Description
This Chocolate Espresso Banana Bread is rich, moist, and deeply chocolatey with a subtle espresso boost that intensifies the cocoa flavor. Made with overripe bananas, sour cream, and melty dark and semisweet chocolate chips, this bakery-style loaf is perfect for breakfast, snack time, or dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 overripe bananas, mashed
- ½ cup light olive oil
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup Dutch process cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon espresso powder
- ¾ cup dark chocolate chips
- ¾ cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon flour (for dredging chocolate chips)
- Optional: 2 thin banana slices for topping
- Optional: 1 teaspoon granulated sugar (for brûlée topping)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and espresso powder. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, mix olive oil, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing just until incorporated after each addition. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
- Mix in vanilla extract and sour cream until combined.
- Fold in mashed bananas.
- Gently fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients until almost combined. Do not overmix.
- Toss chocolate chips with 1 tablespoon flour and fold into batter, reserving a small handful for topping.
- Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Sprinkle reserved chocolate chips on top.
- Optional: Lay banana slices on top and press lightly into batter.
- Bake for 55–65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool in pan for 20 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
- Optional: Sprinkle sugar over banana slices and brûlée with a kitchen torch until caramelized.
Notes
- Use very ripe bananas for best sweetness and moisture.
- Do not overmix the batter to keep the loaf tender.
- If the top browns too quickly, loosely tent with foil during the last 10–15 minutes.
- Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze slices individually.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 60 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 360 kcal
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 47 g
- Fiber: 4 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg