Chocolate Espresso Banana Bread (Print)

A moist chocolate and espresso-infused banana bread perfect for breakfast or dessert.

# What You Need:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
02 - ¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
03 - 1 tsp baking soda
04 - ½ tsp salt

→ Wet Ingredients

05 - 3 ripe bananas, mashed
06 - ½ cup granulated sugar
07 - ¼ cup light brown sugar
08 - ⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted
09 - 2 large eggs
10 - 2 tbsp brewed espresso or strong coffee, cooled
11 - 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

→ Add-ins

12 - ¾ cup dark chocolate chips or chopped chocolate

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, combine mashed bananas, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and melted butter until well incorporated.
04 - Beat in eggs, espresso, and vanilla extract until mixture is smooth and uniform.
05 - Gently fold dry ingredients into wet mixture until just combined. Avoid overmixing to prevent tough texture.
06 - Fold in dark chocolate chips or chopped chocolate until evenly distributed.
07 - Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Smooth top surface and sprinkle with additional chocolate chips if desired.
08 - Bake for 50-55 minutes until toothpick inserted into center emerges clean or with minimal moist crumbs.
09 - Allow to cool in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The espresso deepens the chocolate flavor without tasting like coffee
  • It stays incredibly moist for days thanks to those mashed bananas
  • Your whole house will smell like a bakery in the best possible way
02 -
  • Overmixing the batter will make your bread tough and dense, so stop as soon as the flour disappears
  • The toothpick test is your best friend, slightly underbaked is better than dry and crumbly
  • Wait until completely cooled before slicing if you want clean cuts, though warm is heavenly too
03 -
  • Freeze overripe bananas if you're not ready to bake, they thaw perfectly for mashing
  • Grate a little orange zest into the batter for a bright contrast to the deep chocolate

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