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Double Chocolate Banana Bread

Double chocolate banana bread with a fudgy, brownie-like crumb and a crackled dark top. Melted chocolate chips pool slightly as they bake for rich, moist chocolate banana loaf slices.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 390
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Banana bread batter
  • 3 ripe bananas Mash until mostly smooth with few small lumps.
  • 0.5 cup butter Melted and slightly cooled before mixing.
  • 0.75 cup sugar
  • 2 large eggs Use room temperature if possible.
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 0.333 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips Divide: use 3/4 cup in the batter and scatter the rest on top.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 Dutch oven

Method
 

Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x5 loaf pan so the loaf releases cleanly.
  2. Place the loaf pan on a sheet pan for easier handling and more even baking.
Mix wet ingredients
  1. Whisk the melted butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla into the mashed bananas until smooth and fully combined, with no streaks.
Combine dry and fold
  1. Sift the all-purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt together to remove lumps for a uniform cocoa batter.
  2. Fold the dry mixture into the banana mixture until just combined, stopping as soon as you don’t see dry flour.
Add chocolate and bake
  1. Fold in 3/4 cup of chocolate chips, then pour the batter into the loaf pan.
  2. Scatter the remaining chocolate chips across the top for melted pools and a fudgy surface.
  3. Bake for 60–70 minutes at 350°F until a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs; the top should look very dark but should not look wet.
Cool and slice
  1. Cool in the pan for 15 minutes before turning out so the loaf sets and won’t break.
  2. Do not slice until fully cooled, since cutting early makes the center seem gummy.

Notes

For the most brownie-like texture, use ripe bananas with deep yellow/brown speckling and don’t overmix once flour is added. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; freeze sliced portions for up to 3 months. For a slightly lighter option, swap 1:1 of all-purpose flour for whole wheat pastry flour (texture stays fudgy, flavor turns more nutty).