Banana Bread with Chocolate

Banana bread is comfort in a loaf — golden on the outside, tender inside, and full of sweet banana flavour. In Canada, it’s become a staple for using up overripe fruit, baked on Sunday afternoons to be sliced through the week. Sometimes I stir in chocolate chips or nuts, but even plain, it carries the warmth of homemade baking — simple, nostalgic, and always welcome.

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Makes: 1 loaf (10–12 slices)

Ingredients

• 2–3 very ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)

• ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter, melted

• ¾ cup (150 g) sugar (white, brown, or a mix)

• 2 large eggs

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 ½ cups (190 g) all-purpose flour

• 1 tsp baking soda

• ½ tsp salt

• ½ tsp cinnamon (optional, but adds warmth)

• ½ cup chocolate chips or chopped nuts (optional)

Method

• Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F). Grease a 9 × 5 inch loaf pan or line with parchment. (For muffins, line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.)

• In a large bowl, mash bananas until smooth. Stir in melted butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla.

• In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Fold dry ingredients gently into the banana mixture until just combined.

• Stir in chocolate chips or nuts, if using.

• Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan, or divide evenly among muffin cups.

• Bake loaf for 50–60 minutes, or muffins for 18–20 minutes, until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.

• Cool in the pan 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Slice the loaf or enjoy muffins warm.

Variations

• Chocolate Chip Banana Bread – add ½ cup chocolate chips for a sweeter loaf.

• Nutty Banana Bread – fold in ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans.

• Berry Banana Bread – stir in 1 cup blueberries, raspberries, or Saskatoon berries for a Canadian twist.