Double Chocolate Banana Bread

Banana bread is already a delicious classic, but adding chocolate makes it even better. This Double Chocolate Banana Bread is soft, rich, and loaded with melty chocolate chips in every slice!

What is Double Chocolate Banana Bread?

Double chocolate banana bread is a rich twist on the classic quick bread we all know and love. Instead of relying solely on bananas for flavor, cocoa powder and chocolate chips are added to create layers of deep chocolate taste while still keeping the bread soft and tender.

The bananas bring natural sweetness and moisture, which helps create that traditional soft crumb. When paired with cocoa powder and pockets of chocolate chips, the result is a loaf that smells incredible while baking and tastes even better once it’s sliced!

Ingredients You’ll Need For Moist Chocolate Banana Bread

• Bananas – You can’t have banana bread without bananas! Make sure they’re extra ripe, with plenty of brown or black spots on the skin, for easy mixing and a sweeter flavor. 
• Butter – Unsalted butter works best to create a richer flavor and fluffy texture. However, salted butter would work, too, if that’s what you have on hand. Just be sure to adjust the salt added to avoid overpowering your bread. 
• Sugar – We use regular granulated sugar to enhance the sweet taste. 
• Eggs – These are crucial in baked goods to provide texture and help them hold their shape. 
• Vanilla Extract – Use a high-quality pure vanilla extract to enhance the rest of the ingredients. 
• Sour Cream – Our secret weapon, sour cream, adds extra moisture to the double chocolate banana bread, making it melt-in-your-mouth delicious!
• Baking Soda – Use fresh baking soda to help the bread rise as it bakes. 
• Salt – This is used in all baked goods, even sweets, to bring out the flavor in the rest of the ingredients. 
• All-Purpose Flour – Regular all-purpose flour works best to form the base of the bread, giving it structure and shape. 
• Cocoa Powder – Make sure your cocoa powder is unsweetened and natural, which will work better with the baking soda in this recipe than Dutch-process cocoa. For an even richer chocolate taste, you could also swap it out for raw cacao powder instead. 
• Mini Chocolate Chips – We prefer to use semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips to infuse extra chocolate in every bite. You could use full-sized chocolate chips, but we found that mini versions allow for even more chocolate flavor!

How to Make Double Chocolate Banana Bread

1. Mash the bananas. Peel your bananas, and use a fork to mash them in a bowl until they are smooth and creamy. 
2. Combine the ingredients. In a separate bowl, add the melted butter and granulated sugar, and whisk until they’re smooth. Then, add in the eggs and vanilla, and whisk again. Once smooth, mix in the salt, sour cream, mashed bananas, and baking soda. 
3. Sift. Sift the flour and cocoa powder into the bowl with the rest of the ingredients, and gently fold the batter until they’re just combined — the dry ingredients should be just moistened. Then, fold in the chocolate chips. Be sure to avoid over-mixing.
4. Bake. Pour the batter into the loaf pan, and sprinkle more chocolate chips on top. Bake your double chocolate banana bread until a toothpick can be inserted into the center and comes out clean. The internal temperature of the bread should be around 200-205 degrees Fahrenheit.
5. Cool. Once baked, let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.

Variations on this Moist Chocolate Banana Bread

• Nuts – Stir chopped walnuts or pecans into the batter for added texture and a slightly toasted flavor that pairs perfectly with chocolate.
• Peanut Butter – Spoon a few ribbons of peanut butter into the batter and swirl gently with a knife. The creamy peanut butter adds a rich contrast to the chocolate.
• Espresso – Add a small pinch of espresso powder to deepen the chocolate flavor. This trick enhances the cocoa without making the bread taste like coffee.
• Sugar – Replace some or all of the granulated sugar with brown sugar, which will give the bread a little bit of caramel-like flavor. Coconut sugar is another option, though the bread may turn out slightly denser. Or, experiment with some of our other sugar swaps!
• Chocolate – Swap the mini semi-sweet chocolate chips for dark chocolate chunks.
• Yogurt – Replace sour cream with Greek yogurt for a slightly lighter option that still keeps the bread moist.
• Dairy-Free Version – Substitute the butter with a neutral oil, use a plant-based sour cream alternative, and use dairy-free chocolate chips to create a dairy-free version.
• Muffin Style – Divide the batter into a muffin pan instead of a loaf pan to create portable chocolate banana bread muffins. Just make sure to adjust the baking time since they’ll bake up a little more quickly. 

Troubleshooting

• Banana Bread Is Too Dense – Overmixing can cause quick breads to come out dense. Stir just until the flour disappears so the loaf stays soft and tender instead of heavy.
• The Center Sank After Baking – A sunken center often means the bread was underbaked or the oven temperature was too low. Make sure the middle is fully set, and a toothpick comes out with only a few moist crumbs.
• The Bread Is Dry – Dry banana bread can happen if the bananas aren’t ripe enough. Extra-ripe bananas and ingredients like sour cream help keep the loaf moist. Also, be sure to carefully measure the flour so that you have the right ratio of dry to wet ingredients.
• The Chocolate Chips Sank to the Bottom – If the chips settle, the batter may be slightly thin. Tossing the chocolate chips in a little flour before folding them into the batter can help keep them evenly distributed.
• The Top Cracked – A cracked top is actually normal for banana bread! The batter rises and expands as it bakes, which naturally creates that rustic split down the middle.
• The Bread Didn’t Rise – This can happen if the baking soda has expired or is inactive. Fresh baking soda is key to helping quick breads rise properly. If your baking soda isn’t fresh, consider trying a substitute to make sure your bread turns out!

Can I Store Leftovers?

This bread stays soft and moist for several days when stored properly, making it a great option to bake ahead of time. Just wrap it up and store it at room temperature for up to 4 days.

If you plan to refrigerate it, place the bread in an airtight container and store it for up to 1 week.

For longer storage, wrap the loaf or slices tightly, first with plastic wrap, then with aluminum foil. Freeze it for up to 3 months. You can also bake the bread ahead, freeze it whole, and thaw it overnight when you’re ready to enjoy it.

Double Chocolate Banana Bread Common Questions

More Banana Recipes

Banana recipes never go out of style, especially when they’re simple, comforting, and easy to make. If you’re looking for more ways to use those ripe bananas, these favorites are a great place to start!

Blender Banana Bread
Chocolate Hazelnut Banana Bread
Chocolate Chip Walnut Banana Bread
Banana Blueberry Bread Muffins