So I’ll probably never make regular banana bread again.
Adding cocoa to things doesn’t make them less healthy, but it sure makes them look unhealthy, doesn’t it? Dark chocolate is very hard to photograph, especially when the product keeps getting eaten down to the last piece before you remember to take a picture.
Clearly I’m not the most committed food blogger if I didn’t make a loaf just for a picture, but I think you all already knew eating is more my strength here.
And I can eat this for breakfast, lunch and snacks, so it’s a winner. It’s in my family cookbook attributed to my sister, but she swears it wasn’t her who submitted it, so after much confusion I have concluded that someone unknown adapted it from Deb at Smitten Kitchen, and I’m so glad they did. For prettier pictures, you need to go see the original, she knows how to photograph chocolate AND take a picture before taking a bite – obvious skillz.
Let this summer heat turn some of your bananas to mushy mush, and whip up a loaf of this…early, because no one should be turning on their ovens after 10 am right now. Summer on!
- 3 medium-to-large very ripe bananas, mashed (approx. 1 cup)
- ½ cup butter, melted
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and set aside.
- In large microwave-safe mixing bowl, melt butter. Whisk in mashed banana, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips.
- Pour into prepared pan and bake 60 to 65 minutes, until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 to 15 minutes, then run a knife around the edge and remove to a cooling rack. Let cool before slicing - if you can cut it the day after baking, even better!
- The banana bread will keep for up to 4 days in an airtight container at room temperature or 6 days in the fridge.
My mouth is literally watering looking at the photo so no need to apologize for the pic! Definitely going to give this one a try.
I’m with you on the eating part. I could eat this morning, noon, and night!