I purchased a bag of locally grown cacao powder on a recent trip to the Dominican Republic. Cacao is cocoa in its raw form. It’s less refined and retains many nutrients because it isn’t heated like cocoa.
I brought this cake to a pizza party, and nobody could tell it was gluten free, only describing it as a healthier tasting brownie. I did try to make this cake as healthy as possible, cutting down on sugar, oil, and using 100% whole grain flour. The chocolate flavor is still rich and the texture moist and light. It’s meant to be an everyday, quick bake kind of cake, healthy enough for breakfast and sweet enough for dessert.
This is a simple cake. You can add nuts, bake them as muffins, cupcakes, layer cakes, whatever you want!
Ingredients
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- Generously grease a 9 by 9 inch square pan with butter or coconut oil, or line the pan with parchment paper, then grease.
- Mix melted butter (or olive oil), mashed banana, sugar, and vanilla until smooth, then beat in the eggs.
- Whisk flour, cacao powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a separate bowl.
- Beat the dry mix into the wet mix until fully incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Pour the batter into the pan, let it sit for 5 minutes, then bake for 25-30 minutes, rotating halfway through, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
20 comments
Oh, this is lovely! I didn’t have potato starch, so I used 1/4 cup of sweet rice flour and it’s divine. The texture and fluffiness is perfect. I want to try this at some point as a layer cake with a tasty frosting of some sort.
Made these as muffins this morning with my wheat allergic 3 year old. They were amazing! We used melted coconut oil, regular sugar, subbed vinegar and baking soda for the eggs (egg allergy), and used Enjoy Life chocolate chips. They were tender and scrummy, and I’m already planning to make them for company next week. Thanks for a great recipe!
Do you have a cool recipe for frosting of some sort?
Hi Leah, you can try either (or both!) of the frosting recipes from this post: http://supernummy.com/earl-grey-chocolate-cake/
They’re pretty basic and both work well with chocolate. Enjoy!
Can i use corn starch instead of potato flour?
Hi Josy, I’ve never tried that so can’t vouch for it.
This is definitely a recipe I’d like to try. Wondering tho if I can use melted coconut oil.
Hi Patti! Yes, absolutely. Just make sure the coconut oil is melted. Hope you try it!
Great Cake! Taste is like a light fluffy chocolate cake. Would never know it is gluten free. Used the potato starch. Used a little less sugar, 1/2 cup chocolate chips and 1/2 cup walnuts. This is a go to cake and easy to make.
Thank you for A GREAT recipe
Awwww thank you so much for your kind words Maryann! So glad you enjoyed the cake. Walnuts are a great idea!
What a delicious looking cake! That’s really awesome about the cacao too, I often buy raw cacao powder but haven’t noticed much difference from the cocoa powder I use for baking. I wonder if yours was that much fresher? Really interesting either way!
I think mine was just rougher! Cause I got it locally in the DR. I’ve since run out and gotten a bag of raw cacao sold in the U.S. and it definitely looks just like cocoa haha. Chocolate sourcing is endlessly fascinating!
I do love a good snack cake, and this one looks wonderful! I don’t think I’ve tried cacao powder but I’ve been wanting to do a taste test, so it’s really interesting to read about your experience with it!
I hope you try it! It’s supposed to be healthier, although I think it’s meant to be eaten raw for those health benefits, and I ended up baking it… lol.
Yeeesss!! Love cacao. So good also in a “milkshake” with coconut milk ice cubes, medjool dates, and a hint of vanilla. Cake sounds and looks fabulous!
Ohhhh I’ll have to try coconut milk ice cubes! Genius
Love the banana in here and I’m always down for cake as a snack! 🙂
Me too, I think I even prefer cake to cookies as a snack!
WOW I would not have guessed how healthy this is just by looking at the pictures – sounds gorgeous! Banana and chocolate is a perfect flavour pairing, and love how you have used buckwheat too. And I haven’t used cacao but may have to give it a try, if only for the caffeine kick – thank you for sharing the differences! <3
Haha those melty chocolate chips can be deceptive, but as far as cakes go, this one is at least not terribly unhealthy 😉