One‑bowl banana and dark chocolate loaf
A no‑fuss one‑bowl banana and dark chocolate loaf — mash, stir and bake for a moist, chocolate-studded treat with minimal washing up.
This is the sort of loaf you make when you want baking without the faff: everything goes in one bowl, very little washing up and a reliably moist result. Ripe bananas give natural sweetness and the dark chocolate adds pockets of gooey joy.
Make it for weekend brunch, packed lunches or to take on a picnic. It keeps well for 2–3 days in a tin or freezes in slices for quick treats later.
Ingredients
- 3 ripe bananas — about 360g peeled, mashed
- 125 g unsalted butter — softened
- 150 g soft brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 5 ml vanilla extract
- 250 g plain flour
- 5 g baking powder — ≈1 tsp
- 5 g bicarbonate of soda — ≈1 tsp
- 0 g fine salt — about a pinch
- 100 g dark chocolate chips
- 30 ml milk — optional — add only if batter feels too stiff
Equipment
- loaf tin (23 x 13 cm, 900g)
- wire rack
- sieve
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 160°C fan/180°C conventional. Grease a 900g (23 x 13 cm) loaf tin and line the base with baking paper.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter and soft brown sugar together until pale and slightly fluffy, about 3 minutes with a wooden spoon or hand mixer.
Beat in the large eggs, one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition so the mixture stays smooth and doesn’t split.
Stir in the mashed ripe bananas and the vanilla extract until evenly combined.
Sift the plain flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and fine salt straight into the bowl. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet gently — stop as soon as you have no visible streaks of flour to avoid a heavy loaf.
Fold in the dark chocolate chips. If the batter looks very stiff, stir in up to the optional 30 ml milk a tablespoon at a time to loosen it to a thick dropping consistency.
Tip the batter into the prepared tin, level the top with the back of a spoon and scatter any reserved chocolate chips on the surface.
Bake in the preheated oven for 50–60 minutes until the loaf is deep golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out with just a few moist crumbs (not wet batter). Start checking at 50 minutes.
Leave the loaf to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack.
Cool completely on the wire rack for at least 60 minutes before slicing — resting allows the crumb to set and makes cleaner slices.
Tips
- Use very ripe bananas (lots of brown spots) — they mash easily and give more flavour and sweetness.
- Soften the butter at room temperature for 30–60 minutes; if it’s cold the creaming step won’t work and the texture will suffer.
- If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil after 30 minutes of baking to prevent over-darkening while the centre finishes.
- Make ahead: bake, cool completely, then wrap in foil and keep at room temperature for 48 hours or freeze sliced for up to 3 months.
- To get even slices, chill the loaf for 1 hour in the fridge before cutting or use a serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion.
Substitutions
unsalted butter → sunflower oil, 100 ml (keeps loaf very moist)
Stays closedark chocolate chips → chopped walnuts, 100 g (adds crunch and a nutty flavour)
Noticeably differentplain flour → gluten-free plain flour blend, same weight (ensure blend contains a binder)
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 340
- Calories
- 5 g
- Protein
- 49 g
- Carbs
- 14 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fibre
- 25 g
- Sugar
- 150 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I use frozen bananas?
Yes — defrost and drain any excess liquid before mashing. Patience drying them a little prevents a soggy batter.
Why did my loaf sink in the middle?
Common causes are underbaking, overmixing the batter or too much raising agent. Check with a skewer and avoid overmixing once the flour is added.
Can I omit the chocolate?
Absolutely — omit it or swap for 100 g chopped nuts or dried fruit. The texture will remain similar but the flavour profile changes.
How should I store leftovers?
Keep the cooled loaf in an airtight tin at room temperature for 2–3 days or freeze individual slices in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
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