This is my Cinco de Mayo Banana Bread! It’s only Cinco de Mayo in that I sprinkled the top with cinnamon sugar, so after May 5 you might call it Chocolate Banana Bread. Or better yet, Dark Chocolate Banana Bread. This is one very deep, dark and chocolatey banana bread. It's also pretty nutty going by this photo, but you don't have to use nearly as many nuts as I did.
Made With Hershey Dutch Processed Dark Cocoa
It’s made with Dutch Processed Hershey’s Dark Cocoa and dark chocolate chips. The flavor is better than I expected, and there’s a good balance of banana and chocolate so neither gets in the way of the other. Another way to get the dark color would be to use any brand of Dutch process cocoa and swap out about 2 tablespoons for black cocoa powder. The black cocoa powder is a good mix-in, though I'm not so sure I'd use it on its own here.
When to Eat Dark Chocolate Banana Bread
Sometimes it's hard to tell if certain quick breads are breakfast, snacks or dessert. Unlike the Silver Palate Banana Bread which is perfect for breakfast, Dark Chocolate Banana Bread would make a great dessert. Which is not to say you can't have it for breakfast as well. Of course it's good any time, but it is obviously one of the richer banana breads.
Recipe
Dark Chocolate Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup sifted flour measured after sifting (or just weigh out 125 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup unsweetened Dutch process cocoa powder (50 grams)
- 3 large very ripe bananas large (12 oz/340 grams weight after peeling)
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted (114 grams) melted
- ½ scant teaspoon salt omit if using salted butter
- ¾ cup light brown sugar (150 grams)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips use more if desired
- ⅔ cup roasted and chopped pecans I use Trader Joe’s pre-roasted
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon sugar or mix ¼ teaspoon cinnamon with about 1 teaspoon sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan. I like using a Pyrex loaf pan that I’ve greased and lined lengthwise with a sling of parchment or foil. The parchment/foil is optional, but good insurance.
- If you do not weigh your flour, sift it and then measure one cup. Mix the flour, baking powder and cocoa powder together very well and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, mash the bananas. Stir in the egg until well mixed, then stir in the butter and salt (if using unsalted butter). Stir in the vanilla and brown sugar. With a heavy duty scraper or mixing spoon, gradually stir in the flour mixture. When well blended, stir in the chocolate chips and half of the pecans.
- Spread mixture in the loaf pan, then sprinkle top with pecans and cinnamon sugar
- Bake the bread at 350 for about 1 hour (check it after about 45 minutes) or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Let the bread cool for about 20 minutes, then gently run a knife between bread and sides of pan to loosen. Do not remove bread from pan quite yet. Allow it to cool completely, then turn from pan or lift.
Sue says
It looks delicious!
debbie says
I WILL be making this. Looks delicious!
Sonya says
Mmmmm, this looks delicious!!!