Ultra soft and tender gluten-free chocolate banana bread filled with melty dark chocolate chips with NO butter or oil!
Do you know what the best thing about working at a school is? Spring break. And summer break. And winter break. And, you know, all of those bank holidays. But there is something about spring break that seems to come right when you need it. That moment when you think that pretty much any mundane task seems more appealing than teaching kids to sing and dance, which is usually awesome and fun.
So…it’s spring break! Aside from my training and finishing up a house project (it’s SO fun–I can’t wait to show you!), I plan on doing a whole lot of nothing and enjoying every second of it.
These are my favorite times to bake. A random day off? Perfect time for brownies! A morning with no workout planned? Double chocolate banana bread, obviously.
I used to feel really…blah about banana bread. I always expected it to be dry and chewy. Whenever I’d see it at a bakery, it just never looked soft and tender, but then I found a recipe I loved, and I haven’t stopped making it, or variations of it. I can’t believe I missed out on this magical treat for so long!
Last week I had some bananas sitting on my counter begging to be made into banana bread. I eat a lot of bananas, so they don’t get to that extra-ripe-not-at-all-appealing-to-eat-raw stage very often. This day, however, they were there, and they were calling my name and whispering sweet nothings about how they wanted to be combined with flour and chocolate and brown sugar. So…I caved.
I think this chocolate version might even be my favorite. The chocolate comes from both the cocoa powder (use Dutch process, pretty please), and the melty chocolate chips, and it’s flavor is only enhanced by a touch of espresso powder. This is optional, but I suggest it–it will not make your banana bread taste like coffee (although, add more and sub some buttermilk for coffee for a mocha variety…ooomg), but it brings out the chocolate flavor! The result is ridiculously soft, chocolatey and decadent. I brought the rest of this banana bread to work and my friend Denise said it was her favorite thing I’ve ever made. And let me tell you, I bring a lot of food to work, so you know this one’s a winner. 
Ultra soft and tender gluten-free chocolate banana bread filled with melty dark chocolate chips with NO butter or oil!
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups gluten-free baking blend (or white whole wheat flour)
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder (preferably Dutch process)
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder, optional
- 3 extra ripe medium bananas, mashed
- 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup reduced fat buttermilk*
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips*
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350. Spray a 9x5" loaf pan with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together baking blend, cocoa powder. cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder and espresso powder. In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat together bananas, applesauce, sugars and vanilla until well combined. Stir in half the flour mixture, then buttermilk, then remaining flour mixture. Fold in chocolate chips.
- Transfer batter to prepared loaf pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs, about one hour. Set loaf pan on a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to one week.
Notes
*To make vegan, replace buttermilk with 3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk + 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar. *I used a combination of regular and mini chocolate chips. Either will work.