Dark Chocolate Espresso

Banana Bread

Got some bananas you need to use before they go bad? Well-there’s banana bread… and then there’s this banana bread. Deep, dark chocolate, a hint of espresso, and sweet, overripe bananas come together in a loaf that feels like a treat without trying too hard. It’s rich, moody, and just the right amount of decadent — the kind of bake that makes your kitchen smell like a café and a bakery. Even better-it's a one bowl recipe and a healthier alternative to chocolate cake basically =)

WHAT YOU NEED

Ingredients

• ½ cup salted butter, melted (to make lighter, use ¼ cup olive oil ¼ cup butter)
• 3-4 overripe bananas – mashed (1 ½ cups-it's important for these to be overripe to make sure your banana bread is moist)
• 2 eggs beaten
• 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract or paste
• ¼ cup sugar or agave
• ¼ cup light brown sugar packed
• 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (use a 1:1 gluten-free flour if preferred)
• ½ cup dark cocoa cocoa powder (I prefer Hershey's Special Dark-sooo good)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 cup semisweet or dark chocolate chips
• old fashioned oats for garnish, optional

*recipe adapted from joyfoodsunshine.com*

LET'S COOK

Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease a 9×5 loaf pan so it’s ready to go.

In a big mixing bowl, whisk together the melted butter/olive oil, mashed bananas, eggs, and vanilla until everything looks smooth and happy. Add both sugars and stir again — the mixture should turn glossy and smell incredible.

Now sprinkle in the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, sea salt, and cinnamon. Stir until the batter comes together and looks rich and uniform (but don't overstir). Fold in the chocolate chips gently so they stay whole and melty.

Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan. Garnish with oats on top (for texture and aesthetic) and bake on the lower rack for 40-45 minutes, or until the top is set and a toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Let the loaf cool right in the pan on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes — it needs the rest.

If the sides are sticking, run a knife around the edges. After those 30 minutes, lift the loaf out and let it finish cooling completely on the rack. Once it’s cooled, slice it up and enjoy every  bite.