Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
Perfectly moist, this chocolate chip banana bread is the ultimate tea time treat and makes a perfect lazy breakfast with a cup of coffee.
Ingredients needed
- Butter. I used salted butter but unsalted butter can also be used.
- Brown sugar. I like the caramel-flavour brown sugar adds but granulated sugar can be used too.
- Eggs.
- Bananas. Use overly soft, ripe bananas.
- Vanilla extract.
- Flour.
- Baking powder.
- Baking soda.
- Salt.
- Chocolate chips. I used a mix of milk chocolate chips and semi-sweet/dark chocolate but use whichever you prefer. Other mix-ins include nuts (walnuts, pecans)
How to make chocolate chip banana bread
- Make the batter: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or use a large bowl and an electric mixer), cream the room temperature butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula half way through mixing. Beat the eggs in, mixing well after each addition. Mash the bananas with a fork then add to the mixing bowl with the vanilla and mix well. The batter will look a little split at this stage but it will come back together once you add the dry ingredients. Whisk together the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Fold the flour mixture into the butter until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Bake: Grease and line a loaf pan with parchment paper. Transfer the banana bread batter then place in the oven. Allow to bake for 45-60 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cover with a piece of foil half way through baking if the banana loaf is browning too fast (as you can see happened to me).
- Allow to cool: It’s crucial to allow banana bread to cool completely before slicing. Not only will the bread slice better, the texture will also be better. Allow to cool on a wire rack then slice and serve.
Can I make banana bread ahead?
Wrap baked and cooled banana bread in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place in an airtight container to prevent it from drying out. You can also keep your banana bread in the fridge for up to a week. Allow to come to room temperature before serving. Banana bread also freezes very well. Wrap baked and cooled banana bread tightly in a layer of parchment paper and then foil. Place in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. You can also freeze slices of banana bread in the same way – they thaw much faster this way.
FAQ
Baking soda acts as a leavening agent which helps the banana bread rise. It also increases the pH of the batter resulting a browner crumb.
The riper and softer the bananas, the better the flavor of your finished banana bread. I like to leave my bananas until they are almost completely black before using them. Frozen and thawed bananas also work very well.
Banana bread is best served with a thick layer of butter but other spreads like Nutella or peanut butter are also delicious.
It’s best to leave banana bread to cool completely before slicing. The texture will be less crumbly and fragile.
Banana Bread Recipes
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter softened
- 1 cup soft brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 6 medium bananas
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups flour
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- pinch of salt
- 1½ cups chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment cream the room temperature butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula half way through mixing. Beat the eggs in, mixing well after each addition.
- Add the bananas and vanilla and mix well. The batter will look a little split at this stage but it will come back together once you add the dry ingredients.
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix the flour mixture into the butter until just combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Grease and line a loaf pan with parchment paper. Transfer the batter then place in the oven.
- Allow to bake for 45-60 minutes until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Cover with a piece of foil half way through baking if the banana loaf is browning too fast.
- It's crucial to allow banana bread to cool completely before slicing. Not only will the bread slice better, the texture will also be better. Allow to cool on a wire rack then slice and serve.