Super Chocolatey Banana Bread

Soft, moist, and finely crumbed, fragrant with the aroma of banana, maple syrup, vanilla, and cinnamon, and featuring as much chocolate as you know you really want, this completely plant-based loaf is sure to please young and adult eaters alike, including picky banana bread eaters like me!

A recipe for picky banana bread eaters and connoisseurs alike

While I don’t usually mind banana bread per say, it’s not at the top of my list for sweet treats. I don’t care for plain banana bread, and I really don’t like banana bread with big chunks of gooey, soggy cooked banana throughout. And I haven’t even mentioned how I feel about dry banana bread or banana breads made with overly ripe bananas. Ok, I’ll admit, I am *quite* picky about banana bread. However, the other eaters in my house love banana bread in all of its guises, so I’m always trying new recipes to find the perfect version to suit all of our preferences. After quite a bit of experimentation and adaptation, I’ve finally crafted a recipe that I, the banana bread skeptic, really, truly enjoy.

A completely plant-based loaf that everyone can enjoy

Featuring a balanced banana flavour spread evenly throughout the loaf, crammed with as much chocolate as is basically possible without being ridiculous, and perfectly sweetened with just the right amount of maple syrup to satisfy a sweet tooth, this moist and tender loaf also boasts the distinction of being vegan. You won’t miss the dairy or the eggs, and the modest amount of oil used means no more overly buttery or greasy slices of banana bread, something I have experienced with other loaf recipes or commercially prepared versions. The inclusion of whole wheat pastry flour adds nutrition and a slight nutty flavour while still keeping the loaf supple and soft, even days after baking.

Whole wheat pastry flour: worth adding to your pantry!

I highly recommend adding this ingredient to your pantry if you don’t have any on hand. Milled from softer varieties of whole wheat, whole wheat pastry flour is finely ground and light in texture and colour, adding more flavour and nutrition to baked goods while still providing a desirably tender texture. Read more about whole wheat pastry flour.

The Food Find: flax "eggs” for the (plant based) win!

The Food Find ingredient in this loaf is Flax Eggs, a homemade baking substitute that makes the loaf completely plant-based. If you aren’t familiar with flax eggs, it is simply an egg replacement mixture made using ground flaxseed and water. When left for a few minutes, this simple combination makes a natural gel that provides moisture and binding power to baked goods, adding some extra fiber to boot. If you don’t have ground flax on hand for this recipe, and don’t mind using eggs, you can easily substitute two eggs in place of the flax eggs. Read more about how Flax Eggs, and what makes them both similar and different to standard eggs.

Mash that banana like you mean it!

A few additional elements make this loaf truly delectable and quite moreish. Most importantly, when prepping the banana for the batter, I make sure to thoroughly mash the ripe bananas with a fork on a cutting board, making a barely lumpy and almost liquid mash before measuring the amount needed for the recipe. This fine mashing distributes the banana more evenly throughout the loaf, ensuring no big gooey lumps of banana. While some recipes ask for bananas that have turned black, I find this contributes a cloyingly over-ripe banana flavour and aroma that I dislike. For me, bananas that are moderately spotted with black and tender are just over ripe enough for this recipe, but of course, use bananas of the ripeness level that you prefer.

Why use oil instead of butter ?

Using oil, instead of butter, allows baked goods in general to stay moist and tender for longer, so in this case, slices of this loaf keep well for a number of days on the counter or in the fridge without the typical hardening up that can occur with butter based loaves. I don’t specify what kind of oil to use here because I usually use whatever neutral flavoured oil I have on hand - most often sunflower or safflower oil. Recently, I had only dribs and drabs of three different kinds of oils, and combined the last of my avocado oil, sunflower oil, and safflower oil to make up what I needed for the loaf, with no change to the overall success of the recipe. 

Chocolate really matters here (doesn’t it always?)

As there is a relatively large amount of chocolate in this loaf, make sure you use a type of chocolate you really enjoy. I personally adore 70% baking chocolate from local purveyor Soul Chocolate, an incredibly smooth and rich chocolate with deeply fruity undertones, without the bitterness that I often associate with high percentage chocolate. This chocolate is hands down the highest quality and most delicious baking chocolate I have ever worked with and perfect foil for fruity banana flavours; their transparent fair trade practices only sweeten the deal if you ask me!

If you're not able to source a similar local chocolate, my other go to has been Callebaut dark chocolate callets (pictured below), a type of extra large chocolate chip with a rich, deep flavour that spreads throughout the loaf. I find them at my local bulk food store, and any place with a wider selection of baking supplies should have them.

However, standard chocolate chips or chunks will do nicely here as well, and I use them whenever I run out of my preferred brand. Whichever chocolate you choose, stay on the darker side, either semisweet or dark, as milk chocolate chips will add too much sweetness to the loaf. Choose what you like best!

Storage

This banana bread also freezes quite well. Once the loaf has fully cooled, slice it carefully and freeze with small pieces of wax or parchment paper in between each piece to stop the slices sticking together, and wrap tightly or put in a freezer proof container. Take the frozen slices out of the freezer and leave them in the fridge overnight, or set them on the counter or in a lunchbox in the morning to defrost by lunchtime.

Looking for more sweet inspiration?

Print Recipe

Super Chocolatey Banana Bread

Soft, moist, and finely crumbed, fragrant with the aroma of banana, maple syrup, vanilla, and cinnamon, and featuring as much chocolate as you know you really want, this completely plant-based loaf is sure to please young and adult eaters alike, including picky banana bread eaters like me!

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time1 hour hr

Total Time1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Servings: 1 Loaf

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoon finely ground flaxseed
• 6 tablespoon water
• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ cup maple syrup
• ⅓ cup neutral oil sunflower, safflower etc., plus extra for preparing the pan
• ¼ cup unsweetened oat milk or your preferred unsweetened plant milk
• 1 cup finely mashed banana approx. 3 bananas
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup dark chocolate callets or dark chocolate chips or chunks

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 325°F.
• Prepare a standard 9 x 5 inch loaf pan, rubbing down the pan with a few extra drops of oil, and lining the pan with parchment paper, making sure to leave at least an inch overhanging on the sides making for easier loaf removal after baking.
• Prepare the flax eggs: in a small bowl, whisk together the ground flax and 6 tablespoons of water, and set aside for at least 10 minutes while you get the rest of the ingredients together.
• Mix the dry ingredients together: In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon, whisking well to combine once sifted into the bowl.
• Make sure your flax eggs are ready - they will have a thickly gelled or goopy texture. If any extra water is sitting on top of the mix, just mix thoroughly again before using so that you have a thick and viscous mixture.
• Mix the wet ingredients together: In a large bowl, add the wet ingredients together, adding the maple syrup, oil, oat milk, mashed banana, flax eggs, and vanilla extract, thoroughly whisking until combined.
• Finish the batter: Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and using a silicone spatula or wooden spoon, gently mix until just combined - as you’ll mix again in a moment, it’s ok if a few spots of flour still show, so don’t overmix.
• Sprinkle in the chocolate chips, and briefly mix again until just combined.
• Scrape out the batter into the prepared pan and make sure it is evenly distributed. Place the pan into the centre rack of the oven and bake for 55 - 65 minutes (60 minutes works for me). Check for doneness by inserting a wooden toothpick or skewer into the centre of the bread, making sure that it comes out clean and batter free. If you see there is still some sticky batter on the toothpick, continue to bake for up to an additional 10 minutes as needed (all ovens vary a bit!).
• When done, remove pan from the oven and place the pan on a rack to cool. Once cooled, gently loosen the sides if needed, and use the overhanging parchment paper to pull the loaf out of the pan. This loaf slices best when cooled, although I usually do sneak a slice (or two!) while it is still warm. Enjoy!

Notes

In my oven, the loaf takes about 60 minutes. And as this loaf is very moist even when fully baked, I find it can handle a few extra minutes, so if it’s the first time you are baking this recipe and not sure if the loaf is ready or not, it should be fine even if you leave it in a bit longer just to make sure.