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This chocolate banana bread really commits to the chocolate: half a cup of cocoa powder makes a rich, dark batter, an overflowing cup of semi-sweet chips melts throughout, and a fudge frosting made from cream, brown sugar, and more chocolate pours over the loaf that’s been perfectly cooled. This one takes FOUR, count ’em FOUR, mashed ripe bananas that keeps it moist and so you can still taste that banana inside all that chocolate.
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How to make Chocolate Banana Bread
You can find all the measurements and full ingredient list in the recipe card at the very bottom of this post. Enjoy!
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350. Heavily spray a 9×5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray and set it aside. (Remember that if you use a different size, the more shallow the pan is, the less time it needs to bake.) Gather the ingredients and tools. The best bananas for this are overripe, naturally.
Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder. Set this bowl of dry ingredients aside for now.
Step 3: In a medium mixing bowl: beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and mashed bananas and mix until combined.
Step 4: Pour the wet mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients (or whichever is the bigger bowl) and gently stir to just combine, then fold in the chocolate chips. The batter will turn thick and brown.
Step 5: Transfer the very thick batter into the prepared loaf pan. Use a bowl scraper or spatula to spread it to all four corners and even out the top.
Step 6: Bake the chocolate banana bread at 350 F for 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick or edge of a butter knife inserted into the center comes out clean. If your oven runs hot, check at 45 minutes, and of course if your loaf pan is more shallow than 5 inches, reduce the baking time.) Set aside to cool. Since it’s so dense, i like to elevate the whole pan on a wire rack or wire trivet so there’s airflow. If your stove has grates, that works too.
Step 7: Time to make the frosting. In a clean pot or pan, heat the heavy cream and brown sugar over medium heat, stirring gently and often, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to lightly bubble. Stir in the butter and vanilla extract until the butter melts.
Step 8: Remove the pan from the heat. (Chocolate can burn easily, so residual heat will melt the chips.) Add chocolate chips and whisk until they melt and the fudge frosting turns smooth and glossy.
Step 9: Pour the frosting into a small bowl and let it cool and thicken for 10 to 15 minutes.
Step 10: Carefully remove the bread from the loaf pan and drizzle the glaze over the top, letting it run down the sides. Slice the bread and serve.
Make ahead note: If you are making this a couple days in advance, don’t frost the loaf yet: wrap the loaf and add the frosting to an airtight container; add both to the fridge to stay cold. When you are ready to serve, remove the loaf to come to room temp and reheat the glaze in a microwave safe bowl in increments of 20 seconds. Pour over the whole loaf, then slice and serve.
Tools and Equipment
- 9×5-inch loaf pan
- Large and medium mixing bowls
- Electric hand mixer
- Medium skillet or saucepan for the frosting
- Bowl scraper/spatula
- Balloon whisk (safe for nonstick pans, if using)
- Wire cooling rack or plate for glazing the loaf
Tips for Success
- This chocolate banana bread uses four bananas or 1 1/2 cups mashed.
- Start checking the loaf for doneness at 45 minutes, especially if you have a smaller loaf pan.
- It’s important to let the glaze cool up to 15 minutes so that it thickens.
- The bread keeps well at room temperature for up to 3 days, covered.
- Freeze the loaf unfrosted for up to 3 months, then thaw and make the frosting fresh; the glaze frosting does not freeze well.
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Chocolate Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
- 1/2 c unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 t baking soda
- 1/2 t baking powder
- 1/2 c butter 1 stick, softened
- 1/2 c granulated sugar
- 1/4 c brown sugar packed
- 2 eggs
- 4 small to medium bananas (1.5 cups) peeled and mashed
- 1 c semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/3 c heavy cream for the frosting
- 2 T brown sugar packed, for the frosting
- 1 t butter for the frosting
- 1/2 t vanilla extract for the frosting
- 1/3 c semi-sweet chocolate chips for the frosting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray a 9×5-inch loaf pan heavily with nonstick cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking soda, and baking powder; set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the butter, white and brown sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs and mashed bananas and continue mixing until just combined.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry and stir to combine. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Scoop the batter into the prepared loaf pan and spread out evenly.
- Bake at 350 F for 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Set aside to cool in the pan.
- In a medium skillet, heat the heavy cream and brown sugar over medium heat, stirring often, until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture begins to lightly bubble. Stir in the butter and vanilla extract until the butter is melted.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Add the chocolate chips and whisk until melted and the frosting is smooth.
- Pour the frosting into a small bowl to cool for 10-15 minutes.
- Remove the bread from the loaf pan and drizzle the frosting over top. Slice the bread and serve.
Nutrition
The bottom line
Is it a chocolate loaf cake or a chocolate banana bread? I won’t choose sides here. Between the rich cocoa crumb, melted chips, and the glaze-like, more ganache than buttercream chocolate fudge frosting, it’s not quite the healthy breakfast bread you may be seeking. If you are hoping to impress someone with mad banana bread skills, though, this makes a great first impression!
