There is a kind of joy, which is hard for me to put in words, that I find when I am baking. It happens even when I am cooking but it is during baking that the feeling is more profound. Apart from the two-three months of winters when the humidity is low here, it is hard to bake cookies in Mumbai. So, most of the times all I end up baking is cakes or puddings/ desserts. The cookie baking bracket is small but much treasured by me.
I had baked and shot this sweet bread a month back when it was terribly hot and humid here and the bananas were not lasting beyond a couple of days. There was cocoa powder nearing expiry date, so the two came together to create deliciousness along with some chocolate chips and melted dark chocolate. You can call it sinful chocolate bread or death by chocolate kind of bread but paired with bananas. I had baked this particular batch of bread, refined sugar free and it gave an intensely moist texture to the bread. And I highly recommend dotting the top of the bread with some cacao nibs. They added a lovely character and a slight texture to this already delicious bread 🙂
½ C Oil or melted Butter
1 C Caster Sugar
2 Eggs (large), lightly whisked
3 ripe Bananas, medium size
¾ C All Purpose Flour (Maida)
1 C Whole meal (Aata)
½ C Cocoa Powder
½ tsp Baking Powder
½ tsp Baking Soda
75 gm Chocolate (semi sweet or dark, depending on what you like), melted over bain marie
½ C Dark Chocolate Chips plus extra for topping
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
3 – 4 tbsp Milk
2 tsp – 1 tbsp tbsp Cacao Nibs (optional), for topping
Set the oven for heating at 170 degrees C.
Prepare a 9 X 5 inch loaf pan by greasing and dusting it with all purpose flour. Set it aside.
In a large mixing bowl, sift together the all purpose flour, whole meal, cocoa powder, baking powder and baking soda. Add chocolate chips and mix.
In another mixing bowl add sugar, melted chocolate, oil, vanilla extract, mashed bananas and eggs. Whisk everything till it just combines.
Pour the liquid batter over the dry ingredients and fold in. Do not over mix the batter. If the batter appears thick, add milk and loosen it up.
Pour the batter into the prepared tin and scatter over chocolate chips and cacao nibs. Place the pan in the oven and bake till a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
Serves – 12
Note – Since I was to gift one of these loaves to a friend, I baked them in two separate loaf pans of smaller size.
Thanks for your visit and see you soon again with another exciting recipe!
We are huge fans of banana bread or cakes. This looks luscious and so inviting with all the chocolate.
I love banana bread and this chocolate banana bread looks absolutely scrumptious – perfect for any occasion.
Chocolate? Banana? Say no more! They pair so nicely together. Great looking bread — thanks.
What a gorgeous banana bread! And all that chocolate makes it impossible to resist!!
Taruna, this chocolate banana bread looks so irresistible! Chocolate and banana make the best combination!
The pictures of this banana bread look so delicious! I would devour both loaves in a twinkling of an eye.
This banana bread looks seriously good! I could eat it every day
Triple? Looks awesome, I am loving the deep dark color of this banana bread…thanks for the recipe! Have a great rest of the week!
Looks delicious! Any excuse to eat chocolate for breakfast!
I too love banana bread and if it’s with cocoa then happiness doubled. I am loving your recipe as it’s refined sugar free, gotta try this soon 🙂
Chocolate and banana are one of favourite combos Taruna, yum!
This is fabulous,I like banana and chocolate in one recipe, yummly.
I see eating 3 pieces of day – with my morning tea, for breakfast and with afternoon tea. YUM! What a fabulous bread!
What an amazing looking loaf that is! I totally love banana bread and this is like the baap of it – with chocolate thrown in three ways! I agree that baking is definitely not for the hot days… it makes you feel so awful!