Double Chocolate Banana Bread

As much as I love traditional banana bread recipes, I wanted to make something a bit more exotic. This crazy-ridiculous-delicious Double Chocolate Banana Bread is bursting at the seams with rich, chocolatey flavor thanks to a double whammy of Mexican chocolate and cocoa powder. Better yet, it’s super simple to make — no fancy equipment necessary!

The addition of Mexican chocolate and cinnamon in this moist chocolate banana bread recipe gives it a warm, cozy flavor while the toasted pecans give it the perfect amount of textural interest! I also added Mexican crema and melted unsalted butter to make it extra decadent without being gooey and messy.

Why You’ll Love This Mexican Chocolate Banana Bread Recipe

• It’s quick and easy, requiring just 2 bowls and about 15 minutes of active prep to make.
• The ingredients are simple.
  • Butter and crema in the batter result in an incredibly moist and tender crumb.
  • Mexican chocolate provides a decadent melted chocolate texture while cocoa powder deepens the chocolatey flavor.
  • A hint of cinnamon adds warmth, complimenting the deep chocolate flavor perfectly.

Ingredients & Substitutions 

The complete list of ingredients, quantities, and instructions can be found in the printable recipe card below.

As promised, you only need basic ingredients to make this delicious banana chocolate bread. Here’s what to grab:

• Unsalted Butter – Butter adds lots of richness and contributes to a fluffy, tender consistency. Since it’s melted, there’s no need for your electric mixer!
• All-Purpose Flour – Plain white flour is all you need.
• Overripe Bananas – The frecklier, the better.
• Crema Mexicana – Basically a pourable sour cream, this creamy, dreamy condiment adds tons of moisture. Feel free to swap in regular sour cream or full-fat Greek yogurt instead.
• Granulated Sugar – The neutral flavor and pH of white sugar are essential for both letting the Mexican chocolate and banana flavor shine through. It also creates a light, crackly crust for our chocolate banana nut bread. Light brown sugar will likely add too much moisture.
• Salt – I used fine sea salt. If you opt for another type (e.g. kosher), use this handy conversion chart.
• Egg – I used a large egg, so if you’re using liquid egg from a carton, you’ll need ¼ cup.
• Pure Vanilla Extract – “Pure” is the operative word here. Imitation vanilla flavor (a.k.a. “vanillin”) is far less complex tasting. Feel free to swap in an equal amount of vanilla paste or vanilla powder.
• Unsweetened Cocoa Powder – I prefer using Dutch process cocoa powder because it has a more intense chocolate flavor and less bitterness. That said, conventional cocoa, black cocoa, or even raw cacao powder should work just fine. 
• Baking Soda – Not to be confused with baking powder, this powdery raising agent helps our banana chocolate nut bread puff up during baking. 
• Ground Cinnamon – A classic ingredient for Mexican chocolate. Adding some to the batter with the cocoa powder adds a warm, cozy, Mexican hot chocolate vibe. 
• Mexican Chocolate – I always have a box of Mexican chocolate tablets hanging out in the pantry. It’s readily available at most major supermarkets, right next to regular hot chocolate (look for the bright yellow box — Abuelita and Ibarra use similar packaging). If you don’t have any on hand, feel free to substitute with regular or mini chocolate chips, or omit it. Double the amount of cinnamon if you’re not using Mexican chocolate.
• Chopped Pecans – I love the mildly sweet flavor and yummy crunch pecans add. You’re welcome to swap in chopped walnuts if you prefer!

How to Make the Best Chocolate Banana Bread

PREP. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan with 1 tablespoon of butter and dust with flour, tapping out any excess. Make sure to get all the way in the corners so every last bit of your chocolate banana nut bread releases from the pan. Want to make life easier? Use Baker’s Joy! It’s a real life-saver for bundt and loaf pans.

Step 1: Mash Bananas. Using a potato masher or fork, mash peeled ripe bananas until smooth.

Step 2: Add Butter. Melt the remaining butter and add to the bowl with the mashed bananas.

Step 3: Wet Ingredients. Stir in the crema, sugar, salt, beaten egg, and vanilla extract to the bowl with the banana-butter mixture.

Step 4: Dry Ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, and grated chocolate.

Step 5: Mix Wet & Dry. Add the flour mixture to the banana mixture, stir until just incorporated, then fold in the pecans.

Step 6: Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a spatula.

Step 7: Bake banana bread, rotating halfway through, until batter is set and sides are starting to pull away from pan, and a toothpick inserted into center of bread comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes.

Step 8: Cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes, no more than 30 minutes.

Step 9: Unmold. Run a butter knife around the perimeter of the pan to loosen loaf, then tap pan gently on its side until loaf releases. Transfer to a cutting board or plate and let cool completely before slicing.

Optional Variations 

This recipe has not been tested with all of these substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!

As much as my familia loves this recipe for chocolate banana bread, I know it won’t work for everyone as written. Here are just a few optional adaptations to try:

• Nut-Free – Simply omit the pecans, or swap in your favorite seeds (e.g. pepitas or sunflower seeds). Also, double-check your chocolate — some may be processed on equipment that also processes nuts.
• Dairy-Free – Can’t do lactose? Substitute vegan butter and your favorite vegan sour cream alternative to keep the rich flavor and texture without the milk.
• Gluten-Free – I haven’t tried it yet, but I *think* this recipe should work with a cup-for-cup all-purpose gluten-free flour blend. I recommend reaching for a brand that includes xanthan gum (which helps to add the structure gluten is responsible for). Also, don’t forget to rest the batter for 30 minutes before baking — this allows the flour time to rehydrate so it doesn’t come out gritty or chalky.
• Optional/Alternative Add-Ins – No Mexican chocolate? Try using regular semi-sweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips, or peanut butter chips. You can also give it a cake vibe by adding a chocolate tequila almond ganache glaze.
• Portable – Instead of using a loaf tin, try making banana chocolate chip muffins. Use regular or mini muffin tins lined with paper or silicone liners, then reduce the baking time as needed. For regular muffins, start checking around the 30-minute mark; for mini muffins, around the 23-minute mark.
• Triple Chocolate Banana Bread – If two kinds of chocolate aren’t enough for you, I see you. Give it the chocolate chip banana bread treatment by omitting the pecans in favor of milk or dark chocolate chips.

Serving & Topping Suggestions 

This moist chocolate banana bread needs no accessories, but you’re welcome to dress it up if you like. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• You can’t go wrong with a pat of butter for added richness.
• Serve it with a side of Mexican chocolate dipping sauce or my DIY dulce de leche to make snack time extra indulgent.
• Top it with a scoop of tequila ice cream and drizzle on some warm berry sauce to turn your chocolatey Mexican banana bread into more of a cake.
• If you’re serving it for breakfast, don’t forget a warm mug of cafe de olla or cozy champurrado for dipping.

Expert Tips & Tricks

• No ripe bananas? No problem! You have a few options depending on how much time you want to invest:
  • If you have a few days, place your bananas in a paper bag, preferably with another ethylene-producing fruit (e.g. an apple or avocado). Depending on how green they are, this should take between 12-72 hours.
  • If you have about an hour, place unpeeled bananas on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and bake at 250 degrees until they turn dark and smooshy, about 15-45 minutes. 
  • If you only have a couple of minutes, poke the bananas all over with a fork and microwave in 45-second bursts until soft. Note that this method doesn’t result in as sweet of bananas as the others, so use it as a last resort.
• Toast your nuts. While it’s an extra step that’ll cost about 15 minutes, the flavor dividends make it worthwhile. I prefer to toast them in a dry pan over medium heat so I can keep an eye on them, but you’re also welcome to use a baking sheet and the oven.
• Use the dual-cooling method. Allowing the moist banana chocolate bread to cool in the tin for 15-30 minutes helps to ensure structural integrity when you tip it out. But after that initial cooling period, make sure to remove the bread from the tin and cool the loaf on a wire rack. Why? If you leave it in the tin for too long, condensation will accumulate inside the pan and leave you with a somewhat soggy bottom.

Storage Instructions

• Baked double chocolate banana bread will last about 2 to 3 days at room temperature (lightly covered).
• Refrigerate: Allow the bread to cool fully before wrapping it in plastic wrap, placing it in a zip-top bag, or putting it in an airtight container for storage.
• Freeze:I recommend you wrap Mexican chocolate banana bread in plastic wrap and then place it in an airtight freezer bag. Remove as much air as possible and seal tightly to ward off freezer burn. It should keep well in the freezer for up to 6 weeks. 
• To thaw frozen banana chocolate bread, remove it from the freezer and let it thaw in the fridge overnight. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 5 minutes to warm it.

Frequently Asked Questions

More Quick & Easy Bread Recipes

• Chocolate Applesauce Bread
• Cranberry Christmas Bread
• Mexican Chocolate Zucchini Bread
• Pumpkin Bread

Have you made this banana bread? Rate the recipe and leave me a comment below to let me know how it turned out! 

Originally published: November 2016.