Mocha Banana Bread (Vegan GF)

This Mocha Banana Bread is rich, chocolatey and packed with coffee. Spread with a luscious chocolate mocha yoghurt frosting and decorate with chocolate coffee beans, this bake is vegan, gluten-free and easy to make.

This chocolatey and coffee banana bread is a favourite of mine as it combines my love for chocolate, coffee and banana bread in every bite. It is rich and indulgent yet wholesome, moist and tender. I love spreading it with a lighter yet luscious chocolate protein yoghurt frosting and some chocolate coffee beans (they are truly addictive!). Say hello to the banana bread of May 2023, I hope you are going to love it as much as we do.

Why will I love this loaf?

This banana bread is so delicious, it is:

• Rich, tender, moist and fudgy
• Chocolatey, indulgent and packed with coffee
• Sweet but not too sweet
• Packed with chocolate chunks
• Decorate with a luscious yoghurt chocolate frosting
• Easy to make in one bowl
• Naturally vegan and easily gluten-free and nut-free
• Wholesome, made with good-for-you ingredients
• With added protein and goodness
• Great to make ahead of time
• Perfect for gatherings or an easy bake

If you already love the sound of this Mocha Banana Bread then skip ahead to the recipe card below. Or, first let’s discuss the recipe in more detail.

Why ingredients do I need?

The ingredients are all listed below and why we need them and I have linked to my favourite brands in the “shop the recipe” section below.

Here’s what we need:

• Ripe banana: the key to a successful banana bread is ripe bananas. When they are riper and softer they are also sweeter. Weigh out the banana as they all vary in size a lot.
• Ground chia or flaxseed: these acts as our egg replacer. When mixed with water it forms a gel which in turn binds the batter. You can find ground chia or flaxseed in most supermarkets, health food stores and online.
• Coconut sugar: this adds rich caramel-tones to the loaf but you can use caster or golden caster sugar, too.
• Maple syrup: for sweetness and you can try agave or other syrups, too.
• Coconut yoghurt: I love baking with Cocos Organic yoghurt as it’s really thick and creamy, so it adds moisture and goodness to the loaf.
• Coconut oil: this adds fat and moisture to the loaf without adding a strong coconut flavour. Melt the coconut oil and allow it to reach room temperature so that it doesn’t solidify when mixed with the colder yoghurt. You could also try this with olive or sunflower oil or melted vegan butter.
• Runny smooth tahini: this creates a moist loaf as it adds moisture and fat. You can use tahini (which is naturally nut-free) or swap for peanut, cashew or almond butter. It’s important that it’s runny and smooth for the best batter.
• Coffee powder: for the coffee flavour! I love to use an espresso coffee powder or ground coffee (the type you just add hot water to).
• Plain or gluten-free flour: to keep the loaf moist, light and tender, use plain flour or a gluten-free 1:1 plain flour that contains xanthan gum.
• Cocoa powder: this adds chocolate richness to the batter. I advise cocoa over cacao powder as it’s more acidic and reacts better with the baking powder for a better rise. Make sure it’s 100% cocoa and not sweetened.
• Chocolate protein powder: this adds protein, a rich chocolate flavour and lovely fudgy texture. I also use the chocolate protein powder form Macromike (they have a few chocolate ones to choose from and they are all amazing!) and my code AMB-AMY saves you 10% off everything.
• Baking powder and salt: for rise and flavour.
• Dark chocolate: or anyof your favourite chocolate bar or chips.
• Chocolate coffee beans: these are for adding on top for decoration and bring together all the delicious flavours.

Is this gluten-free and nut-free?

This is naturally nut-free, just check that all your ingredients are nut-free (e.g. yoghurt, chocolate and protein powder). To make this gluten-free, use your favourite 1:1 baking gluten-free flour with xanthan gum to help bind the batter.

How do I make this?

This loaf cake is easy to make in a few steps:

• Whisk the chia/flaxseed and water: to form a gel.
• Mash the banana: and add to the bowl.
• Whisk together all the wet ingredients: till smooth.
• Sift in the dry ingredients: and whisk again.
• Fold in the chocolate: and pour into the loaf tin.
• Smooth over the top and bake: till risen and fluffy, about 50 minutes.
• Allow to cool fully: first in the tin and then on a wire rack.
• Whisk together the ingredients for the frosting: till smooth.
• Spread the frosting over the cake: and decorate with the chocolate coffee beans.

How long will this last?

This banana bread only lasted 1 day in our house, but if you can resist, it will keep for 3-5 days in a sealed container in the fridge. You can also freeze the unfrosted loaf for 1 month, wrapped well. Allow to defrost before decorating and serving.

Can I use a different frosting?

If you prefer a richer frosting, try:

• Oreo Buttercream
• Chocolate Buttercream
• Cream Cheese Buttercream
• Dark Chocolate Ganache

What else can I bake?

If you are looking for other banana breads and loaf cakes, how about my:

• Chocolate Strawberry Banana Bread
• Orange and Rhubarb Loaf Cake
• Vegan Lemon and Blueberry Loaf Cake
• Strawberries and Cream Banana Bread
• Snickers Banana Bread

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Stay in touch

I look forward to hearing what you think of this Mocha Banana Bread so please let me know in the comments below and a star review above. If you do make this loaf, 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 mocha love x