Description
This Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bread combines the rich flavors of cocoa and peanut butter with the natural sweetness of ripe bananas, creating a moist and indulgent loaf perfect for breakfast or dessert. The bread is topped with banana slices before baking for extra flavor and finished with a creamy peanut butter drizzle that melts beautifully over the warm bread.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1/3 cup peanut butter, slightly melted (preferably creamy like Skippy)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup mashed ripe bananas
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Topping
- Banana slices (from 1/2 banana, optional)
- 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter (for drizzling, not natural peanut butter)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a large loaf pan with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure easy removal later. Set the pan aside.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, combine the slightly melted peanut butter, sugar, mashed bananas, vegetable oil, and eggs. Mix thoroughly until the mixture is smooth and homogenous, which will create the base of your batter.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Stir in the cocoa powder, baking soda, salt, and vanilla extract into the wet mixture. Once evenly combined, gradually stir in the all-purpose flour until you have a smooth batter without overmixing to keep the bread tender.
- Assemble and Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Top the batter evenly with thin slices of banana (using about half a banana). Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 55 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let the bread cool on a wire rack for about 20 minutes.
- Prepare Peanut Butter Drizzle: While the bread cools slightly, place 3 tablespoons of creamy peanut butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Heat it in the microwave for 30 seconds, then stir. If the peanut butter is not creamy and runny enough, heat for an additional 15 seconds. It should reach a smooth, pourable consistency.
- Drizzle and Serve: Drizzle the melted peanut butter evenly over the warm bread. Slice and serve to enjoy the delightful combination of chocolate, peanut butter, and banana flavors.
Notes
- Use creamy peanut butter for melting; natural peanut butter has a different oil consistency and won’t melt as smoothly.
- Ensure bananas are ripe for maximum sweetness and moisture.
- Do not overmix the batter to avoid a dense loaf; mix until ingredients are just combined.
- You can substitute vegetable oil with canola or light olive oil for a slightly different flavor.
- Let the bread cool slightly before drizzling peanut butter to prevent it from soaking in too deeply.
