Last Thursday I was supposed to have a 5:30am client, so I got up, got dressed, ate, drank coffee, and was about to head out the door at 5:00 when I see a text, “I’m not feeling well, can we push our session out to tomorrow?”
Ugh.
Typically I would have said no and burned the session, but due to other circumstances I let it slide and pushed the session out to the next day.
So there I was awake at 5:00am and I decided to make some chocolate banana bread.
Most people probably would have gone back to bed, but I decided to take advantage of the peaceful morning hours that I don’t typically see. Plus, there was some sort of rain-snow situation going on outside, so baking a warm chocolate-y loaf of banana bread just seemed right.
And then I had a loaf of chocolate banana bread at my fingertips to enjoy, soooo… no complaints.
This chocolate banana bread recipe is adapted from this basic banana bread, but I replaced some of the flour with cocoa powder and traded the walnuts for chocolate chips. The wet ingredients are mixed into the dry before pouring the batter in a loaf pan. I decided to sprinkle some coffee grounds on top for an extra crunch and a light hint of coffee flavor to balance out the chocolate. I really liked it, but you could totally skip it if you wanted. It’s simple to make, even in the wee hours of the morning while your eyes may only be half-open.
The result is a delicious, moist loaf of banana bread with just the right hint of chocolate. It’s perfect for a mid-morning snack, but I wouldn’t argue with you if you ate it for breakfast and/or dessert.
Oddly enough I posted that basic banana bread recipe almost exactly one year ago. Isn’t that weird? I can still clearly remember sitting down to type up that post as the banana bread was baking in the oven.
My life is so different now than it was then: Minneapolis to Denver. Supply Chain to Personal Training. Owning a condo to renting a garden level duplex. Lakes to mountains. Family close by to family far away. Not different in a bad way, just different.
I haven’t quite gotten into my groove here in Denver, but now I’m ready to start hustling.
The chocolate banana bread helps with the motivation.
- 1 ¼ white whole wheat flour
- ½ cup cocoa powder
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted
- 2 medium overripe bananas, mashed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup buttermilk
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- 1 teaspoon coffee grounds (optional)
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.
- In a small bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
- In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter, mashed bananas, vanilla extract, eggs, and buttermilk. Whisk until combined.
- Add the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until just combined.
- Stir in the chocolate chips, saving some for the top of the loaf.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan then sprinkle with the coffee grounds and remaining chocolate chips
- Bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick is inserted and comes out clean.
- Let the bread cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before removing and transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
This bread will keep for a few days wrapped in plastic wrap or in the freezer for a few months.
Side note: I brought a majority of this loaf into work and crossed my fingers that the other trainers wouldn’t shame me and hate me for bringing in something not so healthy. They didn’t. They ate it and they loved it. I can’t explain to you how happy it made me.
Chocolate banana bread is an excellent way to help adjust to a new life!
I agree 🙂 Thanks, Elena!
Chocolate, banana, cinnamon and coffee. How can this not be delicious? Looks wonderful. 🙂
Thank you!
Way to rescue your day!
Haha. Thank you! It worked 🙂
This is literally Chocolate HEAVEN!! Very delicious and very comforting.
This looks like banana bread perfection (and worth being up that early for!) 🙂
Thanks Laura! It was totally worth it 🙂