Double Chocolate Banana Bread
I present to you: a banana bread recipe for the chocolate lover. Satisfy those chocolate cravings and enjoy all the comfort that banana bread is famous for.
As far as nostalgic foods go, banana bread is in a league of its own. This sweet quick bread is also really easy to mix up and can be topped with banana cut in half or a dusting of coconut or brown sugar.
People have strong opinions about what makes the perfect loaf of banana bread. What are your banana bread must-haves? Are you a walnut or pecan fan? Do you like it slightly undercooked and doughy in the very centre? For me, chocolate chips are an absolute must in all banana breads!
I decided to write this recipe after being in a very chocolate-forward mood. Over the May long weekend, I made Kabes Bake’s Nutella Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies. These are definitely the kind of gooey cookies you need to enjoy with a glass of milk. Typically, I am on a mission to reduce the amount of sugar in my baked goods, but sometimes you just want a TREAT! If you’re looking for a fun recipe to make with young children, this is definitely it.
My Double Chocolate Banana Bread has a generous amount of chocolate chips and cocoa powder in the batter. It is sweetened with mostly maple syrup and bananas. The key to really good banana bread is seriously overripe bananas. Look at this photo for what I consider to be a good example of an overripe banana.
In my recipe testing stage, I tested making banana bread with bananas at varying stages of ripeness. I even tried roasting bananas in the oven to see if that would bring the sweetness out. All in all, I discovered you really just have to be patient to let bananas naturally ripen on your counter to a perfect sweet stage.
You can choose whether you would like to use a healthier flour like spelt or just stick to all-purpose flour. Make this recipe the next time you’re in need of some comfort food! Enjoy!
Double Chocolate Banana Bread Nutrition Notes
Does banana bread freeze well?
Yes, absolutely! Banana bread freezes really well. I encourage you to double the recipe and enjoy one loaf now and the other loaf with company at a later date. Freezing banana bread for a few months will not affect the flavour or texture of the bread.
Can banana bread be made into muffins?
Yes, absolutely! Distribute the batter into muffin tins and bake in a 350-degree oven for approximately 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
The secret to good banana bread:
The secret to amazing banana bread is seriously overripe bananas.
A lot of the taste and goodness of banana bread is dependent on overripe bananas. Many bakers see bananas sitting on their counter and consider those bananas “over-ripe” a little prematurely. I know I do! I have included a photo for reference. This is when a banana is just on the verge of being ripe enough for banana bread.
Always be prepared to make banana bread:
Next time you go to the grocery store, buy several extra bunches of bananas and let them get really ripe on your counter. When they’re the perfect ripeness for banana bread, simply peel them and freeze them in a freezer-safe container and then you are ready for delicious banana bread at any time.
How to Make Double Chocolate Banana Bread
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9×5 loaf pan with butter or line with parchment paper.
Combine dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt) in a medium bowl and mix well.
Mix butter and brown sugar for 5 minutes with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
Beat in room temperature eggs one at a time. Once eggs are combined, add room temperature maple syrup.
Fold in dry ingredients a bit at a time until just incorporated. Be careful not to overmix. Gently fold in mashed bananas and chocolate chips.
Pour into a greased pan and top with a banana cut in half lengthwise and a generous dusting of coconut or brown sugar.
Bake for 50-60 minutes. Test your banana bread after 50 minutes with a toothpick or cake tester. Continue to bake until the tester comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for at least 1 hour before cutting into the loaf.
Additional Recipe Notes for Double Chocolate Banana Bread
- I included a small amount of sugar in this recipe so that you can beat the butter and sugar together for 3-5 minutes before adding the rest of the wet ingredients. Beating butter and sugar together for this long allows the sugar granules to really whip up the butter and make it light and fluffy. This method results in a lighter loaf.
- Mix the dry ingredients and wet ingredients until just combined. Overmixing can give you tough banana bread.
- Eggs should be at room temperature for baking. If you’ve forgotten to take the eggs out of the fridge, just set them in a bowl of warm water for 5-10 minutes.
- Do you know how long your baking soda has been sitting in the cupboard? It’s important to use fresh baking soda., preferably not older than 3 or 4 months.
- Try setting aside 100-150 grams of banana to mash more gently so your loaf has more texture and bits of banana.
- Fun idea: Double this recipe to make two loaves and use the second loaf for making Banana Bread French Toast later in the week.
Find More Recipes to Enjoy Around the Table:
- Green Smoothie Chocolate Muffins
- Healthy Spelt Cinnamon Buns
- Spelt Chocolate Chunk Cookies
- Healthy Chocolate Haystack Cookies
Save Double Chocolate Banana Bread to Pinterest:
Double Chocolate Banana Bread Recipe
Double Chocolate Banana Bread
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup spelt flour (or all-purpose flour)
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp grey unrefined salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter at room temperature
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, very tightly packed (or coconut sugar)
- 2 eggs large eggs at room temperature
- 4 bananas very ripe bananas (1½ cups mashed) (360g)
- 1/2 cup maple syrup at room temperature
- 1 tbsp brewed coffee (optional)
- 1 cup chocolate chips
Topping:
- 1 banana cut in half to lay on top
- 1 sprinkle brown sugar or coconut sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 9×5 loaf pan with butter or line with parchment paper.
- Combine dry ingredients (flour, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt) in a medium bowl and mix well.
- Mix butter and brown sugar for 5 minutes with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
- Beat in room temperature eggs one at a time. Once eggs are combined, add room temperature maple syrup.
- Fold in dry ingredients a bit at a time until just incorporated. Be careful not to overmix. Gently fold in mashed bananas and chocolate chips.
- Pour into a greased pan and top with a banana cut in half lengthwise and a generous dusting of coconut or brown sugar.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes. Test your banana bread after 50 minutes with a toothpick or cake tester. Continue to bake until the tester comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pan for at least 1 hour before cutting into the loaf.
Notes
- For truly delicious banana bread, the bananas you use need to be seriously overripe.
- Try setting aside 100-150 grams of banana to mash more gently so your loaf has more texture and bits of banana.
Christy Faber
Hi! I’m Christy, a happy wife and mother to three boys, a nutritionist, a food lover and a Canadian. Creating and experimenting in the kitchen is my idea of an afternoon well spent. To me, a clean kitchen is an empty canvas of possibility and that means my kitchen never stays clean for long. My dream is that one or more of the recipes I share here will inspire you, perhaps even becoming a cherished family favourite.
23 Comments
Julie
Banana bread is a staple in our home. Planning to make this version next time my grandchildren visit!
Christy Faber
Oh yes! This is a great recipe for making those memories with grandchildren. Hope you enjoy!
Bethany
I loved fresh banana bread as a child and still do! I look forward to baking this recipe with my little girl and carrying on the tradition! Thanks for sharing!
Christy Faber
That’s one of the best ways to make memories! Happy baking!
Adrian F
This banana bread was so good! I agree that chocolate is a must with all banana breads, and this recipe brought it all together. Would I be able to use an espresso shot if I really wanted to bring out a strong coffee flavour? Thanks
Christy Faber
Espresso would be AMAZING in this! You could do up to 2 tbsp of espresso in this recipe. Just a tip: before taking the bread out of the oven, poke the centre with a tooth pick (or with a thin knife) in the middle of the loaf. If it comes out clean then it’s cooked in the very centre. This is good to double check when you’re using a bit more liquid in a recipe. So glad you enjoyed!
Kathryn
This recipe is amazing! I especially loved that this recipe has such a rich chocolate taste. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Christy Faber
Thank you for the kind comment! Banana bread + chocolate = ultimate comfort food!
Will
This banana bread is amazing! Such a great, rich taste, but not too sweet. The texture is also exceptional… you’ve got to give it a try.
Christy Faber
I’m so happy to hear! Thanks for taking the time to review!
Jimmy Clare
this makes me hungry
Christy Faber
Tell me about it!
Daniel
Very tasty and easy to make! Love the way the banana looks on top! Takes presentation up a notch!
Christy Faber
I agree! Plus a few chocolate chips sprinkled on top never hurts as well!
LaRena Fry
I think I may have just fell in love with this recipe. LOL. This sounds amazing.
Christy Faber
Thank you for the kind comment! If you make it I hope it becomes a family favourite!
Kirby
This looks excellent! I can’t wait to try it with coconut sugar and gf flour
Christy Faber
Oooh! When you try it with gluten free flour please let me know how it is!
Brittany
I loveeeee the idea of a chocolate banana bread. And I really love how you added the bananas as a whole. Really aesthetically pleasing. Can’t wait to make this
Christy Faber
Thank you! the banana on top really takes it up a notch. Hope you love it!
Bianca Armstrong
This recipe is delicious!! I am always looking for a reliable banana bread recipe and this did not disappoint. It is more decadent than your typical banana bread – so moist and chocolatey. It also made our entire house smell a.maz.ing! Thank you for sharing, Christy!
Christy Faber
Thank you so much for the kind review! Freshly baked banana bread truly does make a house smell amazing!!
Sadie
This is sooo good!!! My husband did not want to wait for this to cool down before digging into it. Perfect for chocolate lovers!! Will definitely be making this again.