Chocolate Swirl Banana Bread

This Chocolate Marble Banana Bread is incredibly moist, rich, and full of banana flavor with beautiful swirls of chocolate throughout. Finished with a silky chocolate ganache, it’s an easy loaf cake that feels extra special but is simple enough to make any time.

this recipe!

Love easy loaf cake recipe? Try my lemon loaf cake and peach loaf cake next!

Ingredients You’ll Need

• 1/2 cup chocolate chips, melted and cooled
• 3 tablespoon butter
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 2 eggs, beaten together
• 2-3 overripe bananas
• 1/4 cup sour cream 
• 1 teaspoon vanilla (extract or paste)
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
• Ganache
• 4 oz.. Chocolate chips
• 4 tablespoon butter
• 2 tablespoon butter
  

Step by Step Instructions

STEP ONE – Prepare a 9” loaf pan with pan spray and parchment paper.  Preheat your oven 350°F. 

STEP TWO – Place chocolate chips and the 3 tablespoons of butter in a heat safe bowl and slowly heat in the microwave to melt together.  Only heat for about 20 seconds at a time and then stir, adding 10 more seconds at a time and stirring to prevent burning.  Set aside. 

STEP THREE – In a large bowl add softened butter and granulated sugar and cream them together with a hand or stand mixer to whip extra air into the mix. 

STEP FOUR – Add beaten eggs and mix in until completely incorporated. 

STEP FIVE – Add bananas, sour cream and vanilla mix all of the fats together for about 2 minutes to fully emulsify to create a rise to your bread.  

STEP SIX – Add the baking powder, baking soda and salt to your flour and whisk everything together to break up any lumps.  Add your dry ingredients to your large bowl and mix in with a spoon, being careful not to overmix your batter so you don’t have a dense loaf cake.  

STEP SEVEN – Remove about 1 cup of your batter and add to a small bowl.  Stir your melted chocolate chips to make sure they are still liquid, reheat for 5 seconds if they have started to  harden, and add to your batter.  Add your cocoa powder and stir the batter just until the chocolate is incorporated.  

STEP EIGHT- Add about half of your plain batter to your loaf pan and top with about half the chocolate batter in dollops.  Add the remaining plain batter to the top and then dollop the remaining chocolate batter and  run a knife back and forth through the batter to swirl the batter together.  

STEP NINE – Place loaf in the oven and bake for about 50-60 minutes.  Check your loaf at about 35 minutes to make sure it’s not getting too dark on top.  If it’s already golden brown, place a loose piece of tinfoil on top and continue to bake.   Test your loaf at about 50 minutes with a thermometer, your loaf is baked through if the temperature is between 200-210° F. 

If you don’t have a digital thermometer, place a toothpick in the center of the loaf to check if it comes out clear or has a few crumbs on the toothpick to ensure it’s baked.   Remove your bread and allow it to cool for about 10-15 minutes in the pan allowing it to set up.  Remove bread from your pan and allow it to completely cool on a wire rack.  

STEP TEN – When your bread is cooled, make your ganache. 

STEP ELEVEN – Add your chocolate chips, butter and corn syrup to a heat safe bowl.  Begin by heating the mixture for about 20 seconds in the microwave and then stir.  Keep heating the mixture for about 10-15 seconds and then stirring until the mixture is completely smooth. 

STEP TWELVE – Pour your ganache over your cooled bread and allow to set and then serve.  Enjoy!!