Description
A delicious chocolate chip banana bread made with premium chopped 70% Lindt dark chocolate instead of chips. So tender it almost eats like cake, with pools of real chocolate in every slice!
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (260g)*see notes for correctly measuring flour below
- 1 teaspoon baking soda (6g)
- 1 teaspoon + 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt (4.5g)
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature (113g)
- 1 1/2 cups pure cane sugar (or granulated sugar) (300g)
- 3 large eggs, room temperature (150g)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract (8g)
- 1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature (120g)*see notes for making an easy buttermilk substitute
- 1 1/3 cups (10.5 ounces) mashed overly ripe bananas (2 1/2 to 3 bananas) (300g)
- 1/2 to 1 cup Lindt 70% dark chocolate bar, chopped (or semi-sweet chocolate chips) (80 to 170g)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/176°C and prep the baking pans. Turn on the oven and generously butter two loaf pans (or spray with non-stick cooking spray). Add about 1/2 cup of flour to one pan and turn the pan while tapping it to ensure the flour coats every surface well. Tap out the excess flour into the second loaf pan and repeat. Tap both pans well to remove excess flour, set aside.
- Combine the dry ingredients. Whisk the dry ingredients together well to ensure everything is evenly distributed and set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugar. Using a handheld mixer (or stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment), cream the butter and sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).
- Add the eggs and vanilla. Crack 3 eggs into a small prep bowl and add the vanilla. With the mixer running on medium-low speed, add eggs one at a time waiting about 5 seconds in between each addition blending just until the eggs are incorporated. The addition of all three eggs should take no longer than 15 seconds to incorporate. Turn off the mixer.
- Incorporate the flour mixture and buttermilk. Add about 1/2 of the flour mixture to the creamed mixture. Turn the mixer on low speed to gently incorporate the ingredients. With the mixer still on, add about 1/3 of the buttermilk, then add some more flour, then a 1/3 more of the buttermilk, then add the last of the flour, ending with the last of the buttermilk. Turn off the mixer and gently stir it using a rubber spatula to finish combining the ingredients.
- Add the bananas and chocolate chunks. Add the mashed bananas and chocolate chunks (or chips) and gently stir with a rubber spatula until everything is just combined. You may also sprinkle the dark chocolate on top of the batter instead of stirring it in. Divide the batter evenly between two loaf pans and tap the pans on the countertop about 10 times to remove any air bubbles from the batter.
- Bake the chocolate chunk banana bread. Place the loaf pans onto a baking tray and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and a cake tester (or toothpick) comes out clean when inserted directly into the middle of each loaf. Remove from the oven and allow the banana bread to cool for 15 minutes in the loaf pans, then gently remove the loaves and place them right-side-up onto a cooling rack to finish cooling to room temperature. When loaves have cooled, slice, serve, and Enjoy!
Notes
Measuring flour. I always use a scale and the gram measurements for consistency and precision. But if you’re you’re using measuring cups, be sure to use the ‘scoop and level’ method. I use 00 flour for this recipe when I'm in Italy, and flour weights vary with humidity and absorption potential, so scoop and level keeps it more consistent.
Chocolate. 1/2 cup (80g) is 8 squares off a 100g Lindt Excellence bar. Go up to a full cup (170g), just under two bars, for intense chocolate, or down to 1/4 cup (42g) for just a hint. Semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips work in the same amounts.
Keep the chocolate from sinking. Toss the chopped chocolate with a little of the leftover flour from prepping your pans before folding it in, sprinkle some over the top of the batter, or do both.
Less sugar. Use up to 1/2 cup (100g) less, for 1 cup (200g) total, without sacrificing texture or flavor.
Browning too fast. Tent the loaves loosely with aluminum foil.
Storage. Wrap well and keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, up to 1 week in the refrigerator, or freeze for up to 3 months.
No buttermilk? Add 1 tablespoon (14g) lemon juice to a measuring cup, fill with whole milk to reach 1/2 cup, stir, and rest 10 minutes before using.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Quick Breads
- Method: Oven Bake
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 195
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 188mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 30.5g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 44mg
