Marbled Banana Bread

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Marbled Banana Bread

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With a gorgeous ribbon of chocolate running through it, this marbled banana bread is as impressive as it is delicious.

Marbled Banana Bread

I haven’t been shy about offering up banana bread recipes on this site (pick your flavor: chai-spiced banana bread, chocolate banana bread, or coconut banana bread) but this one is such a beauty, I couldn’t resist adding one more. Tender and sweet with a gorgeous ribbon of melted chocolate running through it, marbled banana bread is as impressive looking as it is delicious. Plus, it’s fun to make: you spoon the banana and chocolate batters into a loaf pan alternately, then artistically swirl the two together with a knife.

“I am pretty sure that my kids beg me to buy bananas at the grocery store, only to let them go brown, so that I have to make this banana bread. So delicious!”

Connie

What You’ll Need To Make Marbled Banana Bread

ingredients for marbled banana bread

Step-by-Step Instructions

Begin by combining the flour, baking soda and salt.

dry ingredients in mixing bowl

Whisk to combine.

whisked dry ingredients

Set aside, then cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

creaming butter and sugar

Add the eggs one at a time.

adding the eggs

Beating well after each addition.

eggs beaten into creamed butter mixture

Add the dry ingredients.

adding the dry ingredients

Beat on low speed to combine.

dry ingredients incorporated into batter

Add the mashed bananas, sour cream, and vanilla extract.

adding bananas, vanilla, and sour cream

Mix until just combined. The batter will be thick.

Bowl of batter.

Place the chopped chocolate in a small microwave-safe bowl.

chocolate pieces in bowl

Microwave in short intervals, stirring in between so the chocolate doesn’t scorch, until the chocolate is almost melted. Stir, letting the residual heat melt the chocolate completely, then stir in the cocoa powder.

adding cocoa powder to melted chocolate

Add one cup of the batter to the melted chocolate.

adding banana batter to chocolate

Stir until well combined.

finished chocolate batter

Spoon the two batters alternately into a greased loaf pan.

spooned batters in loaf pan

Then swirl with a knife. Don’t over-swirl or the colors will get muddled—four or five times up and back should do it.

swirled batters in loaf pan

Bake for about an hour and ten minutes.

baked marbled banana bread

Cool the loaf in the pan on a rack for about ten minutes, then remove and cool completely.

Marbled Banana Bread

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Marbled Banana Bread

With a gorgeous ribbon of chocolate running through it, this marbled banana bread is as impressive as it is delicious.

Servings: 1 (9 x 5-inch) loaf
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 1 Hour 10 Minutes
Total Time: 1 Hour 30 Minutes

Ingredients

  • 1¾ cups all purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
  • ¾ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup mashed very ripe bananas, from 2-3 bananas
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped (a heaping ½ cup)
  • 2 teaspoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder, such as Hershey's

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a 9 x 5-inch loaf pan generously with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until just combined. Add the mashed bananas, sour cream and vanilla extract and beat until just combined. Do not overmix.
  4. Place the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl. Cook on high power in 20 second intervals, stopping to stir in between, until about 80% melted. Stir until smooth, letting the residual heat in the bowl melt the remaining bits of unmelted chocolate. Add the cocoa powder and stir until dissolved. Add one cup of the banana bread batter to the melted chocolate and stir until well combined.
  5. Spoon the plain batter and chocolate batter alternately into the prepared loaf pan. Swirl the batters together with a knife (don't overdo it or the colors will get muddled -- up and back 4 to 5 times should suffice). Bake for about 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for about 10 minutes, then remove the loaf from the pan and set on the wire rack to cool completely.
  6. Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The bread can be frozen for up to 3 months. After it is completely cooled, wrap it securely in aluminum foil, freezer wrap or place in a freezer bag. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

Nutrition Information

Powered by Edamam

  • Per serving (12 servings)
  • Serving size: 1 slice
  • Calories: 276g
  • Fat: 13g
  • Saturated fat: 8g
  • Carbohydrates: 39g
  • Sugar: 22g
  • Fiber: 1g
  • Protein: 4g
  • Sodium: 246mg
  • Cholesterol: 56mg

This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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Comments

  • I made a double recipe, and both loaves turned out great. It wasn’t much more work to get two loaves – one for now, and one for the freezer.

  • lost count how many times I’ve made this and shared with people. Everyone is always amazed how good it is, yummy!

    • Great recipes! The first recipe tried last year was the pumpkin bread. Since then I have tried several other, all turned out to be great. This particular recipe is very forgiving, I switched almond meal for half of the flour; and didn’t even measure the mashed bananas (I used 3 small ones), cut the sugar to 3/4 cup. It is still fabulous !

  • Great recipe really enjoy eating and sharing it with others. I love your step by step recipe directions. I shared a slice with my daughter and she said OMG I need the recipe.

  • Can you substitute dark brown sugar instead of white?

    • I wouldn’t recommend that here – sorry!

  • Excellent banana /chocolate bread! I substituted buttermilk for sour cream, added toasted chopped walnuts and chocolate chips (I used dark chocolate for the melted chocolate so it wasn’t too sweet and also cut the sugar by a little) and my husband cannot stop eating it. Will definitely make it again!

  • This banana bread recipe is IT! I’ve made it twice now; the first time, it was good but darker than I wanted on the outside, despite only baking it for 50 minutes. This time around, I knocked the temp down to 325 because I use a dark nonstick loaf pan, and baked it for an hour, with foil on top between minutes 50 & 60. It is PERFECT. So moist and delicious. This will be my go-to from now on!

  • This was so delicious! Making another now!

  • I have made three of your cakes recently. After the first two, I was convinced anything you create is the BEST!!! This one was just okay. nothing spectacular like the others. I used yogurt because I didn’t have sour cream. That did not affect it at all. the texture was great. I just felt it basic. The other two I will review are the apple and the Birthday cake. Today I will pick something else :). I love your recipes.

  • Thanks Jenn for this terrific recipe, it elevates the standard tasty ( but boring, dense and homely) banana bread into a beautiful, light, sublimely delicious tea time treat. This recipe is another keeper!

  • Can I use greek yogurt in this instead of sour cream? Thanks!

    • Yup – hope you enjoy!

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