Easy Chocolate Banana Bread
- PREP 20min
- COOK 65min
- TOTAL 1hrs 25min
We are so excited to share this chocolate banana bread with you! It’s moist, rich, and perfectly chocolatey. I’m actually stuck between calling it a loaf or a dessert! It really is excellent. For the best results, use natural cocoa powder (not Dutch processed), full-fat sour cream, and very ripe bananas. For double chocolate banana bread, add the optional chocolate chips to the batter before baking.
You Will Need
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled (228g)
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon fine sea salt, reduce to ½ teaspoon if sensitive to salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter (85g)
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
⅔ cup unsweetened natural cocoa powder, like Ghirardelli or Hershey’s, spooned and leveled (60g)
1 cup light brown sugar (200g)
¼ cup granulated sugar (50g)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 large eggs
3 medium very ripe bananas, mashed, about 1 ½ cups (340g)
½ cup sour cream or full-fat Greek yogurt (120g)
½ cup chocolate chips, optional (85g)
Directions
1Prep: Heat to 350°F (175°C). Butter and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan (8-cup capacity). Place it onto a baking sheet.
2Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until evenly blended.
3Melt the butter: Melt the butter with the oil in a small saucepan (or use a microwave-safe bowl).
4Make the batter: Whisk the hot melted butter mixture with the cocoa powder, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla until well combined and mostly smooth. When only warm, whisk in the eggs. Then, whisk in the mashed banana and sour cream. Switch to a rubber spatula to fold in the dry ingredients, adding half at a time, folding until that’s mostly incorporated, then finishing with the remaining half. Fold in chocolate chips if using.
5Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake, with the pan set on the baking sheet, for 55 to 70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (a few moist crumbs are okay).
6Cool: Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Adam and Joanne's Tips
- Storing: This lasts in an airtight container, on the counter for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 1 week. To freeze, double wrap it with one layer of plastic wrap and one layer of aluminum foil, then freeze it for up to 6 months.
- Measuring your flour and cocoa: Either weigh it or use the “spoon and level” method: Fluff the flour, spoon it into the measuring cup, and level off the top with a flat edge. You can see me do this in our video!
- The nutrition facts provided below are estimates. We did not include chocolate chips.