Chocolate Banana Bread (Print Version)
A moist loaf with ripe bananas, chocolate chips, and a hint of cocoa for a rich taste.
# What You Need:
→ Dry Ingredients
01 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
03 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
→ Wet Ingredients
05 - 3 large ripe bananas, mashed
06 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
07 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
08 - 2 large eggs
09 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
→ Mix-ins
10 - 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
11 - 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
# How to Prepare:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9x5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
03 - In a large bowl, mash bananas. Add melted butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract, then whisk until combined.
04 - Gently fold the dry mixture into the wet ingredients until just blended, avoiding overmixing.
05 - Fold in chocolate chips and walnuts if using.
06 - Pour batter into prepared loaf pan, smoothing the surface. Bake 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with moist crumbs.
07 - Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The cocoa powder turns simple banana bread into something rich enough to feel like dessert, but it's still wholesome enough for breakfast.
- It comes together in under 20 minutes of actual work, then the oven does the heavy lifting while you get to relax.
- Those chocolate chips melt into pockets of gooeyness that surprise you with every slice.
02 -
- If your bananas aren't actually ripe—if they're still mostly yellow—the bread will taste less sweet and more mild, so wait for those brown spots.
- Don't overmix once you add the dry ingredients; it's the difference between tender crumbs and a dense, tough loaf.
- A toothpick test matters here because the cocoa powder makes it harder to tell when it's done just by looking at it.
03 -
- If you don't have buttermilk or want to adjust the moisture, substitute the butter with neutral oil like canola or coconut—you'll get an even more tender crumb.
- The secret to checking doneness is remembering that those few moist crumbs are actually your friend—they mean the bread stays moist, not dry, as it cools.