March 9, 2019
updated
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Forget plain, boring banana bread, overripe bananas deserve to be turned into something incredible. Which is why today I’m sharing my Double Chocolate Banana Bread Recipe with you.
Okay, before you head off into the kitchen to whip up a batch of this tasty bread, let’s discuss a few important banana bread tips.
Table of contents
What Makes This Double Chocolate Banana Bread The Best Ever?
Chocolate, of course! It also helps that the banana bread is already soft and moist, add melted chocolate bits and you’ll want a slice every morning from now on.
Is this Chocolate Banana Bread Healthy?
Enjoying fresh and real foods as well as your favorites (aka chocolate), no matter their “category” is a huge part of maintaining a healthy diet. Health is more about nourishing your body with proper food intake and lifestyle not depriving it of certain things that don’t meet society’s health criteria.
Trust me, you’ll live a much happier and balanced life especially if it includes this Chocolate Chip Banana Bread.
That being said, baking your own banana bread is much healthier and tastier than any prepackaged option. You know exactly what is going into the recipe and have control over which ingredients to use. To make this Chocolate Chip Banana healthier you could use melted coconut oil instead of butter and if your bananas are ripe enough, reduce the sugar by half. The riper the bananas the higher their sugar content and more sweet banana flavor.
Double Chocolate Banana Bread Ingredients
Alright, time to head to the pantry to see if you have all the ingredients for the dreamiest chocolate banana bread ever!
- All-purpose flour: adds structure. Use regular or your favorite 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: adds delicious cocoa flour. Make sure you are using regular cacao powder and not Dutch-processed cocoa.
- Baking soda: helps the batter rise.
- Sea salt: enhances the cocoa, sugar, and banana flavor.
- Bananas: the riper the banana, the sweeter the bread.
- Unsalted butter: makes every bite super moist.
- Brown sugar: has a richer flavor and softer texture than white sugar.
- Egg: binds the ingredients and helps the bread rise in the oven.
- Vanilla extract: complements all the flavors!
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips: so you can bite into melted bits of chocolate.
How to Make Double Chocolate Banana Bread
Let’s start with chocolate, after all, it’s what makes the banana bread so magnificent. I use unsweetened cocoa powder and chocolate chips to stir into the batter, plus extra chips to sprinkle on top. AMAZING!
The second major ingredient is obviously bananas. You’ll want to make sure to use super ripe bananas. Tip: The uglier the banana the tastier the bread.
If you don’t have any bananas hiding on the countertop you could use those frozen ones way back in your freezer. Allow them to defrost before mashing.
Now, let’s make some banana bread:
- Prep
Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan. - Make the wet ingredients
Mash the ripe bananas in a large bowl and mix with the melted butter. Add the brown sugar, egg, and vanilla extract and stir to combine. - Sift the dry ingredient
Whisk the flour with cocoa powder, baking soda, and sea salt in a separate bowl. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir to combine. - Pour and bake
Fold ¾ cup of the chocolate chips into the batter and transfer it to the greased loaf pan. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chip on top and bake for 50 minutes to an hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. - Enjoy!
Remove the pan from the oven and let the bread rest for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.
Watch this review video to see how this chocolatey goodness all comes together.
How Much Chocolate Do You Put in Banana Bread
You can put any desired amount of chocolate chips in this banana bread. My recipe uses a generous 1 cup, with some going into the batter and the rest sprinkled on top.
Of course, you could reduce the amount of chocolate or increase it if you want your banana bread EXTRA chocolatey!
How Many Bananas Do You Need for Banana Bread?
You’ll want to make sure to use 1 cup of mashed bananas, this is about three large bananas. Any more and the banana bread will be a banana brick. If you have any more bananas, just whip up a batch of homemade banana chips with the leftovers. So. Good.
How to Make Chocolate Banana Bread Moist
Super ripe bananas and brown sugar are what keeps this bread soft and moist. Since we know that the riper the banana, the tastier the bread (or muffins!) I try to hide a bunch on top of the fridge to save them for this recipe. Worth it.
Brown sugar is also known to keep baked goods moist because of its high molasses content. Which is why you’ll find it in things like Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies.
The last and final tip, be sure not to overbake this recipe. You’ll want to check the loaf at the 45 or 50 minutes mark. Once a toothpick comes out clean, it’s done and this is your queue to brew a cup of coffee as it cools.
How do You Know when Double Chocolate Banana Bread is Done?
The best way to indicate when your bread is finished baking is to insert a toothpick in the center. Once it comes out with a few moist crumbs, you can grab those oven mitts and remove the bread from the oven.
Often, the top part of the banana bread will begin to brown before the center is fully cooked; if this happens, place a “tent” of aluminum foil over the loaf and bake as directed.
Can You Freeze Double Chocolate Banana Bread
Good thing banana bread holds up great in the freezer- this means a delicious treat on hand at all times!
Once the banana bread is at room temperature, cut it into 1-inch thick slices. Wrap each slice with plastic wrap and place them in freezer-safe zip bags (you can fit 2-3 pieces into one bag).
Freeze the banana bread for 2-3 months, and when you’re ready to eat, defrost the individual slices at room temperature or give them a quick warm-up in the microwave.
More Ways to Use Overripe Bananas
After you’ve made this recipe a dozen times and need a few other ways to use that eternal supply of overripe bananas here are a few other recipes we’ve enjoyed:
Will Chocolate Banana Bread be your new favorite go-to treat? Tell me what you think!
Double Chocolate Banana Bread Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 3 large brown bananas, (1 ½ cups mashed)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, divided
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan.
- In a large bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork. Add the melted butter and stir until combined. Stir in the brown sugar, egg, and vanilla extract, stir until smooth.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix. Add in ¾ cup of chocolate chips and stir.
- Pour batter into the prepared pan and sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of chocolate chips over the top of the bread. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean.
- Remove the pan from the oven and allow it to cool down for about 15 minutes before running a knife around the edges to separate the bread. Remove the bread from the pan and allow it to cool on a wire cooling rack. Slice and serve.
D.
10/10. This turned out SO well. I kept it in for 50 min and then 5 min after I turned the oven off – it’s the perfect texture.
Laura Fuentes
Glad this banana bread is a winner!
Melinda Dohman
I made this 2 days ago and it is delicious and gone! I am making another loaf now!
Laura Fuentes
I’m so glad you and your family enjoyed the recipe, Melinda! I often make two loaves, freeze one in slices because it doesn’t last!
Karen Ritchie
I make this recipe only I add in extra ground flax, AND I make them into muffins instead of a loaf. My kids LOVE them in their lunches at school each day. 🙂 .