Description
This Chocolate Marble Banana Bread combines the classic moist and flavorful banana bread with rich chocolate swirls, creating a visually appealing and delicious treat perfect for breakfast or dessert. The batter is divided and flavored with cocoa and chocolate chips before marbling them together for a perfect chocolate-banana harmony.
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 Portion
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan to ensure the bread doesn’t stick.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt evenly to avoid lumps and ensure proper leavening.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, cream the softened unsalted butter with granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, which helps incorporate air for a tender crumb.
- Add Eggs and Wet Ingredients: Beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the mashed ripe bananas, sour cream, and vanilla extract, mixing well for a smooth batter.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, mixing gently just until combined to avoid overworking the batter.
- Prepare Chocolate Batter: Divide the batter in half. Fold the cocoa powder and semi-sweet chocolate chips into one half to create the chocolate portion of the bread.
- Marble the Batter: Alternate spooning the plain banana batter and the chocolate batter into the prepared loaf pan, then use a knife to swirl gently through the batter to create a marbled effect.
- Bake: Bake the loaf for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, indicating the bread is fully cooked.
- Cool: Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely, ensuring it sets perfectly for slicing.
Notes
- Use very ripe bananas for the best flavor and natural sweetness.
- Do not overmix the batter to keep the bread tender.
- Check doneness early at 50 minutes to avoid overbaking.
- Store leftover banana bread in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage.
- You can substitute sour cream with Greek yogurt for a tangier flavor and added moisture.
