One-Bowl Dark Chocolate Banana Loaf
This is the banana bread that disappears first on bakery counters—moist, tender crumb loaded with overripe bananas for deep sweetness, then folded wit...
1 loaf (10-12 slices)
American Cuisine
🟡Intermediate★★★☆☆
Nov 15, 2025
7 views
Ingredients
🥛
8 tablespoons
Unsalted butter
melted and cooled slightly
🌾
1 1/2 cups
All-purpose flour
📦
1 cup
Bittersweet chocolate chips
70% cacao or higher
🍎
3 large
Very ripe bananas
peels should be heavily speckled or black
📦
3/4 cup
Dark brown sugar
packed
📦
2 teaspoons
Pure vanilla extract
🥩
2
Large eggs
🌶️
1/2 teaspoon
Kosher salt
📦
1 teaspoon
Baking soda
Categories:🥩protein🥬vegetable🍎fruit🌾grain🥛dairy🌶️spice🫒oil💧liquid📦other
Instructions
Step 1
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) with the rack positioned in the center. Generously butter a 9×5-inch loaf pan, then line it with parchment paper leaving a 2-inch overhang on the long sides—this creates handles for easy removal later.
Step 2
In a large mixing bowl, mash the very ripe bananas with a fork until completely smooth and no large chunks remain. The mixture should resemble baby food with a few small flecks throughout for texture.
Step 3
Whisk the melted unsalted butter into the mashed bananas until fully incorporated. The mixture will become glossy and slightly lighter in color as the fat emulsifies with the fruit sugars.
Step 4
Add the dark brown sugar to the banana mixture and whisk vigorously for 30 seconds. The brown sugar's molasses content will dissolve into the warm butter, creating a caramel-like base that enhances the banana flavor.
Step 5
Whisk in the eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next. The mixture should now be smooth and slightly thickened, with a pale caramel color.
Step 6
Stir in the pure vanilla extract, which will bloom in the warm mixture and release its aromatic compounds.
Step 7
In a separate small bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and kosher salt. This ensures even distribution of the leavening agent and prevents bitter pockets of baking soda in the finished loaf.
Step 8
Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients all at once. Using a rubber spatula, fold the ingredients together with a gentle figure-eight motion, stopping as soon as no dry streaks remain. Over-mixing develops gluten, resulting in a tough, dense loaf.
Step 9
Reserve 2 tablespoons of the bittersweet chocolate chips for the top, then gently fold the remaining chocolate chips into the batter using just 3-4 strokes. The goal is to distribute them evenly without over-mixing the batter.
Step 10
Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top with your spatula. The batter should fill the pan about 3/4 full—this allows room for proper rising without overflow.
Step 11
Scatter the reserved bittersweet chocolate chips across the top of the batter. As the loaf bakes, these will create an attractive chocolate-studded crown.
Step 12
Bake for 65-75 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through. The loaf is done when it's deeply golden brown, has pulled slightly away from the sides of the pan, and a skewer inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs (not wet batter).
Step 13
Cool the loaf in the pan on a wire rack for 10 minutes—this allows the structure to set and prevents breakage when unmolding. Then use the parchment handles to lift it out and cool completely on the rack for at least 2 hours before slicing.
Step 14
For the ultimate experience, slice the loaf while still slightly warm (after 1 hour of cooling) when the bittersweet chocolate chips retain their glossy, molten centers.
✨Chef's Tips
- ★Professional baker's secret: The blacker the banana, the better. Bananas with completely black peels have converted their starches to sugars, creating a more intense flavor and naturally sweeter loaf. If your bananas aren't quite ready, speed-ripen them in a 300°F oven for 15-20 minutes until the skins turn black.
- ★Temperature is crucial for chocolate distribution. Ensure your melted unsalted butter is warm but not hot (around 100-110°F) when adding to the bananas. Too hot and it will seize the chocolate chips; too cool and it won't incorporate properly, leaving oily streaks in your finished loaf.
- ★The key to that bakery-crackled top is the initial high heat. Start your loaf at 375°F for the first 15 minutes, then reduce to 350°F. This causes the top to set quickly while the interior continues to rise, creating that desirable split down the center with caramelized edges.
- ★For next-day perfection, wrap the completely cooled loaf tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. The flavors meld and intensify, plus cold slices toast beautifully. When ready to serve, slice and toast in a 350°F oven for 5-7 minutes until the edges caramelize and the bittersweet chocolate chips turn into tiny pools of dark, fudgy goodness.
- ★Transform this into an ultra-decadent dessert by serving warm slices with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of caramel sauce. The contrast between the cold ice cream and warm loaf with molten chocolate creates a restaurant-quality dessert from your morning quick bread.
banana breadchocolateone-bowlbreakfastbrunchbakingcomfort food