A soft and fudgy Chocolate Banana Bread loaded with ripe bananas and chocolate chunks. Topped with melted chocolate and a sprinkle of chopped walnut. It is perfect for breakfast, a treat or a snack. This is the only chocolate banana bread recipe you will ever need.
This chocolate banana bread has a taste and texture of a fudgy brownie. I also find the pairing of chocolate and bananas is amazing and so delicious. This is a fuss-free recipe, so you can use any chocolate you have (dark, milk or semi-sweet). Also, you can easily adapt this recipe by adding dried fruits, nuts of your choice, white chocolate or caramel chunks.
Why this banana bread recipe is the best?
This chocolate banana bread recipe is so easy to follow, sweet and utterly delicious. It also stores and freezes so well. This recipe is packed with chocolate and cocoa powder; it is every cholate lover's dream.
Also, this is the best way to use up any extra ripe bananas you have.
Chocolate Banana Bread Ingredients
- All-purpose flour: This recipe uses all-purpose flour. Measure the flour right to get the best texture.
- Cocoa powder: Use unsweetened and good quality cocoa powder.
- Baking powder: It lightens the texture of the bread.
- Baking soda: It allows the dough to rise.
- Sugar: This recipe uses granulated sugar. You may also use brown sugar or natural sweeteners based on your preference.
- Eggs: Use large eggs. Eggs help in combining all the ingredients together.
- Butter: The butter gives the bread a denser texture and a boost of flavour.
- Ripe bananas: This recipe uses ripe bananas, which gives a delicious banana flavour. Use 2 large bananas or 3 medium ones.
- Vanilla extract: It adds more flavour to the dish and enhances the flavours of all the other ingredients in the mixture.
- Semi-sweet chocolate: use chopped chocolate or chocolate chips. It adds a rich flavour to the dish.
- Walnuts: You may use chopped walnuts, although they’re optional.
- Milk: Adding milk gives the bread a nice, moist texture.
- Toppings: chocolate ganache and some chopped walnut.
How to Make Chocolate Banana Bread?
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F.
- Grease a loaf tin with butter or line with parchment paper.
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F.
- Grease a loaf tin with
- Use a fork to mash the bananas and set aside.
- In a small mixing bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, a pinch of salt and cocoa powder.
- In a large mixing bowl, using an electric whisk, beat the eggs and sugar well until they become fluffy.
- Add vanilla extract, butter and milk. Whisk until combined.
- Stir in the mashed bananas, chopped walnut and chocolate.
- Fold in the dry ingredients, stir until combined.
- Pour the batter into the bread tin, then bake for 45-50 minutes.
- Let it cool down completely, then pour the chocolate ganache on top of it and sprinkle the chopped walnut. Slice and serve.
Top Tips
- Make sure to not overbake the bread; it leaves the bread chewy.
- This chocolate banana bread can be stored & wrapped at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- Make sure to mash the bananas. Slicing the bananas may form lumps when cooked.
- Cocoa powder is the main ingredient in this recipe, so make sure to use natural, unsweetened and good quality cocoa powder.
- Make sure to wait for the chocolate banana bread to cool down before you remove it from the pan.
- To ripen bananas quickly, store them in a Ziploc bag or paper bag.
- Make sure to use the eggs and the butter at room temperature. Combining hot with cold liquid ingredients will yield a gummy texture when baking.
Recipe Variations
- You can turn this into chocolate peanut butter banana bread by adding a handful of peanut butter chips into the batter.
- You may use brown sugar instead of granulated sugar.
- This recipe is versatile; you may add Choco chips, white chips, candied pecans, chopped Oreos or dried fruits.
- You can use vegetable oil, canola oil or olive oil instead of butter.
- Top it with some banana slices instead of melted chocolate and walnut.
- You may substitute milk with buttermilk or water.
- To make this recipe sugar-free, use coconut sugar instead of granulated sugar.
- Add a tablespoon of Espresso powder or a teaspoon of cinnamon for extra flavour.
Recipe FAQs
How long will the chocolate banana bread remain fresh?
The banana bread can be stored and fully wrapped at room temperature for about 4-5 days.
Can I freeze the chocolate banana bread?
Yes, you can. Make sure to cool down the cake completely and tightly wrap it in plastic wrap or store it in an air-tight container. You may freeze for up to 2 months and defrost before slicing.
Can this be made into Chocolate banana muffins?
Yes, you can use the same recipe to make muffins. They’ll need around 20-25 minutes to bake. Check Easy chocolate chip banana muffins.
What makes chocolate banana bread soggy?
The ratio of banana to flour in this recipe makes all the difference. Using too much flour can make the bread dry, and not using enough flour makes the bread wet and soggy. Use the right amount of flour to avoid the soggy texture.
Can I make this chocolate banana bread dairy-free?
Yes, you can use almond milk or any plant-based milk. Substitute butter with vegan butter or coconut oil.
Can I make eggless chocolate banana bread?
If you want to make this chocolate banana bread without eggs, you can substitute the eggs with Greek yogurt.
What to do if the bananas aren’t ripe enough?
Using ripe bananas is what gives a delicious flavour to the bread. But if you don’t have ripe bananas, just preheat the oven to 350 degrees and place the bananas on parchment paper without peeling them.
Once it’s preheated, put them in for 15 minutes, and the outside of the bananas will begin to turn brown. Remove the bananas from the oven and let them cool down. You will have delicious mushy bananas that are ready to use.
How to know if my banana bread is fully baked?
Bake the chocolate banana bread at 180C/350F for 45 minutes, then insert a toothpick into the bread; if it comes out clean, then it is fully baked. If not, bake for 5 minutes more.
Recipes you may like
- Chocolate chips banana bread
- Homemade cornbread from scratch
- Chocolate marshmallow fudge recipe
- 3-Ingredient chocolate cake
Chocolate Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1.25 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- pinch of salt
- ⅓ cup butter
- 1 cup ripe banana
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
- ½ cup walnut, chopped (optional)
- 3 tbsp milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180C/350F.
- Grease a loaf tin with butter or line with parchment paper.
- Use a fork to mash the bananas and set aside.
- In a small mixing bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, a pinch of salt and cocoa powder.
- In a large mixing bowl, using an electric whisk, beat the eggs and sugar well until they become fluffy.
- Add vanilla extract, butter and milk. Whisk until combined.
- Stir in the mashed bananas, chopped walnut and chocolate.
- Fold in the dry ingredients, stir until combined.
- Pour the batter into the bread tin, then bake for 45-50 minutes.
- Let it cool down completely, then pour the chocolate ganache on top of it and sprinkle the chopped walnut. Slice and serve.
Notes
- Make sure to not overbake the bread; it leaves the bread chewy.
- This chocolate banana bread can be stored & wrapped at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- Make sure to mash the bananas. Slicing the bananas may form lumps when cooked.
- Cocoa powder is the main ingredient in this recipe, so make sure to use natural, unsweetened and good quality cocoa powder.
- Make sure to wait for the chocolate banana bread to cool down before you remove it from the pan.
- To ripen bananas quickly, store them in a Ziploc bag or paper bag.
- Make sure to use the eggs and the butter at room temperature. Combining hot with cold liquid ingredients will yield a gummy texture when baking.
Nutrition
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This is by far the best chocolate banana bread recipe I have ever made. I am on a low sugar diet, so I substituted the granulated sugar with Erythritol, and I also used sugar-free chocolate.
I used ghee instead of butter and reduced the granulated sugar to 1/2 cup. The banana bread turned out so good!! Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe.
The banana bread is so moist and rich; It also has lots of banana flavour.
This recipe is really good. Everyone who tries it wants more! It’s so chocolaty, and it has the perfect texture.
Absolutely delicious! I added some chocolate chips on top of it before baking instead of the melted chocolate and walnuts.
Which is the best to use, dutch process cocoa powder or natural cocoa powder?
I prefer using natural cocoa powder. However, you can use a good quality dutch process cocoa powder if you like.
This is the best banana double chocolate bread. Thank you for making me try it.
I made this banana loaf yesterday - I added cinnamon and some raisins to the batter. I also used unsweetened cocoa powder and chocolate chips. It turned out beautiful. I will definitely make it again. Thanks!!
This recipe is my go-to chocolate banana bread when I have extra bananas in my kitchen. The recipe is so easy to follow, and the bread is moist and tastes amazing.