Double Chocolate Banana Bread

Why You’ll Love This Banana Bread

• Soft & Tender – Made with sour cream, this banana bread is extra rich, tender, and perfectly moist.
• Full of Chocolate Flavor – A combination of cocoa powder and chocolate chips is used, making this bread a chocolate lover’s dream!
• Ripe Bananas – The perfect recipe to use up those brown, overripe bananas sitting on the counter.
• One Bowl – This banana bread comes together all in one mixing bowl and no electric mixer is needed, making it super quick and easy to throw together.

Ingredient Notes 

Bananas: About 3 large bananas are needed, equaling about 1½ cups once mashed. Be sure to wait until the bananas are very ripe and have brown spots all over. See the FAQs section of this post to see how to ripen your bananas quickly.

Butter: Unsalted butter works best here, so the bread isn’t overly salty. Melt the butter and allow it to cool slightly before using.

Sugar: Granulated sugar for sweetness.

Eggs: Two large eggs, at room temperature.

Vanilla: Pure vanilla extract adds another layer of flavor and complements the chocolate. 

All-Purpose Flour: Use a scale to weigh your flour for the most accurate measurement.

Cocoa Powder: Unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder works best. This one is my favorite brand to use.

Leaveners: Baking soda and baking powder are both used.

Salt: Just a bit helps balance out the sweetness.

Sour Cream: Makes the banana bread perfectly moist. You could also use full-fat plain Greek yogurt instead.

Chocolate Chips: Semi-sweet or dark chocolate will work. I like Ghirardelli 60% bittersweet or Trader Joe’s 72% dark chocolate. Peanut butter chips would also be delicious for a fun chocolate-peanut butter twist!

Prep Pan

Start by lightly coating a 9-inch by 5-inch loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line the pan with parchment paper, creating a sling with overhang, which will make it easy to remove the bread from the pan.

Mash Bananas

Use a fork or potato masher to break up the bananas until only a few lumps remain. If you’re measuring the bananas using cups, be sure to mash the bananas up first.

Mix Batter

To make the banana bread batter, start by whisking the mashed bananas with melted butter and sugar, followed by the eggs and vanilla. Whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, leaveners, and salt, then mix them, along with the sour cream, into the wet ingredients. Lastly, fold in the chocolate chips with a rubber spatula.

Bake

Add the batter to the prepared pan and sprinkle about ¼ cup more of chocolate chips all over the top. Bake the bread at 350°F for 60-70 minutes or until a toothpick comes out with just a few wet crumbs. Let the banana bread cool in the pan for 15-20 minutes, then move to a wire rack to finish cooling. Slice and serve!

What is the best way to store the banana bread?

The chocolate banana bread should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. This banana bread gets even better the second day, after it sits in an airtight container overnight – all the flavors meld together and it becomes extra soft and delicious.

Does this freeze well?

Yes, this banana bread freezes great! Simply wrap the loaf (or slices) tightly in plastic wrap, then place in an airtight storage container or zip-top bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. To thaw, pull out the cake the night before serving (or at least several hours before), and allow it to come to room temperature.

How can I ripen bananas quickly?

If you don’t have overripe bananas or don’t have time to wait several days for your bananas to ripen, you can actually ripen them in the oven. Place the bananas on a baking sheet at bake at 300°F for about 20 minutes, rotating a couple of times to evenly brown the bananas. Allow them to cool to room temperature, then use them as the recipe calls for.

How can you tell when the banana bread is done?

Bake just until a few moist crumbs appear when you test the center of the cake with a toothpick. Be careful not to be fooled by the melted chocolate, and look for crumbs so you don’t overbake it. The center where the bread cracks should also spring back to the touch when it’s done baking.