chia seeds, soaked in water
• 1/3 cup Moruga Cacao, finely chopped, about 15-20 Drops or 3-4 squares

For the topping

• 1 banana
• A little maple syrup

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius top/bottom heat.
2. Blend the rolled oats, spelt flour, baking powder and cinnamon until the mixture has a flour-like consistency.
3. Add bananas, oat milk, coconut oil and maple syrup and blend well.
4. Stir in the chia seeds and chopped Moruga Cacao with a spoon.
5. Pour the batter into a loaf pan lined with baking paper and smooth the surface.
6. Halve the final banana lengthwise, place it on top of the batter and brush with a little maple syrup.
7. Bake the banana bread for about 40 minutes until firm and lightly browned.
8. Let it cool completely before slicing.

Why 100% cacao works in banana bread

Ripe bananas and maple syrup already bring sweetness into the dough. That is why 100% cacao works so well here: it balances sweetness with bitterness and real cacao aroma. If you usually use cocoa powder or chocolate chips, Moruga Cacao is different. It still contains the natural cacao butter and therefore melts more fully in baked goods.

For the difference between cacao, chocolate and cocoa powder, read cacao or chocolate? and ceremonial cacao vs. cocoa powder.

Tips

• For more crunch, add chopped nuts or extra cacao Drops on top of the batter.
• If you prefer less sweetness, reduce the maple syrup slightly.
• Stored airtight, the banana bread stays moist for 2 to 3 days.

For regular cacao recipes, the Moruga Starter Kit is useful. If you also want to prepare cacao as a drink, start with how to prepare Moruga Cacao. For buying criteria and quality transparency, continue with how to buy 100% cacao and Moruga lab tests.