Chocolate Banana Bread

This double Chocolate Banana Bread is so decadent and moist (yes, moist!), it’s almost like cake. In Canada, we call this “banana bread” because it’s baked in a loaf pan, but it’s definitely a cake to us. Here, we've lightened up the traditional ingredients with healthier alternatives, including lower glycemic coconut sugar and avocado oil (an unsaturated fat source).

What stands out

It’s great as a little snack for the week, but special enough to serve to guests. We've used a lot of better-for-you ingredients here, so you can feel better about this little treat. But don’t worry, it’s still luscious and chocolatey, so soft gooey and irresistible. These would be great baked as mini muffins for the kids’ lunchbox snack.

How to Prepare This Chocolate Banana Bread

Preheat the oven to 375F (190C) and line a loaf pan with parchment paper.

In a big bowl mash the bananas with a potato masher, a wooden spoon, or a fork.

Add the sugar, egg, vanilla extract, avocado oil, nut milk, cocoa, flour, and baking soda and stir to combine.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Shake the pan a little bit to distribute the batter.

Sprinkle the top with chocolate chips.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, depending on your oven.

Let the bread cool, then slice and enjoy.

Kitchen tip

To test if your bread is fully baked, stick a toothpick into the center. The toothpick should come out clean.

Swaps

1. You can also replace the coconut sugar with cane sugar.
2. You can also use any n on-dairy milk, such as oat milk or flax milk, or whole cow’s milk in place of nut milk.
3. If you follow a dairy-free diet or are lactose intolerant, be sure to purchase dairy-free chocolate chips or omit them altogether.
4. In place of avocado oil, you can also use a mild olive oil virgin or refined coconut oil, or any other neutral-tasting oil.
5. To lower the sugar even more in this recipe, opt for sugar-free chocolate chips.
6. You can substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend. Ensure it’s a 1:1 replacement to maintain the proper texture.

Serve it with

• Serve this Chocolate Banana Bread for dessert with coffee or tea.
• Spread a slice of banana bread with a spoonful of peanut butter or our luscious Homemade Nutella.

Questions

what type of milk can we use in this Chocolate Banana Bread?

You can use any type you love: cow’s milk, soy milk, oat milk, or any non-dairy milk.

Can we bake this recipe into muffins?

Yes, you certainly can. Bake the muffins at the same temperature, but check them around the 20 or 25-minute mark. br

how do we know when the banana bread is cooked?

The banana bread is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached.

how long will this chocolate banana bread last?

Wrap up any leftovers in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and then store on the counter for a few days.

can we make this recipe gluten-free?

Yes, you can substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend. Ensure it’s a 1:1 replacement to maintain the proper texture. br

Why are the metric weights of your ingredients different than the results of Google and our kitchen scale?

While 1 cup of flour weighs 160g in our kitchen, it might weigh anywhere from 120 to 180g in your kitchen and there’s a few reasons for that. The weight of ingredients may vary due to the brand of ingredients, the brand and style (wet vs dry) of measuring cups and spoons, and the technique for measuring into cups: scooping and leveling versus spooning the ingredients into the cup measure. For best results, go by the weight listed in the recipe.

Ingredients

Makes 10 slices

• 3 ripe bananas
• ¾ cup coconut sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ⅓ cup avocado oil
• ¼ cup nut milk, plain, unsweetened
• ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder, or cacao powder
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ cup chocolate chips

Equipment

• Mixing Bowls
• Loaf Pan
• Parchment Paper
• Measuring Cups + Spoons
• Liquid Measuring Cup

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 375F (190C). Line a loaf pan with parchment paper.
2. In a big bowl, mash the bananas with a potato masher, a wooden spoon, or a fork. Add the sugar, egg, vanilla extract, avocado oil, nut milk, cocoa, flour, and baking soda. Using a wooden spoon, stir until all the ingredients are fully combined into a batter.
3. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Shake the pan a little bit to distribute the batter. Sprinkle the top with chocolate chips.
4. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, depending on your oven (some ovens run hotter or cooler, and will affect the total baking time). To test if your bread is done, stick a toothpick into the center of the bread. The toothpick should come out clean.
5. Let the bread cool, then slice and enjoy.