Imagine everything you love about traditional banana bread combined with chocolate cake. That’s this Double Chocolate Banana Bread. This easy recipe truly makes the best chocolate banana bread!
This double chocolate banana bread recipe has a deep chocolate flavor with a soft moist crumbs. Every bite gives you the perfect balance of chocolate and bananas. It’s the perfect excuse for chocolate at breakfast.
The sweetness level is not overbearing, however; it’s definitely packed with enough chocolate for a chocolate lover. It’s a great way to take classic banana bread and turn it into a special sweet treat, a great snack or delicious dessert.
Try our other banana quick breads too: Strawberry Banana Bread, Chocolate Chip Banana Bread and Pumpkin Roasted-Banana Quick Bread.
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Recipe Ingredient Notes
Flour. Regular all purpose flour or gluten-free measure-for-measure flour can be used. We recommend Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour for gluten-free baked goods (it’s the only flour we use for gluten-free baking).
Unsweetened Cocoa Powder. Be sure to use unsweetened!
Unsalted Butter. Start with softened or room temperature butter for best results.
Sour cream. This gives the bread wonderful moisture and a little bit of tanginess!
Granulated Sugar. Granulated sugar gives the perfect level of sweetness. Check the Variations below for more options.
Bananas. This chocolate banana bread is best made with overripe bananas with brown spots. The more brown the sweeter the bread.
Chocolate Chips. Because of the sweetness level, we recommend semi sweet chocolate chips. Add some extra chocolate chips on top of the bread too!
Variations & Substitutions
Sour cream substitute. If desired plain full fat Greek yogurt could be used; or any other full fat yogurt.
Sugar options. For a deeper flavor, and more moisture, substitute light brown sugar for the granulated sugar, or even half brown and half granulated. There is a ton of moisture in this bread so granulated sugar works great.
Chocolate chip alternatives. Milk chocolate could be used instead of semi-sweet chocolate chips if preferred, or dark chocolate chips. If milk chocolate is used reduce the sugar amount down to a ¼ cup.
Add-ins. Different ingredients could be added such as crushed walnuts, or even peanut butter chips. Start with ½ cup of each and adjust as desired.
How to make Double Chocolate Banana Bread – Step-by-Step
STEP 1. Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, for easy release, and spray lightly with a nonstick spray (photo 1).
NOTE: Lining the pan works well with this bread due to the chocolate chips on top, it’s hard to remove the bread with melted chocolate on top.
STEP 2. Make the batter
In a small bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside (photo 2).
In a large bowl, beat the butter and sour cream until creamy (photo 3) . Add in the eggs, sugar, and vanilla (photo 4); mix until combined.
In a small bowl, mash the bananas with a fork until creamy (photo 5); there will be lumps. Add the mashed bananas and flour mixture (dry ingredients) to the large bowl (wet ingredients) and mix until combined (photo 6).
Fold in the ½ cup mini chocolate chips (photo 7).
STEP 3. Bake
Transfer batter into the prepared loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes (photo 8). The bread is done when a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the middle comes out clean.
STEP 4. Cool
Cool the quick bread for 10 minutes in the pan before removing to a cooling wire rack (photo 9). Cool completely before cutting for clean slices.
Store covered at room temperature or refrigerator.
How to Store it
Store wrapped in plastic wrap or in an airtight container at room temperature or refrigerator.
How to Freeze it
Allow the moist banana bread to fully cool. Wrap snugly in plastic wrap and then place it in a freezer gallon bag or freezer safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
This is a common occurrence with any quick bread recipe. This happens because the bread sets on the top before the bread is finished rising. So as it continues to rise and expand the top will crack. It’s totally normal!
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Recipe
Double Chocolate Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour regular or gluten-free measure-for-measure flour blend
- ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup sour cream
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 large ripe bananas Measures to 1 ½ cups when mashed
- ½ cup semi sweet mini chocolate chips plus a few extra to sprinkle on top
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, for easy release, and spray lightly with a nonstick cooking spray.NOTE: because it's difficult to remove the bread with the melted chocolate chips on top ,lining the pan in this way works well.
- In a small bowl, whisk the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter and sour cream until creamy. Add in the eggs, sugar, and vanilla; mix until combined. In a small bowl, mash the bananas with a fork until creamy; there will be lumps.
- Add the bananas and flour mixture to the large bowl and mix until combined. Fold in the ½ cup mini chocolate chips.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 50-60 minutes. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
- Cool for 10 minutes before removing to a cooling rack. Cool completely before cutting for clean slices.
- Store covered at room temperature or refrigerator.
Notes
- Sour cream: Greek yogurt or any full fat yogurt can be substituted.
- Bananas: this is best with bananas that have brown spots. The more brown the sweeter the bread.
- Sugar: For a deeper flavor, and more moisture, use light brown sugar, or even half brown and half granulated. There is a ton of moisture in this bread so granulated works great.
- Chocolate Chips: Because of the sweetness level, we used semi sweet chocolate chips. Milk chocolate could be used if preferred or dark chocolate. If milk chocolate is used then you might take the sugar amount down to a ¼ cup.
- Add Ins: Different mix ins could be added such as crushed walnuts, or even peanut butter chips. Start with ½ cup of each and adjust as desired.
Andrea says
Whoa! This is a chocolate lovers and banana bread lovers dream come true. I can’t wait to make it again!
Renee | The Good Hearted Woman says
Oh, this double-chocolate bread is luscious! I do like the slight tang full-fat Greek yogurt gives it.
Tavo says
So scrumptious! Can’t wait to make this recipe again over the weekend!
Tara says
Oooh, such a fantastic use for ripe bananas. I love all that flavor from both the cocoa powder and the chocolate chips. Yum!
Alison says
I had some overly ripe bananas I needed to use so I decided to make this double chocolate banana bread! WOW! So moist, and full of deep chocolate flavor! A new favorite!
Agnes says
Yum!! Can’t go wrong with this recipe, delicous!
Eden says
Oh my goodness! This chocolate banana bread is SO good!! We all loved it and it was gone the first day!
Taylor says
Made this over the weekend with some ripe bananas we had on hand and it was AMAZING! So moist with just the right amount of chocolate flavor. I topped mine with some creamy peanut butter and it was just perfect!