Tahini Chocolate Marble Banana Bread

This tahini chocolate marble banana bread is a delicious twist on the classic banana bread recipe. It combines the moist and flavourful goodness of banana bread with the rich and indulgent taste of chocolate with a hint of tahini.

Banana bread is one of my favourite kinds of cake. There’s something so satisfying about the texture of banana bread compared to other cakes. This moistness makes the bread soft and such a pleasure to eat. Even better if there’s added chocolate in there to balance out the sweetness of the bananas. 

Ripe bananas are naturally sweet, and when mashed and incorporated into the bread, they add so much natural sweetness without the need for excessive sugar. It’s one of my ultimate comfort desserts, especially during the colder months.

I had some ripe bananas that needed eating and I realised I hadn’t made banana bread in the longest time. Since it’s officially autumn (even though it doesn’t feel like it with the warm weather we’re having in the UK!), I thought why not celebrate with a banana bread recipe. Not any banana bread – a tahini chocolate marble banana bread! 

What I love about this tahini chocolate marble banana bread:

Delicious, moreish and satisfying – this tahini chocolate marble banana bread offers the perfect balance between sweet (but not overly sweet) and bitter (from the chocolate and tahini). I can’t stand desserts that are sickly sweet, so a dessert like this is the perfect way to satisfy my sweet cravings without giving me too much of a sugar rush. 

Each slice offers 7g of protein and 6g of fibre, which although isn’t that high, still contributes to your daily protein and fibre intake. If you’re going to enjoy a tasty dessert, why not eat one that’s delicious, but also offers some benefits? It’s also a source of healthy poly and monounsaturated fats from the tahini and ground almonds. The kind of fats we want more of in our diets. Not to mention the heart healthy antioxidants from the cocoa powder. 

What you need to make this tahini chocolate marble banana bread:

Bananas – The riper the banana, the sweeter the cake. As well as flavour, bananas add a lot of moisture making the loaf so delicious! 

Tahini – I’m using tahini instead of oil/butter as a healthier alternative, but also to add a hint of tahini flavour. I’m obsessed with tahini and add it to desserts whenever I can! Runny Lebanese tahini always works best in my experience. You can get it online or from Asian/Middle Eastern supermarkets. 

Maple syrup – Some sweetness is needed to balance out the bitter notes of the chocolate and tahini. You can use less if you like, just make sure you replace it with equal amounts of milk otherwise the loaf will be too dry. 

Ground flaxseed – I use this as a replacement for eggs. If you’re not vegan/intolerant, you can substitute with 2 medium eggs instead and omit the hot water. 

Flour – I used wholemeal spelt flour, but you can use plain spelt flour, plain flour or even oat flour/ground oats. 

Ground almonds – adds extra moisture as well as some heart healthy fats!

Cocoa powder – To pack in the chocolate flavour + some antioxidants. 

This tahini chocolate marble banana bread is:

• Vegan
• Dairy-free
• Egg-free
• Made with healthier ingredients
• Lower in sugar compared to your average banana bread
• Higher in protein & fibre compared to your average banana bread
• Easy to make
• The perfect flavour balance between sweet and bitter
• Great as a snack of healthier dessert
• So delicious!

Tahini Chocolate Marble Banana Bread

This tahini chocolate marble banana bread is a delicious twist on the classic banana bread recipe. It combines the moist and flavourful goodness of banana bread with the rich and indulgent taste of chocolate and a hint of tahini.

5 from 6 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Course Dessert

Servings 10

Calories 262 kcal

Ingredients

 

MetricUS Customary

 

1x2x3x

• 3 medium ripe bananas around 225g
• 85g tahini
• 180ml milk of choice
• 120ml maple syrup
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp ground flaxseed*
• 5 tbsp hot water
• 200g wholemeal spelt flour**
• 65g ground almonds
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt

For the chocolate swirl

• 5 tbsp cocoa powder
• 4 tbsp milk of choice

Optional toppings

• A drizzle of tahini
• A drizzle of date syrup
• Sesame seeds

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan/350F.
• Mix the ground flaxseed and 5 tbsp hot water in a small bowl. leave for 10 minutes to set.
• Mash the bananas in a large bowl, then mix in the tahini, maple syrup, milk, the flaxseed mixture and vanilla.
• Fold in the flour, ground almonds, baking powder and salt. Mix to combine
• Make the chocolate mix by pouring half the batter into a separate bowl and mix in the cocoa powder and milk.
• In a loaf pan lined with baking paper, pour a thin layer of the plain batter. Now pour some of the chocolate batter on top. Repeat until you've used all the batter.
• Use a sharp knife or cocktail stick to make rough zig-zags from one side of the pan to the other to create the swirl effect.
• Bake for 60-65 minutes, then allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
• Optional - when ready to serve, you can drizzle some tahini and date syrup on top. You can also sprinkle some white/black sesame seeds on top.

Notes

* You can use 2 medium eggs instead of the ground flaxseed and omit the hot water.

** You can also use plain flour or oat flour. 

Nutrition

Calories: 262kcalCarbohydrates: 39gProtein: 7gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 3gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0.001gSodium: 186mgPotassium: 296mgFiber: 6gSugar: 14gVitamin A: 29IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 132mgIron: 2mg

Keyword banana bread, banana recipes, chocolate recipes, dairy-free dessert, easy dessert, healthy cake, healthy dessert, tahini recipes, vegan cake, vegan dessert

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

If you enjoyed this tahini chocolate marble banana bread, you may also like:

• Vegan Chocolate Banana Bread
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bread
• Vegan Coconut Banana Bread
• Orange Cranberry Banana Bread