Chocolate Banana Bread with Walnuts & Coffee Glaze
An intensely chocolatey banana bread packed with crunchy walnuts and topped with a silky white chocolate coffee glaze. Moist, rich, and with just a subtle banana flavor.
Equipment
- 9 × 5-inch loaf pan
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
Chocolate Banana Bread
- 3 medium-to-large very ripe bananas or a little over 1 cup mashed
- ½ cup butter, melted 115 g
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar 145 g
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt or table salt
- 1 cup all-purpose flour 125 g
- ½ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
- ¾ cup raw walnuts roughly chopped
White Chocolate Coffee Glaze
- 155 g white chocolate chips
- 75 ml whipping cream
- 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 × 5-inch loaf pan, then line it with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the two long sides to create a sling. The parchment makes it easy to lift the loaf out once baked.
- Mash bananas in a large bowl until mostly smooth. Whisk in the melted butter, brown sugar, egg and vanilla.3 medium-to-large very ripe bananas, ½ cup butter, melted, ¾ cup dark brown sugar, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt into the bowl. Stir just until combined, then fold in the walnuts. Do not overmix.1 teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt or table salt, 1 cup all-purpose flour, ½ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder, ¾ cup raw walnuts
- Bake for 55–65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out without wet batter. A little chocolate on the toothpick is fine.
- Cool in the pan for 10–15 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Let the loaf cool completely before glazing.
- Make the glaze. Place the white chocolate chips in a small bowl. Combine the whipping cream, espresso powder, vanilla and salt in a small saucepan. Heat over medium-low heat until hot and just beginning to simmer around the edges.155 g white chocolate chips, 75 ml whipping cream, 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pour the hot cream over the white chocolate. Let sit for 1–2 minutes, then stir until smooth and glossy.
- Cool the glaze for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened but still pourable.
- Glaze the loaf. Pour the glaze over the center of the completely cooled banana bread, gently pushing it toward the edges to create controlled drips. Slice and serve.
Notes
- Bananas: Use very ripe bananas with plenty of brown spots. They provide the sweetness and moisture this bread needs.
- Don't overmix: Once the flour and cocoa are added, mix only until you no longer see dry streaks. This keeps the bread tender.
- Glaze consistency: Let the glaze cool until it thickens slightly before pouring. If it's too warm, it will run straight off the loaf; if it gets too thick, warm it very gently until pourable again.
- Cooling: Make sure the loaf is completely cool before glazing. Otherwise, the glaze will melt into the bread rather than sitting beautifully on top.
Nutrition
Calories: 406kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 211mg | Potassium: 334mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 30g | Vitamin A: 447IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 2mg
