Chocolate Banana Easter Speckle Cake (Vegan Egg-Free)
A rich and indulgent Chocolate Banana Easter Speckle Cake made with simple vegan and easily gluten-free ingredients. Decorate this cake with chocolate splatters for a wow-factor Easter bake.
I am all about Easter baking at the minute and this one ticks all the boxes as it’s chocolatey, easy to make and looks like a showstopper. And it is even better as it’s a banana bread-inspired recipe! So, say hello to the banana bread for April. This one is a beauty and so easy to make for Easter gatherings, but don’t let that hold you back. You can make this cake any time of the year, you don’t need an excuse.
Why will I love this cake?
This cake is delicious, it is:
- Rich, chocolatey and indulgent
- Made with easy to find ingredients
- A cross between a fudge brownie cake and banana bread
- Moist, tender and so delicious
- Naturally coloured with blue spirulina powder
- Lighter and lower in sugar than other bakes
- Naturally vegan, egg-free and dairy-free
- Easily gluten-free and nut-free
- Quick to make in one bowl
- Great to make ahead of time
- A real showstopper cake with the wow-factor
If you already love the sound of this cake, then skip ahead to the recipe card below. Or, first let’s discuss the recipe in more detail.
What ingredients do I need?
You can find all the ingredients in the recipe card below and the “shop the recipe” section where I link to my favourite products.
For the cake we need:
- Ripe bananas: the riper the better as they are softer, sweeter and lend a better texture to this cake.
- Plant-based milk: any milk is great here like oat, almond, coconut (from the carton) or soya.
- Apple cider vinegar: mix this with the dairy-free milk to create a buttermilk. The acid curdles the milk which helps bind this egg-free batter.
- Light olive oil: this adds richness, moisture and healthy fats to the cake. I always prefer to use a light olive oil as opposed to butter in baking as it creates such soft textures. You can use a richer olive oil for more flavour, or use sunflower oil or melted and cooled coconut oil will also work.
- Coconut sugar: I love the richness that coconut sugar lends to cake batters but you can also use golden or regular caster sugar.
- Vanilla essence: for flavour.
- Plain or GF plain flour: this keeps the sponge moist and tender. If making this cake gluten-free, use your preferred 1:1 baking flour blend that contains xanthan gum to help bind the batter.
- Cacao powder: I used the Natures Heart cacao powder for this even though I’d usually cocoa powder, so feel free to use either for this cake, as long as it’s 100% cacao/cocoa.
- Raising agents and salt: for the rise and flavour.
And for decorating this cake, we need:
- Vegan butter: make this is room temperature and soft to touch. This is the block-style butter.
- Icing sugar: also known as powdered sugar.
- Blue spirulina powder: this is what makes the icing the speckle egg blue colour and you can find this in health-food stores as well as online. I’ve linked here to the one I use.
- Dark chocolate bananas: these are so good and were the inspiration for this cake. The Natures Heart dark chocolate bananas are gooey, chocolatey and packed with a chewy banana coin in the middle. They are truly divine.
- Vegan Easter eggs: for crushing on top of the cake. Use any dairy-free chocolate Easter egg and have fun smashing it up.
- Mini eggs: these are for decorating and add so much colour. I love the “good eggs” from Doisy and Dam or H!P chocolate do great Cadbury mini egg alternatives.
This is gluten-free and nut-free?
This is easily gluten-free, as long as you use GF flour. I recommend a 1:1 baking blend that contains xanthan gum and one you’d usually bake with. To keep this nut-free, check that none of your ingredients do not contain nuts like the chocolate eggs, milk and butter alternatives.
How do I make this?
Like most of my recipes, this is a one-bowl batter:
- Whisk together the milk and apple cider vinegar: and allow to curdle for 5 minutes.
- Whisk in the rest of the wet ingredients: till combined.
- Sift in the dry ingredients: and whisk to a smooth batter.
- Divide equally between two cake tins: smooth over the tops and bake for 28 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the tins: then lift out to cool fully on wire racks.
- Beat together all the ingredients for the frosting: till light and fluffy.
- Slice the tops off the cakes, if they have domed: to create flatter, sturdier surfaces.
- Place one cake on a serving platter: and spread with 1/3 of the buttercream.
- Sprinkle over some smashed mini eggs: to add a lovely crunch in the middle.
- Top with the second cake: and cover with the rest of the buttercream. An angled spatula will help this, and use a cake turning table if you have one.
- Chill for 10 minutes: to allow the frosting to set.
- Mix up the ingredients for the splatter: until it will flick off the spoon.
- Remove the cake from the fridge and flick the chocolate all over the cake: to create the speckle effect.
- Decorate with dark chocolate bananas, Easter eggs and other chocolates: or leave it simple.
- Slice and serve: with tea, coffee or cold dairy-free milk.
How long will this cake last?
This cake lasted about 1 day in the house but it will keep for 2-3 days in a sealed container in the fridge, wrapped well. You can freeze the sponges once cool, too. Wrap them well and freeze for 1 month before frosting and decorating.
What other Easter and chocolate recipes can I make?
If you are looking for more Easter ideas, how about my:
- Giant Chocolate Crispy Cake
- Dark Chocolate Easter Egg Cake
- Vegan Black Forest Gateau
- Chocolate Bourbon Biscuit Banana Bread
- Snickers Banana Bread
Chocolate Banana Easter Speckle Cake
A rich and indulgent Chocolate Banana Easter Speckle Cake made with simple vegan and easily gluten-free ingredients. Decorate this cake with chocolate splatters for a wow-factor Easter bake.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 300g ripe banana (3 large or 4 small bananas)
- 120ml plant-based milk + 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 120ml light olive oil or sunflower oil
- 70g coconut sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 150g plain or GF plain flour
- 40g cacao powder
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- A pinch of salt
For the Frosting:
- 75g vegan butter, softened
- 225g icing sugar
- 2 tbsp plant-based milk
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- ¼ - ½ tsp blue spirulina powder (or vegan blue food gel)
To Decorate:
- 1 tsp cacao powder
- 2 tsp vanilla essence
- 1 pouch dark chocolate bananas
- 1 dairy-free easter egg, smashed
- Chocolate mini eggs, some smashed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 160Fan/180ºC and grease and line two 6-inch cake tins with parchment paper.
- Mash the banana well. Stir together the milk and apple cider vinegar and leave for 5 minutes to curdle.
- To a large mixing bowl: add the mashed banana, milk-vinegar mix, oil, sugar and vanilla. Whisk to a smooth mixture and sift in the flour, cacao powder, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda. Add a pinch of salt and whisk to a smooth, thick batter.
- To bake: divide equally between the two tins and smooth over the tops. Place in the middle of the oven for 28 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool for 10 minutes then carefully lift out the tins to cool fully on a wire rack.
- For the buttercream: add the softened butter to a freestanding mixer bowl and beat for 1 minute, till fluffy. Now gradually add in the icing sugar, milk, vanilla and blue spirulina powder to reach your desired colour. Once fully incorporated continue to beat on high for 1-2 minutes, until really fluffy.
- To assemble the cake: slice the tops off if they have domed. Place one cake on a serving plate and cover with 1/3 of the buttercream. Sprinkle over some smashed mini eggs, if desired. Top with the second cake and then cover the tops and sides with buttercream. Smooth the edges and chill in the fridge for 10 minutes.
- For the speckle effect: stir together the cacao powder and vanilla till smooth and gradually add 1-2 tsp water, or as needed, to reach a consistency that will flick off a spoon.
- To decorate: remove the cake from the fridge and use a spoon to flick the chocolate speckle mix over the cake. Top with smashed easter eggs, more mini eggs and the dark chocolate bananas.
- To enjoy: slice and serve straight away or keep in a sealed container for 2-3 days in the fridge. You can freeze the unfrosted cakes for 1 month and allow to defrost before frosting.
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Stay in touch
I look forward to hearing what you think of this Chocolate Banana Easter Speckle Cake so please let me know in the comments below and leave a star review above. If you do make this cake, I’d love to see so please tag me, I’m @nourishing.amy on Instagram and use the hashtag #nourishingamy. I’m also on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest – please say hello!
With banana speckle cake love x
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