The Best No-Sugar Chocolate Cake (Yes, It's Actually Amazing!)
HEALTHY RECIPES
When Life Gives You Brown Bananas...Make a Cake!
Okay, real talk how many times have you stared at those sad, spotty bananas on your counter and thought "I really should do something with these before they go completely bad"? Same here!
Last Sunday, I was in exactly that situation. I had three overripe bananas just begging to be used, and honestly? I was getting pretty tired of making banana bread. Don't get me wrong, banana bread is great, but sometimes you just want chocolate cake, you know?
That's when I had this lightbulb moment: what if I could make a chocolate cake using those bananas instead of sugar? Sounds crazy, right? But trust me on this one it totally works.
Here's the Thing About Ripe Bananas
You know how those brown, speckled bananas look kind of gross but taste super sweet? There's actually science behind that! As bananas ripen, all that starch breaks down into natural sugars. Plus, you're getting fiber, potassium, and antioxidants basically all the good stuff that regular sugar can't give you.
And let's be honest, using up those overripe bananas instead of tossing them feels pretty good too. Win-win situation!
What You'll Need (It's Simpler Than You Think)
Here's your shopping list:
2 ripe bananas (seriously, the browner the better)
1 egg
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup cashew nut or almond or whole wheat flour (let's go healthy)
20ml melted butter (or coconut oil if that's what you have)
A pinch of baking powder
A pinch of baking soda
A pinch of salt
Optional but recommended: some dark chocolate chips or chopped walnuts
Pro tip: Always taste your batter! If you're someone who really loves sweet desserts, feel free to add a drizzle of honey or throw in a couple of dates. But honestly? Most people find the bananas give it just the right amount of sweetness.
Let's Make This Happen
Ready? It's almost embarrassingly easy:
Grease whatever pan you're using like loaf pan, round cake pan, whatever you've got (I have used a 4 inch round pan for this)
Grab a bowl and mash those bananas until they're nice and smooth (a few lumps are totally fine, don't stress about it)
Crack in your eggs, add the butter then give it all a good whisk
Dump in the cocoa powder, flour, baking powder, soda and salt. Mix until it looks like cake batter
Pour it into your pan and sprinkle on those chocolate chips or nuts if you're using them
Preheat your oven, then bake for about 25-30 minutes at 180°C or if using a microwave then microwave for 2-3 minutes
You'll know it's done when a toothpick comes out mostly clean
Let it cool down (the hardest part, honestly) and then dig in!
Why This Cake is Actually Perfect
Look, I'm not going to pretend this tastes exactly like a super sugary chocolate cake from a bakery. But here's what it does taste like: rich, moist, chocolatey goodness that doesn't leave you in a sugar coma afterward.
My partner loved it, it's perfect as a after dinner snack and you can honestly feel pretty good about having a second slice. When was the last time you could say that about cake?
The Bottom Line
Next time you see those bananas getting a little too ripe, don't even think about throwing them out. This cake has become my go-to weekend baking project, and I'm pretty sure once you try it, it'll become yours too.
Besides, there's something really satisfying about making a delicious dessert with stuff you probably already have in your kitchen. No special trips to the store, no weird ingredients you'll never use again—just simple, real food that happens to taste like cake.
Now if you'll excuse me, I have some leftover cake calling my name from the kitchen...