Description
Indulgent chocolate banana bread merges rich cocoa with ripe bananas, creating a moist, irresistible treat. Sweet comfort fills each slice, inviting you to savor this delightful homemade dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Primary Ingredients:
- 3 large brown bananas (1 1/2 cups mashed)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup Dutch process cocoa
Wet Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1/4 cup canola, vegetable, or coconut oil
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and prepare a 9×5-inch loaf pan with a light greasing to prevent sticking.
- Create a dry mixture by thoroughly whisking together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl until well combined.
- In a separate large bowl, thoroughly mash ripe bananas and blend with melted butter, vegetable oil, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla extract until smooth and uniform.
- Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, stirring until just incorporated to avoid overmixing.
- Carefully blend most of the chocolate chips into the batter, reserving a small portion for topping.
- Transfer the batter into the prepared loaf pan, ensuring even distribution and sprinkling the remaining chocolate chips across the surface.
- Place in the preheated oven and bake for 50-65 minutes, checking doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center – it should come out with just a few moist crumbs.
- Remove from oven and allow the bread to rest in the pan for 15 minutes, which helps it set and prevents breaking.
- Carefully transfer the loaf to a wire cooling rack and let it cool completely before slicing to maintain structural integrity.
Notes
- Use overripe, dark brown bananas for maximum sweetness and deeper banana flavor.
- Ensure ingredients are at room temperature to help them blend smoothly and create a tender crumb.
- Replace some flour with almond flour for a gluten-free version, adding nutty complexity to the bread.
- Reduce sugar slightly by using very ripe bananas, which naturally increase sweetness and moisture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 65 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 298 kcal
- Sugar: 20 g
- Sodium: 195 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 31 mg