Description
Rich chocolate chip banana bread delivers a perfect blend of sweet, moist comfort from traditional American baking. Home bakers will appreciate this simple, crowd-pleasing dessert that combines ripe bananas and chocolate for an irresistible treat.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 ripe bananas, mashed
- 2 large eggs
- 1.5 cups (360 ml) all-purpose flour
- 0.75 cup (180 ml) semi-sweet chocolate chips (plus extra for topping)
- 0.5 cup (120 ml) unsalted butter, melted
- 0.75 cup (180 ml) granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp cinnamon (optional)
Instructions
- Preparation: Mash ripe bananas in a large mixing bowl until smooth and creamy, creating a luscious base for the banana bread.
- Mixing: Blend melted butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract into the mashed bananas, whisking until the mixture achieves a uniform golden consistency.
- Dry Ingredients: Sift flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together, then delicately fold into the wet mixture, stirring minimally to preserve the bread’s tender texture.
- Chocolate Enhancement: Gently incorporate chocolate chips throughout the batter, ensuring an even distribution of sweet nuggets.
- Pan Preparation: Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan or line with parchment paper, then preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Baking: Pour the batter into the prepared pan, sprinkle additional chocolate chips on top, and bake for 55-65 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean and the surface turns a rich golden-brown.
- Cooling: Rest the bread in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, allowing flavors to develop and settle.
- Serving: Slice the bread when slightly cooled, revealing a moist interior with melted chocolate chips, and enjoy either plain or with a pat of butter.
Notes
- Select Perfectly Ripe Bananas: Choose bananas with deep yellow skin and brown speckles for maximum sweetness and intense banana flavor. Overripe bananas provide natural moisture and enhanced sweetness to the bread.
- Minimize Mixing Technique: Stir the batter gently and briefly to prevent gluten development, which can create a tough, dense texture. Fold ingredients until just combined to maintain a tender, soft crumb.
- Control Chocolate Distribution: Lightly coat chocolate chips in flour before adding to the batter to prevent them from sinking to the bottom during baking. This ensures even chocolate coverage throughout the bread.
- Moisture Preservation Trick: Cover the bread loosely with aluminum foil halfway through baking to prevent excessive browning while keeping the interior moist and soft. This technique helps achieve a perfectly balanced texture and prevents dry edges.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 55 minutes
- Category: Breakfast, Snacks, Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 40 mg