This Double Chocolate Banana Bread is so rich, moist, and chocolatey, but with a clear banana flavor too! Sour cream keeps the bread tender, and semi-sweet chocolate chips melt into it, giving you extra chocolate in every bite.
Moist and Delicious, with Extra Chocolate!
This is the perfect recipe to make when you have overripe bananas to bake with, but also want to enjoy something rich and chocolatey!
Not only are we making this quick bread with two types of chocolate (cocoa powder and chocolate chips), but we’re blending in ripe bananas for sweetness and that classic banana bread flavor.
Some recipes like this one might hide the banana, but I want to taste it, along with the chocolate. I’ve tested this recipe and made adjustments to ensure that all of the wonderful flavors shine through and work perfectly together.
Just like any of my banana bread recipes, double chocolate banana bread is simple to make with just two bowls and a whisk. It freezes beautifully and has a moist, soft, and tender texture.
Key Ingredient Notes
Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
- Cocoa Powder: The type of cocoa that you use matters in this recipe! Use natural cocoa powder, rather than Dutch process cocoa. Natural cocoa is acidic, and it works with the baking soda in the recipe to help the loaf rise and keep the texture soft. If you use Dutch-process cocoa, the loaf will be denser and have a deeper chocolate flavor that will mask the banana flavor.
- Bananas: The riper your bananas are, the more sweetness they will add, and the more pronounced their flavor will be. Choose bananas that are very ripe and turning black. These aren’t the best for eating, but they are perfect for baking with! If you have a scale, aim for 300 grams of mashed banana. This is the sweet spot for banana bread that is perfectly moist but not too dense.
- Sour Cream: You could call this my secret ingredient, as I’ve found that it is the key to creating quick breads that stay moist and soft. You’ll get a similar outcome if you substitute plain, full-fat yogurt, but I think that sour cream works best for providing moisture.
Tip!
Cocoa powder can clump up in the container, so be sure to whisk it well with the flour, or sift it first so that you don’t end up with any dry pockets in the final bread.
Batter Mixing Tips
While this recipe is fairly simple to make, it’s important to pay attention to the order of ingredients and how you mix them.
First, you’ll mix the wet ingredients (banana, melted butter, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla) with granulated sugar until you have a smooth mixture.
In a second bowl, whisk together the cocoa powder, flour, baking soda and salt.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients all at one time, and stir with a spatula just until you can no longer see large pockets of flour. If you mix too much at this stage, the chocolate banana bread will turn out dense and tough.
How to Know when Chocolate Bread is Done
Because the color of this loaf is so dark, it can be tricky to know when it’s ready to come out of the oven! Chocolate bread batters can look done before they actually are. Instead of looking for a “golden brown” top, we have to check some other visual indicators:
- The top looks dry and is set, with a slight crack.
- If you press on it gently, the bread should spring back. If it stays pressed down, it’s not baked enough.
- A toothpick is your best tool here! Insert it into the center of the loaf. It should come out with just a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.
Tip!
After the bread has baked, be sure to let it cool completely on a wire rack before slicing. The texture of the bread settles and improves as it rests and cools. This will allow for clean cuts and no crumbling.
Storing and Freezing
Slices of quick breads and muffins are always in my freezer, ready for dessert!
You can freeze the whole loaf or individual slices for up to 3 months. Just be sure to wrap the bread well and thaw it at room temperature before enjoying.
For shorter storage, keep banana bread covered at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for a week.
More Easy Quick Bread Recipes with Ripe Bananas
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Double Chocolate Banana Bread
Equipment
- 8.5 x 4.5 inch (21.5 x 11.5 cm) loaf pan
- medium mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 1½ cups (180 g) all purpose flour
- ½ cup (45 g) unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (60 g) sour cream or yougurt
- 2 lage eggs
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
- 1¼ cups (300 g) mashed ripe bananas about 2 to 3 medium bananas
- 1 cup (170 g) semisweet chocolate chips plus 2 tablespoons extra for the top if desired
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease an 8.5 x 4.5 inch (21.5 x 11.5 cm) loaf pan and line it with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, sugar, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth. Whisk in the mashed banana until fully combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir just until mostly combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle the extra chocolate chips over the top, if using.
- Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter. If the top starts to darken too quickly, loosely cover it with foil during the last 15 to 20 minutes.
- Cool the bread in the pan for 10 minutes. Lift it out and let it cool completely on a wire rack before slicing.
Notes:
- For the best flavor, use very ripe bananas in this recipe.
- Choose natural cocoa powder rather than Dutch-process cocoa.
- Avoid overmixing the ingredients once the dry ingredients are added, or the loaf will turn out dense.
- Cool the bread completely before slicing for clean cuts.
- Storage: Store the loaf covered at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 1 week.
- To Freeze: Freeze the whole loaf or individual slices, well wrapped, for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Nutrition Information
This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.
© Little Sunny Kitchen
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