Banana Blackout Bread
This banana bread is perfect for chocolate lovers who need an excuse to indulge in chocolate for breakfast. With a rich dark chocolate base, ripe bananas, and chocolate chips for texture, it offers just a hint of banana flavor. Top it with a decadent dark chocolate ganache or not, it's delicious either way.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup (127 grams) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (43 grams) Dutch-process cocoa powder
- ½ cup (100 grams) light brown sugar lightly packed
- ¼ cup (50 grams) granulated sugar
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Wet Ingredients
- 3 medium/large bananas mashed
- ½ cup sour cream full-fat, at room temperature
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
- 3 Tablespoons neutral oil avocado or canola
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Mix-Ins
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Optional Topping
- 1 oz. semi-sweetchocolate baking bar finely chopped
- ⅛ cup (28 grams) heavy cream
Instructions
- Prepare the pan: Line a 9x5 loaf pan with a parchment paper sling and secure it with binder clips.
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, sugars, baking soda, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
- Melt the butter: In a small bowl, microwave the butter for about 30 seconds, or until fully melted. Set aside.
- Preheat the oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) while you prepare the batter.
- Mash the bananas: In a large bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until smooth. Add the eggs, sour cream, oil, melted butter, and vanilla extract into the same bowl. Whisk everything together until fully incorporated.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, folding gently with a rubber spatula until just combined. Then, fold in the chocolate chips.
- Fill the pan: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, spreading it evenly.
- Bake: Place the pan in the oven and bake for 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool and remove: Let the banana bread cool in the pan on wire rack to cool completely. Once completely cooled, use a butter knife to loosen the edges without parchment paper. Remove from the pan and slice. Enjoy!
- Optional ganache topping: For the ganache, heat the heavy cream in a small microwave-safe bowl until warm (about 30 seconds). Add the finely chopped chocolate, making sure the warm cream covers it, and let it sit for 1 minute. Stir with a small spatula or spoon until smooth and glossy. Drizzle or pour the ganache over the cooled banana bread. Once the ganache sets, slice and enjoy!
Notes
Tips for Success
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Allow your cold ingredients to come to room temperature before mixing. This ensures a smooth batter and results in a moist, even crumb.
- Parchment Paper: Secure the parchment paper to your loaf pan using binder clips. You can leave the clips on during baking, but I prefer removing them for quick breads, as the batter tends to rise significantly and could come in contact with the clips.
- Pans: If you're using a high-quality, light aluminum loaf pan (like the USA brand I recommend), there’s no need to grease it.
- One-Bowl Banana Mashing: Mash the bananas directly in the large bowl used for the wet ingredients. It saves you from washing an extra bowl.
- Mash the Bananas Well: Make sure to mash the bananas thoroughly – large chunks can affect the texture of the bread. It’s worth taking the extra time to get them completely smooth for a consistent crumb.
- Don’t Overmix: Once the wet and dry ingredients are combined, be careful not to overmix. Gently fold the batter with a spatula until just combined. Overmixing can lead to a dense loaf.