Description
This Chocolate Marble Banana Bread combines the moist richness of ripe bananas with swirls of chocolate for a delightful twist on a classic favorite. Perfectly balanced with a tender crumb and a marbled chocolate pattern, this dessert bread is ideal for breakfast, snacks, or an indulgent treat anytime.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 ripe bananas, mashed
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
Chocolate Mix
- ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven and prepare pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan or line it with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder (cocoa powder will be added only to the chocolate batter later, so separate accordingly).
- Cream butter and sugars: In a large bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter with granulated sugar and brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, which takes about 3-4 minutes.
- Add eggs and flavorings: Beat in the eggs one at a time to ensure thorough mixing. Then stir in vanilla extract, mashed ripe bananas, and Greek yogurt or sour cream until fully combined.
- Combine wet and dry: Gradually fold the dry ingredients (without cocoa powder) into the wet banana mixture just until combined to maintain moisture and tenderness.
- Create chocolate batter: Divide the batter into two equal portions. To one portion, gently fold in the melted semi-sweet chocolate chips and unsweetened cocoa powder until fully incorporated, creating the chocolate batter.
- Layer and swirl batter: Alternate spoonfuls of the plain banana batter and chocolate batter into the prepared loaf pan. Use a knife or skewer to gently swirl the two batters together, creating the marbled effect.
- Bake: Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Oven times may vary, so start checking at 55 minutes.
- Cool: Allow the bread to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then remove it and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Use very ripe bananas for maximum sweetness and best texture.
- For extra texture and flavor, add chopped nuts like walnuts or extra chocolate chips into the batter.
- This banana bread freezes well. After it cools completely, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil before freezing.
- Ensure not to overmix the batter to keep the bread light and moist.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 220mg
- Fat: 13g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
