Get the Recipe:
Marbled Chocolate Banana Bread
This marbled chocolate banana bread is a simple but striking twist on the classic! A mix of butter and oil keeps it soft and flavorful, while a swirl of cocoa-infused batter adds a beautiful chocolate ribbon throughout.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 cups (280 g) mashed ripe bananas, about 3 medium bananas
- 1/2 cup (100 g) firmly packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup (56 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) vegetable oil, or another neutral oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup (21 g) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1-2 tablespoons (15-30 ml) milk, if needed, to loosen chocolate batter
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan or line with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl, stir together the mashed bananas, brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg, melted butter, oil, and vanilla until well combined.
- Stir the flour mixture into the banana mixture just until combined. Don’t over-mix.
- Transfer half of the batter to a separate bowl. Stir the cocoa powder into one half. If the chocolate batter seems too thick, stir in a tablespoon or two of milk to match the consistency of the plain batter.
- Alternately spoon the two batters into the prepared pan. Use a knife or skewer to gently swirl the batters together.
- Bake for 50–60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Let cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Measuring flour: For best results, measure flour by weight or use the spoon-and-sweep method to avoid a dense loaf.
- Cocoa powder: Natural or Dutch-process cocoa both work well here. Use your favorite!
- Chocolate swirl texture: If the chocolate batter is much thicker than the plain, stir in 1 to 2 teaspoons of milk to help it swirl more easily.
- Storage: Wrap well and store at room temperature up to 3 days.
- Freezing: This banana bread freezes well. Wrap slices individually for quick grab-and-thaw treats later.
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