Description
This Chocolate Espresso Banana Bread is a rich and moist loaf combining the deep flavors of cocoa and espresso with the natural sweetness of ripe bananas. Enhanced with dual chocolate chips and a hint of espresso powder, it’s a perfect treat for breakfast or dessert lovers seeking a decadent twist on classic banana bread.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon espresso powder
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup olive oil
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 cup ripe bananas, mashed
Add Ins
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips + a few extra for the top
- ½ cup semi sweet chocolate chips + a few extra for the top
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour (for dusting chocolate chips)
Optional Topping
- ¼ banana (2 long thin slices off of a banana)
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
Instructions
- Mixing the dry ingredients: Preheat the oven to 350°F, grease a loaf pan, and gather all ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together all the dry ingredients and set aside.
- Mixing the wet ingredients: In a medium bowl with an electric hand mixer or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, mix the olive oil, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl sides after each addition, mixing just until incorporated. Add vanilla extract and sour cream, mixing until combined. Mash the bananas separately and fold them into the mixture.
- Combining dry and wet ingredients: Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients just until almost fully incorporated; a few streaks of flour are okay.
- Adding chocolate chips: Reserve a handful of chocolate chips for topping. Toss remaining chocolate chips with the tablespoon of flour to prevent sinking, shake off excess flour, and fold them into the batter.
- Preparing and baking the loaf: Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan, sprinkle reserved chocolate chips over the top. Optionally, place two thin banana slices lengthwise on top of the batter and press lightly.
- Baking: Bake at 350°F for 65 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs. Remove from oven.
- Optional topping finish: Sprinkle 1 teaspoon granulated sugar over banana slices and use a kitchen torch to brulee the sugar until melted and slightly crisp, turning dark brown.
- Cooling and serving: Let the bread cool in the pan for 20 minutes before transferring it out to cool completely to room temperature. Slice and enjoy.
Notes
- Placing banana slices on top before baking is optional and not necessary for success.
- Do not overbake banana bread; check doneness with a toothpick to avoid dryness.
- Allow the bread to fully cool before slicing to maintain texture and flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg
