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Finding the best banana bread recipe is a lot harder than you might think, I’ve come to find out… but this one, I have to say, is definitely among the best that I have tried. Meet my chocolate banana bread: made with whole wheat flour and almonds.

This bread is not too sweet, accented by chocolate, nutty (from the flour and nuts), smooth (from vanilla), and just a touch spiced (with cinnamon).

How to make the best banana bread

One of the keys to making the best banana bread is to make sure that you are using overripe bananas. As the bananas age, they get softer and sweeter, and the banana flavour increases in strength. This is key to making sure the best, sweetest, and fullest banana flavour is present in your bread!

Can you eat black bananas?

So long as the banana peel shows no sign of mold, yes. The bananas should be safe to eat.

The perfect baking ripeness for bananas

This is the way I like my bananas to look for optimal banana-baked goodness:

Can you freeze bananas for banana bread?

Yes! There are a few ways you can do this:

1. Mash the bananas ahead of time
   When you do this, you can pre-measure the banana for bread, pour it into a freezer safe container, and label it with labeling or painter’s tape. Once it thaws, you’ve already done the prep work, and you can just add it to your recipe!
2. Freeze the bananas whole, with the peels
   When you do it this way, you will have to thaw them before you use them. I usually freeze them whole in a ziploc bag, and then you can thaw your bananas in a warm water bath until they are soft enough to remove from the peels. The banana peels will turn completely black in the freezer, and when you take the fruit out of the peels they will slide out, all slippery and wet looking… but this is normal! So long as you peels did not mold before you froze the bananas, they should still be safe to eat.
3. Freeze the bananas whole, without the peels
   This is usually how I do mine, since many recipes call for x-number of whole bananas, and I’m never sure ahead of time what I’m going to be making! For this method, you can throw your peeled overripe bananas into a ziploc bag to freeze then. Then, thaw your whole frozen bananas at room temperature or in the microwave, just until soft enough to mash (if they still have some ice crystals in them, that’s ok).

Tips for making chocolate banana bread

Here are a few tips for making sure your chocolate banana bread comes out (and stays out!) well.

1. Use overripe bananas!
   Again, this is the best way to get that amazing banana flavour!
2. Make your work easier with less dishes.
   If you’re making this in an electric mixer, just throw the whole bananas in when the recipe says to add them. The electric mixer will mash them into the batter perfectly!
3. Don’t over mix your batter!
   This will keep the texture crumbly and prevent that sticky, gummy texture from happening.
4. Don’t over bake OR under bake your bread.
   Make sure that a toothpick inserted into the tallest point of the bread comes out clean, and make sure you don’t leave it in the oven too long. This will keep the bread moist, but also ensure that it gets cooked all the way through.
5. Store banana bread in the fridge to keep it longer.
   Keeping banana bread in the fridge will prolong its shelf life… if you’re the type who might keep it around for longer than a day!

How to freeze chocolate banana bread

One of the best ways to preserve banana bread is to freeze it. I like to bake large batches of things, so I will typically make 2-4 loaves at a time. Here’s how to freeze my bread to make sure it tastes its very best:

Eat it and enjoy it while it’s fresh. Then, at the end of the day, take whatever is leftover from the batch and slice it into thick slices. Carefully place the sliced loaf (or loaves) into a freezer safe container (or ziploc bag) and freeze it.

This way, you can remove just the number of slices you want at a time. Thaw them in the microwave, wrapped in foil in the oven, or at room temperature.

Can you make muffins with banana bread batter?

Yes! Bake muffins at 350 or 375 degrees F for 18-20 minutes, or until risen and a toothpick inserted into the centres comes out clean.

You will need:

• Ingredients (see recipe card)
• Mixing bowls or an electric mixer
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Spatula
• Cutting board
• Chef’s knife
• Scissors
• Parchment paper
• Loaf pan
• Toothpicks
• Cooling rack
• Ziploc bag or storage container, for storage

Note: For these pictures, I used a 1-lb loaf pan (a little smaller than a typical loaf pan) and a muffin tin (to make muffins with the extra batter).

How to line pans for banana bread

• First, place your pan onto the sheet of wax paper with enough paper around it to fold up against the sides of the pan. Cut that section of paper away from the roll. 

• Next, making sure the border around the pan is even, cut two slightly angled (to mirror the edges of the pan) slits in the paper, so that it folds up against the edge neatly (refer to the pictures to see what I mean).

• Repeat with the opposite side.

• Now set your cut sheet of parchment into the baking pan, with the long ends folded behind the little flaps of paper that match the ends of your loaf pan.

If you like this recipe, you may also like:

• Rhubarb Sour Cream Muffins
• Orange Poppyseed Pound Cake
• Dairy Free Cranberry Bran Muffins
• Banana Bran Muffins
• Sweet Potato Chocolate Chip Muffins

I know already made this and ate the whole thing, but now I just want to make it again. Fortunately, I have some bananas in my kitchen that are starting to look forgotten… Perhaps I should forget them a little longer? Let me know what you think I should do with them!

Thanks for stopping in! As always, if you make this recipe, tag me on Facebook or Instagram @naomicakesofficial. I would love to see and show off your work! 

Back soon,

Naomi

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