Double Chocolate Banana Bread
This breakout recipe has become a hit on my Instagram. Combining my love of chocolate with my love of banana bread is a match made in heaven.
How do you make banana bread light and flavorful?
It’s all about using really ripe bananas. I’m talking bananas that are really starting to turn brown, with freckles and soft spots. These are the perfect bananas for banana bread.
The texture of your finished bread depends on following the recipe precisely. The actual amount of bananas is given as a liquid measure (mashed bananas,) and by weight. Use the amount of bananas, 2 1/2, as a guideline. You may find that two bananas is enough to make 1 cup of mashed puree, or you may need to peel a 3rd banana.
The mixing method is also unique here. Whipping the banana puree, eggs and oil in a blender creates an emulsion. It’s much like a salad dressing. While the mixture whips, air is incorporated. This air makes it’s way into the final batter and produces a banana bread with a nice rise and soft spring. I much prefer this cakey texture to a banana bread that is dense and heavy.
Finally, look for some quality cocoa. In any chocolate dessert, a high fat, quality dutch process cocoa will be a game changer when it comes to flavor. Can you just use budget grocery store cocoa powder? Sure you can, but your double chocolate banana bread may lack the deep chocolate flavor and moisture that you would get otherwise. If using a grocery store cocoa powder like Hershey’s, add an additional tablespoon of vegetable oil to make up for the low fat content of the cocoa.
- 1 cup all purpose flour- 125 grams
- ¾ cup brown sugar, lightly packed- 160 grams
- ⅓ cup dutch process cocoa powder- 35 grams
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup mashed very ripe bananas, about 2.5 medium bananas- 260 grams
- ½ cup plus 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup chocolate chunks or chips
- Preheat your oven to 350*F. Spray an 8"x4" loaf pan and line with parchment paper.
- In a medium mixing bowl add the flour, light brown sugar, cocoa, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Whisk to combine and set aside.
- In a blender or the bowl of your food processor, add the mashed bananas, oil, eggs and vanilla extract. Blend on high for 15 seconds to emulsify the liquid ingredients. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until combined. Fold in the chocolate chunks and then pour the batter into the prepared pan. Top with more chocolate chunks if desired (I always do!) Bake in the center of your oven for 60-70 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Check earlier if using a larger loaf pan. Allow to cool in the pan for 20 minutes and then remove and place on a cooling rack to cool completely.
Double Chocolate Banana Bread
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