Chocolate Banana Bread Recipe
This chocolate banana bread loaf is rich, fudgy, and stays perfectly moist for days. It’s an ideal way to use up ripe bananas and offers a bakery-quality treat suitable for breakfast, snack, or dessert.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf (about 8 servings)
- Category: Baking
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 3 large ripe bananas (about 1 ½ cups mashed)
- ¼ cup salted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- ⅓ cup applesauce or your favorite cooking oil
- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the Pan: Heat your oven to 350°F. Line a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the sides for easy removal, then grease the parchment paper and pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Prepare the Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork. Add the melted butter and applesauce (or oil), stirring until combined. Mix in the brown sugar, egg, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures: Gently stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Be careful not to overmix to preserve the bread’s moist texture.
- Assemble the Batter: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, spreading it evenly.
- Bake: Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with only a few crumbs. Begin checking at 50 minutes as oven times may vary.
- Cool and Set: Let the bread rest in the pan for at least 30-45 minutes to cool and set. Carefully lift the bread out of the pan using the parchment paper overhang and transfer it to a wire cooling rack to continue cooling. This ensures the bread holds together well.
- Serve: Slice and enjoy once the bread has fully cooled. It pairs wonderfully with homemade strawberry ice cream for an indulgent treat.
Notes
- Pair this chocolate banana bread with homemade strawberry ice cream for an extra special dessert experience.
- Be careful not to overmix the batter or it may become dense instead of moist and fudgy.
- Ensure bananas are very ripe for the best sweetness and flavor.
- Use parchment paper with an overhang for easy loaf removal and clean pan.
- Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the center to avoid overbaking and dryness.
Find it online: https://marthatasty.com/chocolate-banana-bread-recipe/
