Chocolate Banana Bread

You know those bananas you keep forgetting on the counter until they go all spotty and sad-looking? Don’t throw them out. Seriously. That’s where the good stuff starts. I swear, the best banana breads always come from the ones you almost gave up on. The softer and darker they get, the sweeter your bread will be — like nature’s little secret ingredient.

This chocolate banana bread came out of one of those lazy afternoons where you just need something warm and comforting in the house. You know what I mean — it’s quiet, maybe raining, you’re half bored, half craving something homemade. I had a couple bananas that had seen better days, some cocoa in the back of the cupboard, and a bag of chocolate chips I kept pretending I wasn’t going to eat by the handful.

I didn’t measure perfectly (I never do), but somehow this loaf came out ridiculous. Moist, dense in the best way, rich from the cocoa, and every bite has a melted little pocket of chocolate. It’s one of those recipes that fills your kitchen with that deep, cozy smell — like a hug made of butter and sugar. The kind of thing that makes people walk in and immediately say, “What are you baking?”

And the best part? You can eat it warm with butter, or cold the next day straight from the fridge (trust me, it’s even better). If you’ve got kids, they’ll love it. If you live alone, you’ll still make the whole loaf and eat it without regrets. It’s not fancy, it’s not delicate — it’s just real, sweet, and deeply satisfying.

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2–3 bananas)
• ½ cup sour cream
• 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and set it aside.
2. Mix the dry stuff: In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
3. Cream the butter and sugar until it looks fluffy and pale — about 2–3 minutes.
4. Add the eggs, one by one, then stir in the vanilla.
5. Mash those bananas (don’t worry if there are lumps — that’s texture, not failure) and mix them into the batter along with the sour cream.
6. Fold in your dry ingredients, gently — no overmixing here.
7. Toss in the chocolate chips, give it one last lazy stir.
8. Pour into your prepared pan, smooth the top a bit, and bake for 60–70 minutes. Your house will smell insane.
9. Cool for about 10 minutes in the pan, then move it to a wire rack. Slice it when it’s still slightly warm if you can’t resist (I never can).

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 60–70 minutes
Total: 75 minutes
Servings: 10
Calories: ~320 kcal each

Recipe FAQs

1. Can I skip the sour cream?
You can use plain yogurt instead, no problem. It keeps the bread moist. Don’t skip it altogether though — it’s what makes it soft and rich instead of dry.

2. My bananas aren’t ripe enough. What now?
Stick them in the oven (peels on) at 300°F for 10–15 minutes until they turn black. Let them cool, then mash — boom, instant ripe bananas.

3. Can I add nuts?
Absolutely. Walnuts or pecans are amazing in this. Add about ½ cup and fold them in with the chocolate chips.

4. How do I know when it’s done?
Stick a toothpick in the center — if it comes out with just a few crumbs (not wet batter), it’s ready. The top should look set and a little cracked.

5. How should I store it?
Wrap it up tight once cooled. It stays soft for 3–4 days at room temp, or you can pop it in the fridge if you want it extra fudgy. I like to toast a slice and spread peanut butter on it the next morning — total game changer.

Chocolate Banana Bread

Recipe by Salma Recipe

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Calories

300

kcal

Ingredients

• * 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

• * ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

• * 1 teaspoon baking soda

• * ½ teaspoon salt

• * ½ cup unsalted butter, softened

• * 1 cup granulated sugar

• * 2 large eggs

• * 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• * 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2–3 bananas)

• * ½ cup sour cream

• * 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions

• *Preheat* your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and set it aside.
• *Mix the dry stuff:* In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
• *Cream the butter and sugar* until it looks fluffy and pale — about 2–3 minutes.
• *Add the eggs, one by one,* then stir in the vanilla.
• *Mash those bananas* (don’t worry if there are lumps — that’s texture, not failure) and mix them into the batter along with the sour cream.
• *Fold in* your dry ingredients, gently — no overmixing here.
• *Toss in the chocolate chips,* give it one last lazy stir.
• *Pour* into your prepared pan, smooth the top a bit, and bake for 60–70 minutes. Your house will smell insane.
• *Cool* for about 10 minutes in the pan, then move it to a wire rack. Slice it when it’s still slightly warm if you can’t resist (I never can).