Chocolate Espresso Banana Bread Recipe
This Chocolate Espresso Banana Bread is a decadent twist on traditional banana bread, combining rich cocoa, a hint of espresso, and a blend of dark and semi-sweet chocolate chips for a deeply flavorful and moist loaf. Perfect for breakfast or an indulgent snack, it features a tender crumb enhanced with sour cream and a crisp, caramelized banana topping.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 loaf (about 10-12 slices) 1x
- Category: Bread
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ tsp espresso powder
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup olive oil
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs (room temperature)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 cup ripe bananas (mashed)
Chocolate Chips and Toppings
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips + a few extra for the top
- ½ cup semi sweet chocolate chips + a few extra for the top
- 1 tbsp all purpose flour (for dusting chocolate chips)
- ¼ banana (2 long thin slices off of a banana)
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
Instructions
- Mixing the dry ingredients: Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease a loaf pan to prepare it for the batter. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all purpose flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, kosher salt, and espresso powder until well combined. Set this mixture aside.
- Mixing the wet ingredients: In a separate medium-sized bowl, use an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment to blend the olive oil with both brown and granulated sugars until the mixture is smooth and emulsified. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing each one just until incorporated and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Then, mix in the vanilla extract and sour cream until fully incorporated. Finally, mash the bananas thoroughly and fold them gently into the wet mixture.
- Combining wet and dry: Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture with a spatula. Fold just until the flour streaks have mostly disappeared; the batter should remain slightly streaky to avoid overmixing. Reserve a small handful of chocolate chips to sprinkle on top of the loaf later. Dredge the remaining chocolate chips in the tablespoon of flour, shake off the excess, then fold these floured chips gently into the batter.
- Assembling and baking: Pour the batter evenly into the prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle the reserved chocolate chips over the top for extra chocolate bursts. Optionally, place the two thin banana slices lengthwise on top of the batter, pressing them down gently to adhere. Bake the loaf in the preheated oven for 55 to 65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs attached.
- Finishing touches: If desired, sprinkle the reserved teaspoon of granulated sugar over the banana slices on top of the loaf and use a kitchen torch to brulee the sugar until it caramelizes, turning dark brown and forming a slightly crisp crust. Allow the banana bread to cool in the pan for 20 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely to room temperature. Slice, serve, and enjoy this decadent treat!
Notes
- Using ripe bananas is essential for natural sweetness and moistness.
- Dredging chocolate chips in flour helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the loaf while baking.
- The bruleed banana slices on top add a delightful caramelized texture but are optional.
- Storage: Keep the banana bread wrapped tightly or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to a week.
- For a nutty twist, you can fold in ½ cup of chopped walnuts or pecans along with the chocolate chips.
Keywords: chocolate banana bread, espresso banana bread, cocoa banana bread, chocolate chip banana bread, espresso powder banana bread, homemade banana bread, chocolate espresso loaf
