Paleo vegan chocolate bread

Paleo vegan chocolate bread. This decadent chocolate loaf is free from grains, gluten, nuts, soy, eggs and dairy AND it is one of the most delicious things you’ll eat. Seriously. 

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I have been working on this loaf for longer than I care to admit, but finally I present to you this paleo vegan chocolate loaf. It is free from all major allergens AND it is moist, rich, tender, indulgent, chocolaty and kid-approved. It is heaven.

If you love my Vegan chocolate chunk banana loaf then you’ll love this- the texture is so similar yet its a recipe you can basically make for anyone. Thats right, if your friend is vegan, paleo, has common allergies or just likes a healthy bake then this loaf is for them.

Palo vegan banana loaf

Palo vegan banana loafPaleo vegan chocolate bread ingredient list

  • Bananas. This recipe calls for bananas that are ripe but not overripe (however, either will work) as we are using them for texture and not taste.
  • Boxed coconut milk. I like this one, but you can sub for any milk you like just do not sub for canned coconut milk.
  • Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). Olive oil is used both add to add fat and flavour to this grain free vegan chocolate loaf. EVOO is a heart healthy oil extracted by pressure (not chemicals) and is a great option when baking with chocolate flavours. You can substitute oil for 2 medium eggs. 
  • Coconut sugar or any granulated sugar that you prefer. You can use monk fruit sweetener too if you wish to make this sugar free.
  • Cassava flour. Cassava flour is becoming more widely available, however I continue to source mine from iHerb. I choose this brand. Cassava flour is a fantastic grain free baking flour that naturally replaces some virtues of eggs in baking. UPDATE- I have since tried this with 3 spades cassava flour, an Australian product that I buy from here. Both Ottos and 3 spades are now recommended for this recipe. 
  • Cocoa powder or Dutch press cacao. Cacao is a more natural ingredient choice however Dutch cocoa will give you a richer flavour. Choose whichever you prefer.
  • Baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. The baking usuals.

Oil free option

Update- there is now an oil-free version for this paleo chocolate bread. If you don’t have (or want to use) olive oil, you can simple swap for 2 medium eggs at room temperature. Eggs make this recipe even fluffier and more spongy, and while they are not necessary for a moist and fully result- they are an easy swap for oil. You will also need to adjust the rising agents if you use egg, as follows;

  • Substitute the olive oil for 2 medium eggs, at room temperature
  • Reduce baking powder to 1 tsp
  • Reduce baking soda to 1/2 tsp 

Is this a loaf or a cake?

The paleo vegan chocolate bread is designed to be only a semi sweet loaf, that is more like a snack to go with a cup of tea or a lunch box filler. The whole loaf only has 1/2 cup of added coconut sugar and this is deliberate- my goal was a healthier style chocolate loaf and NOT a cake. 

If you want to make this into a cake increase the sugar to 1 cup in total. This will make our paleo chocolate bread both sweeter and moister, and the perfect base to top with an icing of your choice. 

Palo vegan banana loaf

Palo vegan banana loaf

Palo vegan banana loafBaking with cassava flour

I love baking with cassava flour, however it is still considered a new kid on the block. Here are a few tips to get you started with it;

  • You can find cassava flour in some health food stores or online like here. I use the Ottos brand, and substituting for another brand may alter results as the flour can vary in how much liquid it will absorb. I have not tried this loaf with any other brand. Update- I have tried and tested this recipe using 3 spades cassava flour too, with great results. 3 spades is an Australian grown and owned product
  • Cassava flour is toxic when raw, so you cannot use it for no-bake recipes and you should not eat the batter. Cooked cassava flour is not harmful, and cassava is a traditional food that simply requires cooking.
  • It is extremely fine and needs to handled with care. I find it is best spooned into a bowl. Pouring will result in a HUGE dust cloud!
  • The taste is neutral and slightly nutty. The texture is soft and powdery. 
  • It is gluten, grain and nut free.
  • In many recipes cassava flour can be exchanged 1:1 with whet flour due to its naturally occurring binders that replace the need for gluten.

Palo vegan banana bread

Palo vegan banana loaf

Palo vegan banana loaf

Palo vegan banana loafWe hope you enjoy this incredible grain free, vegan chocolate loaf as much as we do. We love that you can basically feed it to anyone regardless of their dietary choices or needs.

If you’re after more free from recipes you might like to try;

We love to hear from you! Your reviews and comments help other people find this recipe too, so if you’re feeling generous please consider leaving one. 

Palo vegan banana loaf

Palo vegan banana loaf

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Palo vegan banana loaf

Paleo vegan chocolate bread

  • Author: Jade Woodd
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 45 mins
  • Total Time: 55 minutes
  • Yield: 12 serves 1x
  • Category: Snacks
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: Australian
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

This decadent paleo vegan chocolate bread is free from gluten, grains, eggs, dairy, nuts, sesame and soy. It is rich, moist, soft and so delicious.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 375g (1 1/2 cups mashed) ripe banana (*see notes)
  • 182g (3/4 cup) boxed coconut milk
  • 110g (1/2 cup) extra virgin olive oil (see notes for oil free option)
  • 85g (1/2 cup) coconut sugar (see notes)
  • 195g (1 1/2 cups) cassava flour
  • 28g (4 Tbsp) coconut flour
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 55g (1/2 cup) cacao powder OR Dutch pressed cocoa
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt
  • Optional 1/2 cup choc chips or choice or dark chocolate (*choose a chocolate that suits any dietary needs, eg soy free, dairy free, paleo).

Instructions

  1. I recommend using scales for this recipe to get precise results. If you prefer to use cups all measurements are using Australian metric cups/spoons, and should be measured following a scoop and scrape method.
  2. Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease and line a standard baking loaf and set aside. For best results it is best to test your oven using an oven thermometer to get consistent results as many ovens run hotter/cooler than they appear.
  3. In a large mixing bowl add bananas, milk, oil and sugar. Use a stick blender to blend until smooth. You can alternatively put these ingredients into a blender first and then transfer to a bowl. If you have neither a blender or a stick blender first add the banana to a bowl and mash very well. Next, add milk, oil and sugar and whisk together until smooth.
  4. Sift in flours, cinnamon, caca/cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Use a large wooden spoon to very gently fold together the wet and dry mix and stop once the batter is almost uniform. Add the chocolate chips and fold through gently- it should only be just mixed through. At this stage the batter will be very thick- this is completely normal. You will see the baking soda and powder starting to bubble meaning you need to gently yet quickly transfer the batter to your prepared tin. Use the back side of a spoon to carefully spread out the batter to form an even layer.
  5. Transfer to the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes. Test with a skewer, looking for many moist crumbs but no wet/runny batter remaining on teh stick. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

You can begin to cut this loaf after 1/2 hour while still warm (just use a large sharp, seated knife).

The first 2 days this loaf is light, fluffy and moist. On day 3 it becomes more dense and is almost like a cakey brownie slice.

Once fully cool store in an airtight container in 10 minutes pantry (up to 3 days) or fridge (5-7 days).

This loaf is freezer friendly. Wrap individual slices and freeze, storing  for up to 3 months.


Notes

  • Unlike many recipes that call for very ripe/brown bananas this recipe does not. Ripe  (yellow skin) or very ripe (spotty/brown skin) bananas both work well here.

SUBSTITUTIONS

Boxed coconut milk may be substituted for any milk but do not sub for canned coconut milk.

Coconut sugar can be swapped for your preferred granulated sweetener, including a monk fruit substitute. Note- this is NOT an overly sweet loaf. If you want the taste to be more like a chocolate cake increase the sugar to 1 cup.

Oil free option- you can substitute the oil for 2 x medium eggs at room temperature. You will need to then reduce the baking powder to 1 tsp and baking soda to 1/2 tsp.

23 Comments
  1. This chocolate loaf is absolutely perfect! Amazing texture- soft and moist, but not sticky, the taste is so good too – banana/chocolaty delight with cinnamon flavour – couldn’t be better!

    1. Awww Katja, I am so happy to hear that. I truely love this loaf and I am so happy you do too.

  2. Beautiful fudgy and easy to make! The first one was gone in about 5 seconds, I recommend making two at a time 😂
    Jade what butter or vegan butter spread do you use or make for your breads and loaves?

    1. Hi Becca,

      Thanks for the lovely review- I truely love this recipe too. So indulgent.

      I use grass-fed butter and for vegan butter I found the best for baking to the the Natural vegan block.

    1. I don’t think so for this recipe, as cassava flour is quite unique. However if you do give it a go let me know if it turned out.

  3. Yum! Instead of coconut sugar I used half and half brown sugar and monk fruit , it’s so rich and delicious next time I might try some grated apple in it or sultanas definitly my new favourite …

  4. Oh and also to add I didn’t have cassava flour so I used tapioca starch as I googled it’s a good substitute and it’s also much cheaper and easy to find and it was divine !!!

    1. That is amazing news! I have never tried tapioca as a substitute so I really appreciate you doing teh resting for me, hehe.

  5. This recipe is just amazing!!
    It is the most delicious chocolate cake I’ve made since adding more nutrients into my diet many years ago.
    Thank you for sharing your creations with us.

    1. Thanks so much for the gorgeous review Ash, and I’m so glad you made this cake because it’s amazing, right?

  6. This was SO good. It rose beautifully in the oven but deflated quite a bit when I took it out. Mine turned out fudgy-chewy, more like mochi-brownie. Still delicious! Just wondering what could have caused the dense texture (it was dense on day of baking). Thank you for the fantastic recipe, hope to see more vegan ones in the future 🙂

    1. Ah, this loaf is something I forget to bake- thanks for the reminder. I’m so glad you enjoyed it, and yes- I’ll be doing more vegan recipes soon.

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