I have made banana cakes and bread in so many different ways.   We love my chocolate granola banana bundt cake, but when the cravings call for a more decadent but healthy treat then we go for this marbled banana bread.

The combination of chocolate and bananas with the addition of a few (or a lot!) dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips is simply to live for. Not to mention how quick and easy it is to put together.

What you need to make chocolate-marbled banana bread

• Ripe bananas. Use bananas with black spots on the skin and even dark spots in the flesh, these are the sweetest.
• All-purpose flour, you can also use half all-purpose and half whole wheat flour.
• Brown sugar, for that molasses flavor and to bring some moisture. I used almost 3/4 of a cup of brown sugar swerve.
• White sugar or granulated Swerve, 1/4 of a cup. You could perfectly just use 1 cup of brown sugar if you prefer. I use a small amount of white sugar to help lighten the batter.
• Greek yogurt, the acidity content in yogurt will offset the metal flavor that the baking soda could create, it will also add more moisture and creaminess. I used plain low-fat yogurt but you could use vanilla-flavored yogurt or sour cream instead.
•  Eggs, for leavening and richness
• Vegetable oil, 7 tbs, a little less than half a cup, it will ensure a moist bread and a tender crumb
• Chocolate bar 3oz or 3.5 oz – your favorite chocolate bar! I used a sugar-free chocolate caramel bar, it was fantastic!
• Chocolate chips, are totally optional to add a few additional droplets of chocolate flavor all over.
• Baking soda, to make the bread raise. You could use baking soda and baking powder.
• A pinch of cinnamon and cardamom to bring some citrusy and spice notes to the bread.
• Vanilla extract to infuse its sweet flavor and aroma and because it makes everything better 🙂
• A pinch of espresso powder, to enhance the chocolate flavor.
• Pinch of salt, to offset the sweetness and enhance the flavors.
• Confectioners’ sugar to dust the bread, optional.

 

How to make marbled banana bread

Here is how to make it step by step

1. Sift all the dry ingredients, twice if possible if you want to avoid big air bubbles
2. Whisk the wet ingredients with the smashed bananas and add the dry ingredients. Whisk lightly to mix or fold into the batter.
3. Mix a heaping cup, 9 to 10 oz, of the banana batter with the melted chocolate in a separate bowl
   
4. Spoon or use an ice cream scoop to dollop the banana and the chocolate batter alternately into the prepared pan. Sprinkle some pieces of the chocolate bar and chocolate chips over the batter halfway and complete filling the pan. Finish with a few more chocolate pieces and chips and the rest of the batter. t
5. Use a knife or a baking spatula to swirl the batter gently. Try not to over-swirl the batter or it will lose that marble effect with large chocolate pieces, I did a couple of swirls for this one. Tap the pan gently against the counter to reduce the air bubbles.
6. Bake at 350° F for 55 minutes to an hour or until a wooden stick comes out clean or with a few crumbs. I didn’t add more chips on top since I was using a reversible braided pan. Feel free to add more if you are using a regular loaf pan, it looks and tastes incredible!
7. Place on a cooling rack for about 10 minutes before removing it from the pan.  Wait at least 10 minutes to cut and serve the bread.

 

Dust a couple of tablespoons of confectioners’ sugar and serve!

 How to melt a chocolate bar in the microwave

This is my foolproof method.

• Chop the chocolate bar into small chunks and place in a small microwave-safe bowl.
• Place in the microwave and cook for 15 seconds.
• Chocolate will start to heat at the bottom.
• Stir and cook twice in intervals of 10 seconds, repeat if necessary until the chocolate is almost totally melted with a few pieces left, and keep stirring until the rest of the chocolate melts with the remaining heat in the chocolate and the bowl.

 

Tips for best results

• Vegetable oil instead of butter will provide a tender crumb and produce a moist baked bread. I could go on and on with the reasons but keep in mind that it is liquid when cold so it will extend its shelf life,  also you have fewer chances of over-mixing the batter when using oil. 
• Using melted chocolate instead of cocoa will also provide more flavor and richness to the chocolate batter, you won’t have to adjust the amount of dry ingredients either.
• Save a teaspoon or 2 of the chopped chocolate bar before you melt it to spread it over the batter. It will melt all over the bread.
• Short intervals while melting the chocolate in the microwave will prevent the chocolate from burning. 

To store banana bread

• The bread will keep fresh, after cooling down, inside an airtight container or wrapped in plastic wrap. Keep it on the counter or in the refrigerator for a couple of days.
• If you want to freeze the remaining bread or a few slices, make sure they are completely cool. Wrap them in plastic wrap and then, wrap them in aluminum foil. They should be fresh in the freezer for 2 months. Remove from the freezer and let thaw overnight in the refrigerator. The next day, we either toast them or place them in the microwave for a few seconds before serving.

Enjoy as a snack, breakfast, or dessert. Warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream makes for such a decadent dessert.

Here is the recipe. I hope you love it and enjoy it as much as we do. Please tag me here or here, or leave a comment below to let me know how it turned out. xx