I’m always trying out new ingredients, especially ones that are healthy alternatives. This chocolate chip snack cake is made with coconut flour, something I’ve only recently experimented with… and I have to admit, it’s a bit tricky. Coconut flour is super absorbant and has a distinct, yet mildly sweet flavor. It’s definitely best to bake with! I’ve tried making a few different things with it, carefully following tried and true coconut flour recipes. They’ve all turned out, but this one was definitely the clear winner!
This snack cake is a spin off of Ambitious Kitchen’s coconut flour chocolate chunk bars. When I first made her recipe, I followed it to the t. The bars were moist and tender but I felt like they were more cake-like than cookie-like, something that’s pretty common when baking with coconut flour. I wanted to incorporate chopped chocolate because of how melty it gets and all of the tiny flecks that get spread throughout. It was definitely a good choice! I also added a bit of banana for flavor as well as chopped walnuts and a pinch of cinnamon. They baked up beautifully!
So why use coconut flour versus a gluten-free mix? Well, it’s packed full of protein and fiber, helps lower cholesterol levels and helps regulate blood sugar levels. Plus you only need to use a small amount and it’s got a unique/distinct taste that works great in a variety of recipes. You can learn more about my favorite organic coconut flour over at nuts.com!
P.S. make sure to check out these healthy and delicious coconut flour recipes from around the web:
Detoxinista’s Coconut Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies
The Paleo Kitchen’s Pumpkin Waffles
Against All Grain’s Caramel Glazed Doughnuts
Chocolate Chip Snack Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup coconut oil - melted
- 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
- 3 Tbsp overly ripe bananas - mashed
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup coconut milk, almond or whole milk
- 1/2 cup coconut flour
- 1/4 cup old-fashioned oats*
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 oz chocolate - chopped
Optional Add-ins
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/3 cup pecans or walnuts - chopped
- 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Spray an 8x8-inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the coconut oil, honey, mashed bananas, vanilla, eggs, and almond milk. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the coconut flour, oats, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined, and the cake batter is smooth. Fold in chopped chocolate, reserving a few tablespoons to sprinkle on top if desired.
- Bake for 20–22 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and a knife comes out with a few crumbs attached. The batter may look undercooked, but it will firm up. Do not overbake! Overbaking will result in dried-out bars, and no one likes that. I always bake mine for 20 minutes and never have any problems. Cool the bars on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes so they settle a bit, then cut into 16 squares. Enjoy!
NOTES
Nutrition
Recipe source: adapted from Ambitious Kitchen
Great cake with coconut flour!
Some of the ingredients are not mentioned again in the instructions (banana, oats), but other than that, the recipe is great 🙂
I’ll be sure to add those back in to the recipe card.
Thanks 😍