Ingredients

Chocolate Banana Bread

  • 3 large very ripe bananas
  • 2 large eggs
  • ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (100 g) brown sugar
  • ⅓ cup (80 ml) vegetable oil or melted butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1½ cups (190 g) all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup (45–50 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon, optional
  • ½ cup (120 ml) milk
  • ½ cup (85 g) chocolate chips

Chocolate topping

  • ½ cup (85 g) chocolate chips
  • 2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
  • ½ cup chopped walnuts or hazelnuts
  • Optional: 1 tablespoon melted butter

👩‍🍳 Instructions

1. Prepare the pan

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).

Grease a 9 × 5-inch loaf pan and line it with parchment paper, leaving some paper hanging over the sides for easy removal.

2. Mash the bananas

Peel the bananas and place them in a large mixing bowl.

Mash thoroughly with a fork.

You want about 1½ cups mashed banana.

The riper and more heavily spotted the bananas are, the sweeter and more flavorful the bread will be.

3. Add the wet ingredients

Add:

  • Eggs
  • Granulated sugar
  • Brown sugar
  • Oil or melted butter
  • Vanilla

Whisk everything together until well combined.

4. Combine the dry ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk together:

  • Flour
  • Cocoa powder
  • Baking soda
  • Baking powder
  • Salt
  • Cinnamon

This prevents pockets of cocoa or baking soda from ending up in the finished loaf.

5. Make the batter

Add approximately half of the dry ingredients to the banana mixture.

Stir gently.

Add the milk, then add the remaining dry ingredients.

Mix just until combined.

Don’t overmix—the batter should be thick and moist.

6. Add chocolate

Fold in the ½ cup chocolate chips.

You can also add ¼ cup chopped walnuts directly into the batter if you’d like extra crunch.

7. Fill the loaf pan

Pour the batter into your prepared pan.

Smooth the top with a spatula.

For an especially chocolatey loaf, scatter another handful of chocolate chips over the top before baking.

8. Bake

Bake at 350°F (175°C) for approximately 45–55 minutes.

Start checking around 45 minutes.

Insert a toothpick into the center. It should come out with a few moist crumbs, but not wet batter.

Don’t overbake—the slightly fudgy center is what makes this bread so good.

If the top gets dark before the center is done, loosely cover it with foil.