A moist, delicious vanilla banana bread swirled together with rich chocolate banana bread. A fun twist on a traditional reduced fat banana bread.
Quick breads are one of my favorite things to bake. A slice is perfect for breakfast, or a quick afternoon or late night snack. I was inspired to make marbled quick bread from several recent pins on Pinterest.
My plan was to make coconut chocolate marbled quick bread using coconut oil, but the three overripe bananas on the counter were just begging to be used. So instead I decided to make chocolate banana bread but still go ahead and use the coconut oil.
Our favorite banana bread recipe is adapted from a Cooking Light recipe, so it’s a bit better for you than many banana bread recipes. Sometimes I use whole wheat pastry flour instead of white flour. You can also substitute low fat yogurt instead of the sour cream. It’s a very forgiving recipe, so used whatever you have on hand.
As with most quick breads, this banana bread is better, more moist and flavorful, the next day. Although I can hardly wait until it cools to slice it and eat it. Next time I make this I think I’ll add chocolate chips to up the chocolate flavor even more.
You cake make this bread in a standard loaf pan, but I prefer the mini loaf pans. It’s easier to share with neighbors and friends. Although, none of these laoves were shared, it was all gone before the next afternoon.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/2 cup low fat sour cream (can substitute yogurt)
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup coarsely smashed (chunky) very ripe banana (about 3 small)
- 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- Turbinado Sugar, optional
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350º. Spray a 9×5-inch loaf pan with baking spray with flour. (I used four mini pans - 5 3/4 x 3 1/4 x 2 1/4. Don’t fill more than 2/3 full.)
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside.
- Combine sugar, melted coconut oil, sour cream, eggs and vanilla in a large mixing bowl; beat until well blended. Stir in bananas. Add flour mixture to banana mixture, stirring just until moistened.
- In a medium microwave safe bowl, melt chocolate chips in microwave on 50% power, stirring often. Cool slightly. Stir in 1 1?2 cups batter until blended.
- Using a scoop, put scoops of the chocolate and vanilla batters in the prepared pan(s). Spread the batters so they touch each other and the sides of the pan. Make a second layer of batter, placing scoops of vanilla batter on top of the chocolate, and the chocolate batter on top of the vanilla. Firmly tap the pan two or three times on the counter to level the batter. Using a butter knife, zigzag the knife through the batter to swirl the batters, do a figure 8 through the pan twice. Don’t over mix the batters; you want to create a marbled look, not stir the batters together.
- If using, sprinkle turbinado sugar on top of the batter right before baking.
- Bake for 1 hour and 5 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. (Bake mini loaves for 30 minutes.)
- Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack; remove from pan, and cool completely on a wire rack before cutting.
More quick bread recipes you might like:
Snickerdoodle Bread, Barbara Bakes
Biscoff White Chocolate Chip Quick Bread, Barbara Bakes
Peanut Butter Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips, Brown Eyed Baker
Cinnamon Raisin Swirl Quick Bread, Amanda’s Cookin’
Dark and Stormy Quick Bread with Lime Glaze, A Cozy Kitchen
Don’t miss out on a new recipe. Subscribe to Barbara Bakes by Email
Some of the links in my posts may be “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Thank you for supporting Barbara Bakes when you shop!
I love to bake, especially cookies, cakes, and pies. I’ll post my adventures in the kitchen, my favorite new recipes, as well as our family favorites.
Barbara,
This looks so good. My husband will love it.
Annamaria
This looks amazing Barb! When I saw the pic on FB I was drooling
Pretty marbling and cute cakes! I bet they taste really good…
Cheers,
Rosa
Considering it’s breakfast time right now, I’d like an entire loaf, please. Thanks!
Just when I think I’ve seen the BEST. BANANA. BREAD. EVER, along comes this marbled chocolate version and I’m convinced now that THIS is definitely it. It looks super yummy!
Beautiful loaves Barbara. I bet they taste as good as they look.
A few months ago I made a bread like this from Dorie and I loved it! I’ll have to try your recipe next time.
Quick bread of any sort never lasts long here either.
This one looks especially wonderful, even for you!
I love to toast a slice of banana bread and top it with some peanut butter. Your bread looks fantastic!
Marbled bread makes me weak in the knees!!
I love banana bread. And chocolate. And this is a two-fer kind of recipe. Love the two-in-one combo!
This sounds fantastic! Yum!
–Is there anything you can’t cook!? Xxx
Kim – your comments always make me smile. Thank you!
OMG this banana bread looks gorgeous. Do you know how long has it been since I bake a loaf such as this?! It’s probably one of my favorites, a slice along with my cup of tea or sand cookies.
oh my goodness, i need this bread! it bet your house smelled delicious!
I love making quick breads too. So easy and we use any time were hungry as an excuse to eat it! You can’t go wrong with chocolate and banana and I’m sure the coconut oil imparts just enough flavor to be delicious!
These marbled cakelets are so pretty!
Hehe I’m just like you-sometimes, waiting for that banana bread to cool is hard!
xxx
True confession time. I’m not a big fan of banana bread. BUT…one of my favorite ice cream treats is my shortened version of a banana split; just bananas and hot fudge. So I’m thinking that the chocolate is what I need to change my opinion of banana bread…genius idea in my book!
Oh my, these marbled chocolate banana breads look so delicious…and I bet they taste wonderful. I love that fact that these are a more healthy version. I’ve switched to using more coconut oil in my baking whenever I could. Can’t wait to try these.
I agree, I love love making quick breads! What a gorgeous idea to make the banana bread a marbled bread, beautiful! Hugs, Terra
I’m a fan of quick breads too, Barbara. I turn to Maida Heatter for a lot of recipes. Of course, they’re all full fat….really must try your version. I’ve never used coconut oil. It’s on my list as I see more and more recipes with it.
I love banana bread. Love chocolate, too. So that would make this recipe pretty much the perfect treat!
This is gorgeous! I so want a huge slice.
De quoi se régaler en ce début de semaine
Belle journée
Valérie
I’m with everyone else, I love the marbling.
Just seeing that makes me want to eat it even more.
Ha! Like I need a reason.
This looks fantastic! I also love baking quick breads better than anything and the family loves them because they make the best breakfast. I need to kick up my banana bread habit and this one is perfect! The texture looks wonderful! I’m writing this down!
Hi there! Can I use Canola Oil instead of Coconut? If not, do you suggest using melted unsalted butter?
Thanks!
The original recipe I adapted it from calls for melted butter (I’ve used both salted and unsalted), but I’m guessing you could substitute canola oil if you’d rather as well. Please let me know if you try it. Great question. Thanks!