This chocolate banana swirl loaf cake starts with an incredibly tender and moist banana loaf cake (or sweet banana bread, if you will) swirled with dark chocolate batter and topped with solid chocolate chips.
Tips For Success
Want to make sure your chocolate banana swirl loaf cake turns out the best that it can? Follow these easy tips!
- Use Overripe Bananas: Underripe bananas will not impart much flavor into this recipe, so choose ones that are super speckled. I like mine just a touch past the point of where someone would want to eat the banana raw, but before it has started to spoil, of course!
- Don't Overmix: Don't beat your batter into oblivion or your loaf cake will come out tough and dry. Use a gentle hand when stirring the ingredients together and stop just when everything is mixed.
- Even Better Later: This is one of those bread recipes that's even better the next day. Just wrap it up or pop it into an airtight container and keep it stored at room temperature. It'll have an even better taste and texture the next day for breakfast, a snack, or anytime. Yum!
Can I Use Yellow Or Green Bananas?
Yellow or green bananas will not have nearly as much flavor as nicely-speckled overripe bananas. If you don't have the patience to wait for your bananas to darken, roast them in the oven at 300F, in the skins, until they turn black. Check them every 15 minutes.
What Can I Use Instead Of Dark Chocolate?
If you aren't a huge fan of dark chocolate, that's okay! You can use milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips instead of dark chocolate and the cake will turn out delicious.
On the other hand, if you just love dark chocolate, you can use dark cocoa powder in addition to dark chocolate chips for an extra bold wallop of dark chocolate flavor.
Can I Make Mini Loaves Instead?
Yes, one recipe of chocolate banana swirl loaf cake will make 4 mini loaf cakes. Start checking them for doneness earlier in the bake to make sure you don't dry them out. They'd look so cute wrapped up in cellophane and topped with a ribbon or bow for gift giving!
Is This Cake Freezer Friendly?
Quite so! Here's how to do it:
Freezer instructions: Bake the loaf cake and let it cool, then wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Place the cake into a large freezer-safe zip-top bag, seal, and freeze for up to 3 months (for best quality - it will be safe beyond this date).
Thawing instructions: Remove cake from freezer and let it come to room temperature on the counter - it won't take long.
Alternatively, you can slice the cake into individual servings before wrapping and freezing. That way you can thaw it out one slice at a time when you have a craving for something sweet!
How To Store Leftovers
Avoid the urge to store your chocolate banana swirl loaf cake in the refrigerator. Light baked goods will dry out quickly and readily when placed in the fridge... even if you wrap or cover it. Wrap leftover bread in plastic wrap and/or place inside of an airtight storage container, then keep it on the counter at room temperature. This recipe is so yummy, it won't be sitting there for long anyway!
Print
Chocolate Banana Swirl Loaf Cake
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 12 slices 1x
Description
A delectably moist banana and sour cream batter swirled with chocolate batter to create a lovely loaf-shaped snacking cake perfect for breakfast or dessert.
Ingredients
- 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
- ⅓ cup white granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ heaping cup sour cream
- 1 cup overripe mashed bananas (from approximately 2 medium bananas)
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips, melted
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- ¼ cup solid dark chocolate chips for topping
Instructions
- Grease and flour a 9x5 metal pan. Preheat oven to 350F.
- Cream butter and both sugars until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla and mix until combined.
- In a second medium bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add dry ingredients in 3 additions while mixing on low, stopping when just combined. Do not overmix.
- Fold in sour cream and mashed bananas.
- In a medium bowl, stir together melted chocolate chips and cocoa powder. Spoon in about 1 cup of banana batter and stir gently to combine.
- Pour half of remaining batter in prepared pan and top with big spoonfuls of chocolate batter. Top with remaining banana batter and top with more spoonfuls of chocolate batter.
- Use a butter knife inserted to the bottom of the pan to pull and swirl batter to make the marbled chocolate pattern. Top with chocolate chips.
- Bake on center rack for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out with a few moist crumbs attached.
- Allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes, then remove loaf from pan and continue cooling on a cooling rack.
Notes
You can use milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips if you don't like dark chocolate.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 60 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
Keywords: banana bread, chocolate swirl, loaf cake
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