One Bowl Moist Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread Recipe
There’s nothing better than a warm slice of homemade moist chocolate chunk banana bread fresh from the oven. Except one topped with caramelized bananas and chocolate chunks.This recipe has wholesome ingredients - packed with rich banana flavor and loaded with gooey chocolate chunks in every bite. It’s the perfect way to use up overripe bananas sitting on your counter.
Servings:
Equipment
- 1 hand whisk
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 loaf pan
Ingredients
Banana Bread
- 1 cup mashed bananas (about 3 bananas) ripe
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon all-spice
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chunks
Caramelized bananas
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 ripe bananas sliced into rounds
Instructions
- Prepare a 9x5-inch loaf pan by coating it with oil and dusting it with flour. Alternatively, you can line it with parchment paper. Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Using a fork, mash the bananas in a large bowl until no large lumps remain; small lumps are okay.1 cup (225 g) mashed bananas (about 3 bananas)
- In the same bowl, combine the mashed bananas, oil, vanilla extract, and eggs, stirring until well mixed.1/2 cup (118.29 ml) vegetable oil, 2 large eggs, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Next, add the cinnamon, all-spice, and sugars to the mixture, and stir until incorporated.1 1/2 teaspoon (1.5 teaspoon) ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) all-spice, 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar, 1/2 cup (110 g) brown sugar
- Add the rest of the dry ingredients, baking soda, salt, and flour to the wet ingredients, and mix until just combined.1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) salt, 1 1/2 cups (187.5 g) all-purpose flour
- Use a rubber spatula to scrape the bottom of the mixing bowl. Fold in the chocolate chunks.3/4 cup (131.25 g) semi-sweet chocolate chunks
- Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan, and sprinkle with extra chocolate chunks on top.
- Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Place a sheet of aluminum foil on the top of your bread if it starts to brown too much before it is fully baked. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then remove it from the pan and transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the bread is cooling, start with the caramelized bananas. In a medium skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Once melted, add the brown sugar and salt, and stir until it dissolves into the butter, creating a caramel-like sauce.2 tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar, 1/8 teaspoon (0.13 teaspoon) salt
- Add the sliced bananas to the pan and cook for about 2-3 minutes per side until the bananas are golden and soft, and the sugar has turned into a thick syrup.2 ripe bananas
- Arrange the caramelized banana slices on top of the cooled bread. Spoon some of the caramel syrup from the pan over the bananas to help them stick and enhance the flavor.
Notes
Add-ons & Substitutions
- Nuts: Add in chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans for extra crunch
- Butter or Coconut Oil: Swap the vegetable oil for melted butter or melted coconut oil for a richer flavor
- Sour cream or Greek Yogurt: You can replace some of the mashed bananas with cultured dairy like sour cream or Greek yogurt for even more moisture, though the strength of the banana flavor will be less.
- Chocolate Chips: Use dark chocolate chunks for a more pronounced chocolate flavor
Expert Tips
- Use super ripe bananas with plenty of black spots for the best banana flavor
- Measure flour correctly by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off (or use a scale) to avoid dry banana bread
- Let the banana bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to prevent it from falling apart
- If there's wet batter on the toothpick when you check to see if it's done, bake for a few more minutes and check again with a new toothpick
