Double Chocolate Banana Bread

This Double Chocolate banana bread is the best of both worlds with a chocolate banana bread base, chocolate chips, and an optional chocolate ganache on top.

How do you make a moist banana bread?

To make a moist banana bread, you need a lot of bananas. This recipe uses 350 grams of ripe banana in the actual batter plus another banana cut up. Additionally, sugar adds moisture – I totally understand wanting to decrease the sugar in a recipe and you definitely can but if you do just know that it can affect the moisture and structure.

How to mash bananas?

There’s really no rules when it comes to mashing bananas. You can use a fork or an electric mixer to mash bananas for this bread. I would not recommend a blender or food processor because it will turn the bananas into soup. The riper they are the easier they are to mash, I usually mash them once I’ve added them to the butter and sugar but you can pre mash in a bowl if they’re a little firm.

How to quickly ripen bananas?

In case your bananas aren’t quite ripe and spotty, I recommend roasting them in the oven on a lined baking sheet at 350 F for 15-30 minutes until black and soft. Allow them to cool before using for the bread.

Tips for making a Chocolate Banana Bread

• The perfect bananas for banana bread are brown and spotty but not completely brown and mushy. If they are too ripe you’ll have a somewhat alcoholic tasting bread that has too much moisture in it because the bananas will have broken down too far.
• In case your bananas aren’t quite ripe and spotty, I recommend roasting them in the oven on a lined baking sheet at 350 F for 15-30 minutes until black and soft. Allow them to cool before using for the bread.
• No matter the brand be sugar to bake the loaf in a metal loaf pan, not a glass or ceramic dish. The bread will have a difficult time baking all the way through in glass or ceramic.
• If you want to add nuts to this banana bread, go for it! I recommend using walnuts or pecans, just be sure to toast them in a pan over medium heat first to enhance their flavor. Use 150-200 grams of roughly chopped, toasted, nuts if adding them into the bread.
• Don’t over mix the batter. Banana bread can easily become tough or get too airy if over mixed so be sure to mix the dry ingredients only until just combined.
• I used my favorite 9″x5″ medium loaf pan from USA pan because the light ridged metal gives it an even, tall, bake and has a non stick surface. A small 8″ x 4.5″ loaf pan will work too but you’ll have a bit of leftover batter that you need to bake in a muffin tin or a small cake pan. If using a different brand of pan, be sure to spray the pan with a baking spray that includes flour or line the pan with parchment paper (or both).
• The chocolate ganache topping is optional, if you’d rather you can also top it with chocolate chips before baking or just leave it plain!
• Don’t underbake this banana loaf. The bread should be firm to the touch when you take it out of the oven.
• Make sure to let the cake cool for 45 min – 1hour before tipping it out. If you try to flip it out too soon, it will fall apart.

Additional recipes to try!

• Banana Upside Down Cake
• Zucchini Lemon Loaf
• Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread

Chocolate Banana Bread Ingredients

• Butter: I like to use salted butter but unsalted will work too, just add an extra pinch of salt.
• Brown Sugar: Dark Brown sugar is used in the banana bread batter but light brown will work in a pinch.
• Bananas: Ideally you want to use spotty brown medium sized bananas. Depending on the size you need approximately 3 for the bread and 1 for chopping up into the batter.
• Vanilla: Vanilla extract enhances the sweetness and flavor of the bread.
• Cocoa Powder: I use 100% natural cocoa powder for this banana bread!
• Espresso Powder: A tablespoon of espresso powder or instant espresso is used to enhance the chocolate flavor. Do not use ground espresso beans as they won’t dissolve the same way.
• Eggs: I use standard large eggs from the store.
• Salt: A little bit of salt enhances the flavors and balances out the sweetness.
• 5% Fat Greek Yogurt: Full fat greek yogurt adds richness and moisture to the cake. You can also use Sour cream.
• Flour: I used all purpose flour but you could substitute half whole wheat flour in this bread.
• Baking Soda: Baking soda helps the banana bread rise and keep a tender texture.
• Chocolate Chip: I like to classic chocolate chips in this recipe but you can also use chocolate chunks.
• Chocolate: for the chocolate ganache topping you’ll need a high quality chocolate such as a 60% or 70% ghirardelli chocolate bar. Chocolate chips won’t melt properly.
• Heavy Cream: Heavy cream is heated up to melt down the chocolate for the chocolate ganache.

How to make Double Chocolate Banana Bread

• Preheat the oven to 350 F and place a rack in the middle of the oven.

Banana Bread Batter

• Add the cocoa powder, espresso powder and hot water into a small bowl and stir together until smooth.
• In a medium mixing bowl add in the melted butter, brown sugar, bloomed cocoa powder and espresso powder, salt, and vanilla. Whisk briefly until smooth.
• Add in the 3 soft bananas (should be approximately 350 grams), use the whisk to smoosh them into the butter and sugar. Crack in both eggs and add in the greek yogurt. Whisk again briefly just until smooth.
• Pour in the flour and then the baking soda on top and give it a brief whisk just to incorporate the baking soda. There should still be plenty of dry flour visible on the surface.
• Peel and chop the last banana into 1/2″ chunks. Add the chocolate chips and banana chunks on top of the flour.
• Use a rubber spatula to fold the dry ingredients and add-ins into the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined.

Bake

• If using this USA pan, pour the batter straight into the pan. If using a different metal loaf pan, prep the pan with a baking spray including flour or parchment paper.
• Bake the loaf on the middle rack in the preheated oven for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes rotate the pan 180 degrees and bake for another 10-15 minutes until the top is firm when gently pressed on.
• Once baked, remove the pan from the oven and set aside to cool for 45 minutes to an hour.
• After it feels cool to the touch, tip the loaf out of the pan and set on a parchment lined wire rack to cool for another 10 minutes before topping with the chocolate ganache.

Chocolate Ganache

• If topping with chocolate ganache, add the chopped chocolate into a medium heat safe bowl. Heat the heavy cream in a pot or the microwave until just steaming hot, not boiling.
• Pour the hot cream over the chocolate, cover with a lid and let it sit for 1 minute. After a minute has passed, remove the lid and whisk slowly until smooth.
• Pour the smooth ganache over the top of the cooled loaf and if you can, let it set. But also feel free to cut into it immediately.
• Store leftover in an airtight container at room temperature.

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