Ultimate Chocolate Banana Bread

This ultimate chocolate banana bread is the perfect balance of chocolate and banana. Every bite is a slice of heaven! So moist and soft and slightly gooey from all the chocolate chips scattered throughout the bread. You may want to make two loafs because this wont last long in your kitchen.

The best part about this rich banana bread is that it has fewer calories than the original recipe without compromising the flavor. I was able to shave the butter in half and use a 1/4 cup less sugar, and let me tell you, it is every bit as fluffy and moist, with tons of chocolaty flavor. If you’re not a chocolate person, or like to keep your chocolate and bananas separate, you’ll have to try my lightened up banana bread with cinnamon sugar topping, here.

This chocolate banana bread recipe only uses two large bananas verses three, which I think is perfect because I really want that chocolate to shine the most. I also used brown sugar and left out the white sugar because it has more moisture from the molasses, and frankly I think it gives the bread a richer flavor.

Let’s eat!🤍

Ultimate Chocolate Banana Bread

This ultimate chocolate banana bread is the perfect balance of chocolate and banana. Every bite is a slice of heaven! So moist and soft and slightly gooey from all the chocolate chips scattered throughout the bread.

5 from 4 votes

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 55 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Course Baking, Breakfast, Brunch, Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 8

Calories 350 kcal

Ingredients

  

• 2 large ripe bananas
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 1/2 cup no sugar added applesauce
• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cocoa powder (unsweetened)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips, divided
• sea salt for sprinkling on top
• non-stick cooking spray

Instructions

 

Preheat oven to 350℉ and prepare a loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray

• In a large mixing bowl mash bananas until smooth. Stir in lemon juice. (you will still have some chunks of banana)
• To bananas add butter, applesauce, sugar, eggs, vanilla and salt. Whisk until well combined.
• Add flour, cocoa powder and baking soda. Fold gently into wet mixture until almost combined and add 3/4 cup of chocolate chips. Fold in chips until mixture just comes together. You don't want to overmix.
• Pour mixture into prepared loaf pan, top with the remaining chocolate chips and sprinkle a little sea salt over the top.
• Bake for 50-55 minutes or until top is set and toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool for 30 minutes before slicing.

Notes

Reducing calories- If you want to reduce the calories even more per slice, use applesauce in place of the butter, and reduce the chocolate chips down by 1/4 cup; 3/4 cups total.

You can also slice loaf into 10 slices bringing the calories per slice down to 280.

Add-ins-

• 1/4 cup of your favorite nuts, chopped fine. Toasted nuts give it more flavor.
• Cinnamon goes well with chocolate. Add 1-2 teaspoons with flour mixture.
• Dried fruit like cherries and apricots add a little tartness with the sweetness.

 

Make into muffins- Increase the heat to 375℉. Spray muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray or use muffin liners. Fill muffin cups to the top and bake for 20 minutes. Makes 12-15 muffins. 

 

This recipe lends 8 thick slices. Nutritional facts include 1 slice. 

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be understood as an estimate rather than a guarantee. The Menu Maid makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.

Keyword Banana Bread, Bananas, Bread, chocolate, Chocolate Banana Bread, Chocolate chips

A few of my favorite kitchen essentials used for this recipe.