Easy Ghirardelli Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread Recipe
Our easy Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread uses luscious premium quality chocolate bars instead of regular chocolate chips, making this banana bread a chocolate lover's dream.
Servings: 10 people
Calories: 371kcal
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour 250 grams
- ¾ cup sugar 150 grams
- 1 teaspoon baking powder 4 grams
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda 1 grams
- ¼ teaspoon salt 1 gram
Wet Ingredients
- 2 large eggs beaten, 100 grams
- ½ cup canola oil plus more for brushing the loaf pan
- 2-3 mashed bananas overripe bananas 370 grams - about 1 ½ cups
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 4 grams
Mix-ins
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate bar, broken into chunks plus more for the topping, 5 ounces
- 1 cup pecans or walnuts (optional) coarsely chopped
Instructions
Preheat the oven and prepare the loaf pan
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Place the oven rack in the middle position.
- Brush the loaf pan with oil. Line the bottom of the loaf pan with a long piece of parchment so that there is a 2-3 inch overhang on two sides of the pan. Brush the top of the parchment in the greased loaf pan with oil.
- Chop the chocolate into chunks. Place the chunks in a bowl and set aside. Do not use the powder or shavings - store it for dessert toppings or other recipes.
Make the batter
- Mix the dry ingredients: Pour the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl. Mix thoroughly with a whisk. Add the nuts and the chocolate chunks. Mix so that they are coated thoroughly with the four mixture. Set aside.
Mix the wet ingredients
- Mix the wet ingredients: Pour the eggs, oil, and vanilla extract into a large bowl. Whisk. Add the mashed bananas. Combine with a wooden spoon.
- Make the batter: Using a spatula or wooden spoon, fold in about half of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until there is no visible flour. Add in the remaining dry ingredients and fold. The final batter will be thick and chunky. Do not overmix.
Bake
- Scrape the batter into the greased loaf pan. Lightly bang the loaf pan 2-3 times to remove any air bubbles trapped in the batter.
- Sprinkle the saved chopped chocolate on the top of the loaf for decoration. Bake the loaf in the middle rack of the preheated oven for about 65 minutes. The bread is done when it is golden brown, and an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Place the baked loaf on a wire rack to cool. Once the loaf pan is cool enough to touch (about 5-10 minutes), remove the parchment and continue to cool on the wire rack.
Video
Notes
- Quality Ingredients Matter: Choose high-quality chocolate, such as Ghirardelli or Valrhona semi-sweet chocolate bars, broken into generous chunks, to enhance the richness.
- Banana Selection: Choose overripe bananas with brown spots and an intense fragrance for the best flavor. If your bananas are frozen, consult our guide onfor tips on how to incorporate thawed bananas into this recipe.
- Egg Temperature: Ensure room temperature eggs for even blending, contributing to tenderness, stability, and structure in the crumb.
Nutrition
A single serving of this Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread recipe has about 371 calories, 4.4 grams of protein, 18.2 grams of fat, and 52.5 grams of carbohydrates. This recipe yields approximately ten servings. The nutritional information is intended as a general guideline. If the nutrition information is important to you, you should independently verify it using your preferred tool.Storage and Freezing: Maximize Your Banana Bread's Freshness
- Short term: For optimal taste, store this Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread at room temperature in an airtight container. It will last for 3-4 days. For storage up to 7 days, refrigerate.
- Long-term Storage: This bread freezes beautifully for up to 4 months. To freeze, wrap the cooled bread in plastic wraps and store in a freezer bag or container, followed by layers of aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. Label with the date for easy tracking. Thaw the banana bread by leaving it on a counter for about 4 hours.