Double Chocolate Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips

Double Chocolate Banana Bread

Very ripe bananas, dark cocoa, and chocolate chips bake into a moist loaf with a slightly cracked, chip-studded top. The chips go into the batter and onto the surface, so they stay visible after baking.

Because the loaf is dark even before its center is done, color is a poor guide to doneness. Check the middle with a skewer, then let the loaf cool completely so the crumb and chocolate firm up for slicing.

Ingredients for Double Chocolate Banana Bread

• 1 1/4 cups mashed very ripe bananas, about 3 medium bananas (280g)
• 3/4 cup packed light or dark brown sugar (150g)
• 1/3 cup neutral vegetable or canola oil (75g)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (180g)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder, preferably a dark variety (45g)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, divided (170g)

How to Bake Double Chocolate Banana Bread

1. Prepare the pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 9-by-5-inch metal loaf pan with parchment, leaving overhang above the long sides. Lightly grease any exposed pan surfaces.
2. Mix the wet ingredients: Mash the bananas and measure out 1 1/4 cups. Whisk with the brown sugar, oil, eggs, milk, and vanilla until combined. A few small banana lumps are fine.
3. Mix the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, breaking up any large cocoa lumps.
4. Finish the batter: Fold the dry ingredients into the banana mixture just until no dry streaks remain. Fold in about 2/3 cup of the chocolate chips. The batter should be thick but spreadable; mixing longer can make the loaf dense.
5. Fill the pan: Spread the batter evenly in the pan. It should reach no higher than roughly three-quarters of the pan’s depth. Scatter the remaining 1/3 cup chocolate chips across the top, leaving plenty visible down the center.
6. Bake: Bake uncovered for about 55–70 minutes, beginning to check at 55 minutes. The center should feel set, and a skewer inserted near the center away from visible chips should show no wet batter; a few moist crumbs are fine. If the top threatens to scorch before the center is done, tent it loosely with foil and continue baking.
7. Cool: Leave the loaf in its pan for 20–30 minutes. Lift it out by the parchment and cool completely on a rack before slicing, about 60–90 minutes of total cooling.

Why Measure the Mashed Banana?

Bananas vary in size, so three may yield more or less than 1 1/4 cups after mashing. Use very ripe, brown-spotted bananas, but measure them before adding them to the batter. Extra banana can leave the center wet or extend the bake considerably.

Use the specified 9-by-5-inch pan for the stated baking window. A smaller pan makes a deeper loaf that may need more time.

How to Tell When the Dark Loaf Is Done

A dark cocoa surface does not mean the center is baked through. If the skewer comes out coated in melted chocolate, it may have struck a chip; test another spot near the center. Sticky chocolate is different from wet batter. Keep baking until the center feels set and the skewer shows only moist crumbs or comes out clean.

For a banana bread without cocoa in the batter, try this chocolate chip banana bread.

How to Store and Freeze the Loaf

Cool the loaf completely before wrapping it. Keep it airtight at room temperature for about 3–4 days. Refrigeration in a sealed container is possible, but may make quick bread seem drier; freeze it for longer storage instead.

Wrap the cooled loaf or individual slices tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw while wrapped. To soften the chocolate, briefly warm an individual slice in the microwave or toaster oven before serving.

Nutrition

Approximate nutrition per slice, based on 10 slices: 325 calories, 6g protein, 14g fat, and 48g carbohydrates. Approximate nutrition per 100g of baked bread: 340 calories, 6g protein, 15g fat, and 50g carbohydrates. Values vary with ingredient brands, slice size, and moisture lost during baking.