Ultimate Ultra Moist Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread with Brown Butter
This ultimate recipe for ultra moist chocolate chunk banana bread is quite simply the best you’ll ever make! Crafted with ease in just two bowls and without the need for a stand or hand mixer, this incredibly tender banana bread bursts with rich flavor. Its secret lies in the delightful combination of nutty brown butter, warm cinnamon, and generous chunks of dark chocolate, ensuring a truly unforgettable baking experience. Prepare to impress everyone with this super soft and deeply flavorful homemade treat.
This beloved recipe was originally published in January 2023. It has since undergone a significant update, featuring an even more perfected recipe and brand-new, inviting images to guide you through the process.
There’s nothing quite like a warm slice of homemade banana bread, fresh from the oven, to brighten your day! This updated super moist chocolate chunk banana bread recipe takes comfort food to another level with its distinctive toasty flavor, achieved by browning the butter. The addition of warm, inviting cinnamon further enhances the overall spice profile, creating a symphony of flavors that will tantalize your taste buds with every bite.
The secret to this incredible chocolate chunk banana bread’s moisture and unbelievably soft texture comes from one of my favorite baking ingredients: sour cream! Incorporating sour cream into your banana bread batter not only guarantees an extra soft and moist crumb but also helps to keep the bread wonderfully fresh and tender for several days. It’s a game-changer for homemade quick breads.
If you’re as passionate about banana recipes as I am, you absolutely must explore some of my other delightful creations. Be sure to try my irresistible mini banana muffins, the classic and comforting banana bread with pecans, the decadent banana cake with chocolate frosting, and the perfectly portable banana pudding in a jar! Each offers a unique way to enjoy the sweet, comforting flavor of ripe bananas.
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Why You’ll Adore This Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread!
This isn’t just another banana bread recipe; it’s a testament to simple, delicious baking that yields exceptional results. Here’s why this particular chocolate chunk banana bread will quickly become a favorite in your kitchen:
- No Mixer Required: Say goodbye to bulky kitchen appliances! This easy banana bread with chocolate chunks comes together beautifully with just a whisk and a couple of bowls. The only special tool you’ll need is a small saucepan for browning the butter, making cleanup a breeze and the baking process entirely stress-free. It’s perfect for beginner bakers or those who prefer a minimalist approach.
- Simple, Wholesome Ingredients: You’ll love that this recipe relies on readily available pantry staples. We’re using everyday ingredients that you likely already have on hand, ensuring that you can whip up a batch of this delightful banana bread whenever a craving strikes without a special trip to the grocery store.
- Remarkably Moist Texture: Prepare for a banana bread that’s truly melt-in-your-mouth moist. The secret to its incredible tenderness lies in the generous addition of both rich melted butter and creamy sour cream. These ingredients work in harmony to create a soft, supple crumb that stays wonderfully fresh for days, making it perfect for breakfast, dessert, or a comforting snack.
- Intense Banana Flavor: We don’t skimp on the star ingredient! By utilizing four ripe bananas, this recipe guarantees a robust, authentic banana flavor throughout every slice. The natural sweetness and rich aroma of ripe bananas are truly the heart of this irresistible loaf, ensuring a deeply satisfying taste.
- Chocolate in Every Single Bite: Forget sparse chocolate chips! This recipe calls for a chopped-up dark chocolate bar, which melts beautifully into delightful “chocolate ribbons” that swirl through the moist banana bread. This ensures an even distribution of rich, gooey chocolate, providing a luxurious burst of flavor and texture in every single mouthful. It’s a chocolate lover’s dream come true!
Behind the Scenes: The Journey to Perfect Banana Bread
Developing the ultimate moist chocolate chunk banana bread recipe involved extensive testing and refinement. My initial base banana bread recipe was a decent starting point, featuring a blend of all-purpose and whole wheat flour, along with buttermilk and roughly 1 cup of mashed bananas. This earlier version also required room-temperature butter that had to be creamed, often necessitating the use of a stand mixer or handheld mixer.
While that recipe was good, I envisioned something even better – a banana bread that was not only incredibly moist and flavorful but also incredibly simple to make, bypassing the need for any electric mixers. This led me to experiment with melted butter, a crucial change that eliminated the creaming step and allowed the recipe to come together effortlessly in just two bowls.
The next major breakthrough was substituting buttermilk with sour cream. This change proved transformative, resulting in a noticeably softer and significantly more moist banana bread. Sour cream’s higher fat content and acidity contribute to an exceptionally tender crumb, and it helps activate the baking soda for a perfect rise. To further intensify the banana experience, I also increased the quantity of mashed bananas to a generous 1 ½ cups. This ensures that every slice is packed with a rich, natural banana sweetness and aroma.
Finally, I streamlined the flour choice, opting solely for all-purpose flour. While whole wheat flour can add a nice texture, I realized that not everyone keeps it stocked in their pantry. Using only all-purpose flour makes this recipe more accessible to a wider audience without compromising on taste or texture. The goal was always a universally loved, fuss-free homemade banana bread.
The visual evidence from my recipe testing clearly illustrates the impact of these changes. As you can observe in the image above, the banana bread on the left, from an earlier test batch, appears much fluffier and slightly drier. In contrast, the perfected banana bread on the right boasts a denser, richer, and unmistakably moist texture – a direct result of these careful ingredient adjustments and simplified techniques. This side-by-side comparison truly highlights the journey to achieving this ultra moist chocolate chunk banana bread.
Essential Ingredients for Your Perfect Loaf
Creating this irresistible brown butter chocolate chunk banana bread starts with understanding the role of each key ingredient. While the list is simple, each component plays a vital part in achieving that desired moist texture and rich flavor. Gather these items, and you’ll be well on your way to baking perfection:
- All-Purpose Flour: For this particular recipe, I’ve exclusively tested and recommend using all-purpose flour. It provides the ideal balance of structure and tenderness, contributing to the banana bread’s soft and cake-like crumb. Avoid substituting with other types of flour unless you’re familiar with how they behave in quick breads, as it can significantly alter the final texture.
- Sour Cream: This is a superstar ingredient for enhancing moisture! Sour cream adds a delightful richness and tang, making the banana bread exceptionally moist and wonderfully soft. The acidity in sour cream also reacts with the baking soda, helping the loaf to rise beautifully and achieve a tender texture. If you don’t have sour cream, you can confidently swap it out for an equal amount of full-fat Greek yogurt, which offers similar benefits.
- Chocolate: For the most luxurious experience, I highly recommend using a high-quality dark chocolate bar (one with over 60% cocoa solids) that you can roughly chop. Chopped chocolate creates beautiful, irregular “chunks” that melt into gooey pockets and ribbons throughout the bread, offering a superior texture and flavor compared to standard chocolate chips. However, feel free to substitute with a semisweet chocolate bar, semisweet chocolate chips, or even mini chocolate chips if that’s what you prefer or have on hand.
- Bananas: The riper, the better! Ensure you use very ripe bananas – those with plenty of brown spots on their peels. These bananas are significantly sweeter and much easier to mash, imparting maximum banana flavor into your bread. For best results, mash them thoroughly with a fork or a potato masher until they reach a consistency with a few small lumps remaining. This ensures both flavor and texture in your super moist banana bread.
- Unsalted Butter: Our recipe calls for unsalted butter, which we’ll brown to introduce a deep, nutty, and complex flavor. Browning butter adds an incredible depth that regular melted butter simply can’t replicate, elevating this banana bread from good to extraordinary. Make sure to use unsalted butter to control the salt content precisely.
- Granulated Sugar & Light Brown Sugar: The combination of these two sugars creates the perfect balance of sweetness and moisture. Granulated sugar provides foundational sweetness, while light brown sugar adds a subtle caramel note and extra moisture due to its molasses content, contributing to the bread’s soft texture.
- Eggs: Large eggs act as a binder and add richness to the banana bread. Ensure your eggs are at room temperature, as this helps them emulsify better with the other ingredients, leading to a smoother batter and a more uniform bake.
- Vanilla Extract: A touch of pure vanilla extract enhances all the other flavors, adding a comforting aromatic note that complements the banana, chocolate, and brown butter beautifully.
- Kosher Salt: Essential for balancing the sweetness and intensifying the flavors of all the ingredients. Salt is crucial in baking to prevent the final product from tasting bland.
- Baking Soda: This leavening agent works in conjunction with the acidic sour cream and bananas to create a lovely lift and tender crumb in the banana bread.
- Ground Cinnamon: A warm, aromatic spice that pairs perfectly with banana and chocolate, adding a comforting depth of flavor without overpowering the main ingredients.
For precise measurements and detailed information on all ingredients, please refer to the comprehensive recipe card below.
Creative Substitutions & Delicious Variations
While this chocolate chunk banana bread recipe is perfected as is, it’s also incredibly versatile! Feel free to customize it to your liking with these easy substitutions and delightful variations:
- Nuts for Chocolate: If you’re not a fan of chocolate or simply want a different flavor profile, you can easily swap out the chocolate entirely. Instead, stir in an equal amount of chopped walnuts, pecans, or hazelnuts for a wonderfully nutty crunch. Toasted nuts will offer an even deeper flavor.
- Chocolate Chips: Don’t have a chocolate bar on hand? No problem! You can effortlessly substitute the chopped dark chocolate bar with an equivalent amount of chocolate chips. Semisweet chocolate chips or even mini chocolate chips work beautifully and will still give you that beloved chocolatey goodness.
- Greek Yogurt for Sour Cream: As mentioned, if sour cream isn’t available, full-fat Greek yogurt is an excellent substitute. It provides similar moisture, tenderness, and a slight tang that complements the banana bread perfectly, ensuring your loaf remains super moist.
- Add Spices: Enhance the warm flavor profile by adding a pinch of nutmeg or allspice along with the cinnamon.
- Dried Fruit: For an additional layer of texture and sweetness, consider folding in a ½ cup of dried cranberries, raisins, or chopped dates along with (or instead of) the chocolate chunks.
- Coconut Flakes: Toasted coconut flakes can add a lovely tropical twist. Mix ½ cup into the batter for a unique flavor dimension.
- Different Sugars: While the combination of granulated and brown sugar is ideal, you can experiment with using all brown sugar for an even richer, more molasses-like flavor, though the texture might be slightly denser.
These simple adjustments allow you to tailor this ultra moist banana bread to your specific taste preferences or what you have readily available in your pantry.
Step-by-Step: How to Make This Irresistible Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread
Creating this incredibly moist and flavorful banana bread is a straightforward process, made even easier by requiring no electric mixer. Follow these simple steps, and you’ll be enjoying a slice of warm, chocolatey goodness in no time. Remember to read through the entire recipe before you begin!
Step 1: Master the Brown Butter. Begin by placing the unsalted butter in a small, light-colored saucepan. The light color helps you monitor the browning process effectively. Place the saucepan over medium-low heat, allowing the butter to melt completely. As it melts, stir continuously with a rubber spatula. The butter will foam and sputter; this is normal as the water evaporates. Continue stirring until the dairy solids at the bottom of the pan transform into a beautiful golden brown color, and a rich, nutty aroma fills your kitchen. This brown butter is key to the bread’s deep flavor.
Step 2: Cool the Brown Butter. Immediately turn off the heat once the butter is browned to prevent it from burning. Carefully pour the fragrant brown butter into a large, heat-proof glass bowl. It’s crucial to let this cool down for about 10-15 minutes. This cooling period prevents the butter from cooking the eggs when they are added later, ensuring a perfectly smooth batter.
Step 3: Prepare the Dry Ingredients. While your brown butter cools, take a small to medium-sized bowl. Into this bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, kosher salt, baking soda, and ground cinnamon. Whisking ensures these dry ingredients are thoroughly combined and evenly distributed throughout the batter later, preventing clumps and promoting a consistent rise. Set this bowl aside.
Step 4: Combine Sugars with Brown Butter. Once the brown butter has cooled sufficiently, pour both the granulated sugar and light brown sugar into the same large glass bowl with the cooled brown butter. Whisk vigorously until the sugars are fully incorporated, creating a thick, glossy, and well-combined mixture. This step ensures the sugars dissolve properly and contribute to the bread’s moistness.
Step 5: Incorporate Wet Ingredients. To the brown butter and sugar mixture, add the mashed ripe bananas, room-temperature sour cream, large eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk all these wet ingredients together until they are fully combined and the mixture is smooth. Don’t worry if there are still a few small lumps of banana; they add to the homemade charm.
Step 6: Gently Fold in Dry Ingredients. Pour the dry ingredient mixture from Step 3 into the wet ingredients. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the mixture until there are no visible pockets of dry flour remaining. It’s crucial at this stage not to over-mix the batter, as over-mixing can develop the gluten in the flour, leading to a tough, dry banana bread. A few small lumps are perfectly fine!
Step 7: Add the Chocolate Chunks. Carefully stir in the majority of your chopped chocolate chunks into the banana bread batter. Reserve a small handful of chocolate chunks to sprinkle on top later. This ensures beautiful chocolate pieces are visible on the surface of your baked loaf.
Step 8: Bake to Golden Perfection. Pour the prepared chocolate chunk banana bread batter evenly into your greased and lined 9×5-inch loaf pan. If you saved some, sprinkle the remaining chocolate chunks on top for a visually appealing finish. Bake in your oven, preheated to 350°Fahrenheit (175°Celsius), for 55-65 minutes. The banana bread is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached. If the top starts to brown too quickly, you can loosely tent it with aluminum foil. Once baked, let the loaf cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 15-20 minutes before attempting to remove it. This allows it to set properly and prevents crumbling.
Expert Tips & Tricks for the Best Banana Bread
Achieving a truly outstanding moist chocolate chunk banana bread is easier than you think with a few simple techniques. Incorporate these expert tips and tricks into your baking routine to ensure your loaf turns out perfectly every single time:
- Accurate Ingredient Measuring is Key: For consistent and professional baking results, I cannot stress enough the importance of using a reliable digital kitchen scale. Measuring your ingredients, especially flour, the metric way (in grams) is the most accurate method and makes a huge difference in the final texture of your baked goods. Volume measurements (cups) can be inconsistent due to varying packing densities.
- The “Fluff and Sprinkle” Method for Flour (if not weighing): If you absolutely must use measuring cups for your flour, employ the “fluff and sprinkle” method. First, fluff your flour with a spoon or whisk in its container to aerate it. Then, gently spoon the flour into your measuring cup until it overflows. Finally, level it off with a straight edge (like the back of a knife) without packing it down. This prevents using too much flour, which is a common culprit for dry banana bread. You can find more detailed instructions here.
- Avoid Over-mixing the Batter: This is arguably one of the most critical tips for any quick bread, including this chocolate banana bread. Once you add the dry ingredients to the wet, mix only until just combined and no streaks of flour remain. Over-mixing develops gluten, leading to a tough, rubbery, and dry banana bread texture, rather than the desired moist and tender crumb. A few small lumps are perfectly acceptable and even desirable.
- Room Temperature Ingredients Matter: For ingredients like eggs and sour cream, ensuring they are at room temperature is important. Room temperature ingredients emulsify more effectively, creating a smoother, more uniform batter. This leads to a better rise and a finer crumb in your finished loaf.
- Don’t Overbake: Overbaking is the enemy of moist banana bread. Start checking for doneness around the 50-minute mark. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out with moist crumbs, not wet batter, and certainly not completely clean. If it comes out clean, your bread is likely overbaked.
- Cool Properly: Allow the banana bread to cool in its loaf pan for at least 15-20 minutes before attempting to remove it. This allows the loaf to set and firm up, preventing it from falling apart when transferred. After this initial cooling, transfer it to a wire rack to cool completely. Slicing warm bread is tempting, but a fully cooled loaf slices more cleanly and retains its moisture better.
- Make Jumbo Muffins: If you’re a fan of individual portions or prefer muffins, this recipe can be easily adapted! For those who love a larger, more satisfying treat, try converting this batter into my jumbo banana muffins. Just adjust baking times accordingly.
- Prep Your Loaf Pan Correctly: Always grease and line your loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the longer sides. This creates “slings” that make it incredibly easy to lift the baked banana bread out of the pan without sticking or breaking.
By following these simple guidelines, you’ll consistently bake the most delicious, super moist chocolate chunk banana bread that everyone will rave about!
Frequently Asked Questions About Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread
Have questions about making this delightful moist chocolate chunk banana bread? Here are some answers to common queries to help ensure your baking success:
While browning the butter adds an incredible depth of nutty, toasted flavor that truly elevates this chocolate chunk banana bread, it’s not strictly mandatory. If you prefer a simpler taste or are short on time, you can just melt the butter and let it cool slightly before incorporating it into the recipe. The bread will still be delicious, but it will lack that unique brown butter complexity.
Absolutely! Ripe bananas are ideal for their sweetness and easy mashing, but if yours aren’t quite ready, you can speed up the ripening process. One popular method is to bake them in their skins on a baking sheet at 300°F (150°C) for 15-30 minutes, or until the skins are black and shiny. Let them cool, then scoop out the soft flesh. For more detailed methods on how to quickly ripen bananas, check out resources like Bon Appetit.
Yes, this ultra moist banana bread freezes beautifully! To freeze, allow the loaf to cool completely. You can then slice it into individual portions or freeze it whole. Wrap the banana bread tightly in plastic wrap, then an additional layer of aluminum foil to prevent freezer burn. Store in the freezer for up to 2-3 months. To defrost, simply transfer the desired amount to the refrigerator overnight, or gently warm individual slices in the microwave or oven from frozen until heated through.
Certainly! While chopped chocolate bars create those lovely “chocolate ribbons” and gooey pockets, semisweet chocolate chips or mini chocolate chips are excellent alternatives. Just swap out the chopped chocolate bar for ¾ cup of your preferred chocolate chips. The flavor will still be fantastic, though the texture of the chocolate might be slightly different.
Several factors can cause banana bread to sink. Common culprits include over-mixing the batter (which creates too much air that collapses), opening the oven door too early (causing a sudden temperature drop), using too much leavening agent (baking soda), or not baking it long enough. Ensure your oven temperature is accurate and try to avoid opening the oven door until the last 10-15 minutes of baking time.
Yes, absolutely! This versatile batter works wonderfully for muffins. Simply divide the batter into a greased or lined muffin tin. Baking time will be significantly shorter, typically 20-25 minutes for standard muffins, or slightly longer for jumbo muffins. A toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin should come out with moist crumbs. Keep an eye on them, as oven temperatures can vary.
Expand Your Baking Horizons: Try These Next!
If you’ve fallen in love with the comforting warmth of this chocolate chunk banana bread, you’ll be thrilled to explore more delightful loaf and quick bread recipes. Here are some of my other tried-and-true favorites that are sure to become staples in your home kitchen:
- Pumpkin Carrot Banana Bread (No Mixer)
- Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake
- Cranberry Lemon Bread with White Chocolate Frosting
- Marble Loaf Cake
If you’ve made this recipe, make sure to leave a ⭐️ rating and review below! Your feedback is invaluable, and I absolutely love seeing your creations. So, tag me on Instagram @alpineella so I can share your delicious results! You can also follow along and get more baking inspiration on Pinterest, Facebook, and TikTok!
Recipe Card: Ultra Moist Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread
Ultra Moist Chocolate Chunk Banana Bread Recipe
Ella Gilbert
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Equipment
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9×5″ loaf pan
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 ¾ cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ⅓ cup sour cream room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups mashed bananas 3-4 medium bananas
- 5 oz chocolate bar chopped
Instructions
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Preheat your oven to 350°Fahrenheit (175°Celsius) and adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Prepare a 9×5 inch loaf pan by greasing it and lining it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the longer sides for easy removal. Set the prepared pan aside.
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In a small, light-colored saucepan, melt the unsalted butter over medium-low heat. Stir constantly with a rubber spatula as it melts. The butter will begin to foam and sputter. Continue cooking and stirring until you observe the white dairy solids at the bottom of the pan turn a rich golden brown, and the butter emits a distinct nutty, toasted aroma. Once browned, immediately pour the butter into a large, heat-proof bowl and allow it to cool for approximately 10-15 minutes.½ cup unsalted butter
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While the brown butter is cooling, prepare your dry ingredients. In a separate small or medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, kosher salt, baking soda, and ground cinnamon until well combined. Set this mixture aside.1 ¾ cup all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
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Once the brown butter has cooled, add both the granulated sugar and light brown sugar directly into the bowl with the cooled butter. Whisk thoroughly until the sugars are completely incorporated, forming a thick, smooth mixture.½ cup light brown sugar, ½ cup granulated sugar
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Into the sugar and brown butter mixture, whisk in the mashed bananas, room-temperature sour cream, large eggs, and vanilla extract. Continue whisking until all the wet ingredients are well combined and the batter is homogeneous.2 large eggs, ⅓ cup sour cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 ½ cups mashed bananas
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Add the whisked dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the ingredients together until they are just combined and no pockets of dry flour are visible. Be careful not to over-mix, as this can lead to a tough banana bread. A few small lumps in the batter are perfectly fine.
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Gently stir in the majority of the chopped chocolate bar into the batter. Reserve a small amount of chocolate pieces to sprinkle on top of the loaf before baking.5 oz chocolate bar
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Pour the prepared banana bread batter into your greased and lined loaf pan. Smooth the top gently with your spatula and then sprinkle the reserved chocolate chunks evenly over the surface of the batter.
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Bake in the preheated oven for 55-65 minutes. The banana bread is ready when a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the very center of the loaf comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached, or completely clean. If you notice the top browning too quickly during baking, loosely tent the loaf pan with aluminum foil to prevent over-browning. Once baked, let the banana bread cool in the loaf pan on a wire rack for at least 15-20 minutes before carefully lifting it out using the parchment paper overhang. Allow it to cool completely on the wire rack before slicing for the best texture and to prevent crumbling. Enjoy your perfect, ultra moist chocolate chunk banana bread!
Video Tutorial
Baker’s Notes
Butter: For an even richer flavor and creamier texture in your baked goods, I recommend using European-style butter, such as Kerry Gold, in all my recipes.
Salt: This recipe calls for kosher salt. If you are using fine table salt instead, please halve the amount specified, as fine salt is much denser and saltier by volume (1 teaspoon kosher salt is approximately equivalent to ½ teaspoon fine salt). Please note that I use Diamond Crystal kosher salt, not coarse kosher salt like Morton’s, which is significantly saltier for the same volume and would overwhelm this recipe.
Chocolate: Feel free to customize the chocolate! You can easily swap out the chopped dark chocolate bar for your favorite chocolate chips (semisweet, milk, or even white chocolate) or incorporate chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans for a different texture and flavor.
Sour Cream: If you don’t have sour cream on hand, an equal amount of full-fat Greek yogurt makes an excellent substitute, providing similar moisture and tenderness to the banana bread.
Storage: To maintain its incredible moisture and freshness, store your baked chocolate chunk banana bread well-wrapped in plastic wrap or an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freezing: For longer storage, this banana bread freezes beautifully. Once completely cooled, slice the loaf into individual portions and wrap each slice tightly in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. Freeze for up to 2 months. To defrost, simply remove slices from the freezer the night before and let them thaw in the refrigerator. You can also warm individual slices slightly in the microwave for a quick treat.
Nutrition Information