Decadent, moist, and loaded with cocoa powder and chocolate chips, this double chocolate banana bread is made for chocolate lovers!
Post updated January 2023
As I’m writing this, I have a nearly one-year-old daughter and a three-year-old son. Wanna know what’s always, always in my fruit bowl? Bananas. And honestly, I’m not one of those people who buys too many bananas and suddenly has a bunch of spotty, brown bananas on the kitchen counter that I don’t know what to do with. On the contrary, I buy additional bananas that are specifically reserved to use in baked goods because I know my children will eat all of the bananas. Sometimes I leave a post-it-note by the fruit bowl to remind people in my house to leave a certain number of bananas alone.
I just really love baking with bananas. And I really, really love baking with chocolate. And let’s face it, bananas and chocolate are best friends. So my not-so-subtle post-it-note messages by the fruit bowl led to this delicious, decadent recipe for double chocolate banana bread. AKA your new go-to way to use up the spotty, overly ripe bananas on your counter.
I really love this loaf of double chocolate banana bread for several reasons. With the loads of chocolate flavor coming from the cocoa powder and chocolate chips, this is a more decadent (and delicious) take on traditional banana bread. And thanks to not only the bananas, but also the vegetable oil and sour cream used in this recipe, it’s incredibly moist and tender. With just two bowls and a 9×5″ loaf pan, this recipe is super quick and easy to whip up. One word of advice: be careful not to overmix the batter after you’ve added the banana. Because overmixed banana= gummy banana bread. And ain’t nobody got time for that.
But you know what you do have time for? Double chocolate banana bread. Because it’s delicious and simple and you’ll eat the whole loaf in approximately 24 hours. Less than that if you decide to share.
What you’ll need to bake this banana bread:
Bananas: Because what’s banana bread without bananas? While obviously adding delicious flavor, bananas also add moisture to this bread and act as a binder. The riper and spottier your bananas, the more flavorful the bread will be!
Butter: Melted butter adds moisture, flavor, and richness.
Vegetable oil: Using vegetable oil in addition to the butter ensures that this banana bread stays soft and moist for several days after baking.
Sugar: Adds sweetness and creates a more tender crumb.
Egg: For binding and structure.
Sour cream: Using sour cream adds moisture without making the loaf too dense. Be sure to use full-fat sour cream.
Vanilla: For added flavor.
Flour: For structure.
Cocoa powder: Cocoa powder makes this a rich, chocolatey loaf of banana bread!
Baking powder and baking soda: For leavening.
Kosher salt: For balance.
Instant Espresso granules: The espresso granules doesn’t make this banana bread taste of coffee- it simply elevates and deepens the chocolate flavor. You can leave it out if you’d rather, but I highly recommend!
Chocolate chips: One half cup of chocolate chips goes into the batter, then sprinkle some extra on top for good measure! Because more chocolate is always the answer!
FAQs:
Why is this recipe primarily listed in grams? I develop my recipes in grams because weighing your ingredients is the best, most accurate way to bake. Baking is a science and precision is key to success! Measuring cups are not standardized, and what’s more, the way each baker uses them varies drastically, which ultimately gives you inconsistent (and sometimes negative) results. For instance, did you know that scooping flour out of a cannister can give you 50% more flour than what’s called for in the recipe? By weighing your ingredients rather than using measuring cups, you can confidently know that you are using the correct amount of each ingredient, giving you greater success & delicious results. I highly recommend using a kitchen scale, like this one when you bake. Plus, it makes clean up a lot easier!
Can I make this into muffins? Try my recipe for double chocolate banana muffins! They’re super delicious.
A few notes before you bake:
The best way to measure bananas. Bananas can be kind of tricky to measure. Who is to say what a “medium-sized” banana really is anyhow? And getting the right amount of banana in banana bread is really important for getting good results. I recommend weighing the bananas (without the peel) to make sure you’re getting the correct amount. If you’re not using a kitchen scale to weigh your ingredients, mash the bananas first, then spoon the mashed bananas into measuring cups.
Be careful not to overwork the batter. After you add the banana to the mixture, be careful not to overwork the batter. Overworked bananas can lead to a gummy banana bread. Be sure to mix until ingredients are just incorporated.
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Double Chocolate Banana Bread
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes
- Yield: 1, 9×5″ loaf 1x
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Breakfast, Snack, Dessert
Description
Decadent, moist, and loaded with cocoa powder and chocolate chips, this double chocolate banana bread is made for chocolate lovers!
Ingredients
- 125 gm (1 cup, spoon and leveled) all-purpose flour
- 50 gm (1/2 cup, spoon and leveled) natural unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon instant espresso granules
- 313 gm very ripe bananas, mashed (1 1/4 cups mashed, about 2 1/2 large or 3 medium-sized bananas)
- 150 gm (3/4 cup) granulated sugar
- 75 gm (1/3 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 28 gm (2 tablespoons) vegetable oil
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 80 gm (1/3 cup) sour cream, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 110 gm (1/2 cup) semisweet chocolate chips, plus more for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 9×5″ loaf tin with baking spray and line with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, add the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, and espresso granules and whisk to combine; set aside.
- In a large bowl, add the mashed banana and sugar and whisk until combined and glossy. Next, add the melted butter, vegetable oil, egg, sour cream, and vanilla and whisk to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients to the banana mixture and use a rubber spatula to gently fold together until almost combined and a few pockets of dry ingredients still remain. At this point, add the chocolate chips. Continue to gently fold until the chocolate chips are evenly incorporated and no more pockets of dry ingredients are visible. Be careful not to overmix.
- Pour the batter evenly into the prepared pan and allow to rest at room temperature for 10 minutes. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean with a few moist crumbs (there shouldn’t be any wet batter on the toothpick). Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Storage: Wrap in plastic wrap and store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
