Description
A delightful Chocolate Marble Banana Bread combining rich cocoa and chocolate chips with moist banana bread for a perfect marbled treat. This recipe produces a moist, flavorful loaf with a beautiful swirl of chocolate and banana flavors ideal for breakfast or snack time.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 2-3 medium bananas)
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Chocolate Mix
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt to evenly distribute the leavening agent and salt.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, cream together the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, which incorporates air for a tender crumb.
- Add Eggs and Banana Mixture: Beat in the eggs one at a time until fully incorporated, then mix in the mashed ripe bananas, sour cream, and vanilla extract to add moisture and flavor.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing gently just until combined to avoid overmixing and a dense texture.
- Prepare Chocolate Batter: Divide the batter in half. To one half, fold in the unsweetened cocoa powder and semi-sweet chocolate chips carefully to create the chocolate portion of the swirl.
- Marble the Batter: Spoon the plain banana batter and the chocolate batter alternately into the prepared loaf pan. Use a knife to swirl the batters together, creating a beautiful marble effect without fully blending them.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, indicating the bread is fully cooked.
- Cool: Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes to set, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.
Notes
- Make sure bananas are very ripe for the best flavor and natural sweetness.
- Do not overmix the batter to keep the bread light and tender.
- If you prefer, substitute sour cream with Greek yogurt for a slightly tangier flavor.
- The bread can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerated for up to a week.
- For a nutty twist, add 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans to the batter.
