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Craving a delicious and easy-to-make breakfast or snack? Look no further than this irresistible chocolate chip banana bread. With its perfect balance of sweetness and flavor, this recipe is sure to satisfy your cravings.
As you may have noticed right off the bat, we are making this banana bread in a cast iron loaf pan.
If you don’t have one, no worries! It’s really not much different than baking in a stainless steel loaf pan. The thing to watch for is the cooking time. Banana bread in cast iron can be a bit more forgiving on cook times and oven temperature but may take more time overall to cook through.
I will, however, suggest sticking to a loaf pan and not a regular round cast iron skillet. While I make some bread, such as this garlic bread recipe, the cooking times are going to be completely different for this one.
For more on baking in a cast-iron skillet, check out this pizookie recipe or these double chocolate chip skillet brownies.
Table of Contents
Why you will love this recipe
- The chocolate chips add so much extra flavor! I love adding them to recipes like my chocolate chip bagels!
- It’s easily customizable! You can substitute the brown sugar for coconut sugar. Nothing else in the recipe will need to be changed, and it will still taste delicious.
- Perfect for make-ahead breakfasts! I make this on the weekends for my husband to take throughout the week. Well, in theory, usually, we all end up eating it well before the week is up.
What goes into this recipe
- Flour: The foundation of our banana bread, providing structure and a soft texture. I prefer using all-purpose flour for this recipe, but you can also experiment with whole wheat flour for a heartier texture.
- Eggs: Bind the ingredients together and contribute to the moisture and richness of the bread.
- Butter: Adds richness and flavor to the bread. I like to use softened butter for this recipe, as it mixes in more easily.
- Bananas: This recipe is nothing without our bananas, providing a sweet and slightly earthy flavor. Be sure to use ripe bananas for the best flavor.
- Brown sugar: Adds a touch of molasses flavor and helps to create a moist and tender texture.
- Vanilla extract: Enhances the overall flavor and provides a warm, comforting aroma.
- Baking soda: The leavening agent that gives the bread its rise and light texture.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the overall flavor.
- Nutmeg: Adds a warm, spicy flavor that complements the sweetness of the bananas and brown sugar.
- Heavy whipping cream: Adds richness and moisture to the bread, creating a decadent and indulgent texture.
- Chocolate chips: Provides a burst of sweetness and chocolatey flavor. I prefer using semi-sweet chocolate chips, but you can also use milk chocolate or dark chocolate.
Chocolate chip banana bread recipe
Step 1: Combine flour, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg in a mixing bowl.
Step 2: In a separate mixing bowl, add brown sugar, vanilla, whipping cream, butter (softened), mashed bananas, and eggs. Mix by hand or with a hand mixer until smooth. (a few butter chunks are fine)
Step 3: Combine wet and dry ingredients.
Step 4: Add the chocolate chips and walnuts, give them a quick swirl with the hand mixer, or stir in with a wooden spatula.
Step 5: Grease a cast iron loaf pan with your preferred oil of choice. Pour the dough into the loaf pan, then transfer to a preheated 350°F oven on the center rack for about 60-80 minutes.
Step 6: Remove from oven to cool before slicing. Enjoy!
Expert tips
Baking time will vary by oven. Keep an eye on the bread, and after about 55 minutes, if a knife stuck in the middle of the bread still comes out with dough, cover with aluminum foil to keep the top from overcooking. It may take up to an hour and 15 minutes to cook through.
Just like my artisan-style bread recipe, there is a fine line between undercooked and overcooked. So keep a close eye on it after that 55-minute mark and pull it out of the oven as soon as a knife comes out clean.
The riper the banana, the better. The bananas play a crucial role in sweetening the bread. Frozen bananas will also work well.
To thaw frozen bananas, microwave for about a minute or until they can be mashed up with a fork.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, overripe bananas are actually the best to use for banana bread. The riper the bananas, the sweeter and more flavorful the bread will be.
Insert a toothpick into the center of the bread. If it comes out clean, the bread is done.
Banana bread will last for up to 3 days at room temperature or up to 1 week when stored in an airtight container.
I hope you enjoyed this easy breakfast recipe. I share all my favorites, including my eggs in a bagel and English muffin omelets, to ensure you’re starting your day with some proper nutrition.
I have always loved baking bread in a cast iron loaf pan, and with this new banana bread recipe, I think my pan will be getting plenty of use!
If you’re new to cooking with cast iron or just looking for new meal ideas, check out some of these recipes below. They are simple, tasty, and family-friendly.
Related recipes
- Cast iron breakfast casserole
- Cast iron quiche
- French toast casserole
- Dutch baby pancakes
- Honey butter biscuits
- Lemon glaze zucchini bread
If you tried this Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ¾ tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- 2 eggs
- 1 heaping cup of lightly mashed bananas
- ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
- 2 tbsp heavy whipping cream
- 1 stick of butter softened
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup chocolate chips
- ½ cup of chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a cast iron loaf pan with coconut oil.
- Combine flour, baking soda, salt and nutmeg in a small mixing bowl.
- In a separate mixing bowl, use a hand mixer to combine the rest of the ingredients minus the chocolate chips and walnuts.
- Slowly add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients while continuing to mix with the hand mixer.
- Once everything is well combined, quickly stir in chocolate chips and walnuts.
- Transfer to the loaf pan and bake on the center rack for approximately 1 hour 20 minutes.
Notes
- Baking time will vary by oven. Keep an eye on the bread, and after about 55 minutes, if a knife stuck in the middle of the bread still comes out with dough, cover with aluminum foil to keep the top from overcooking.
- It may take up to an hour and 15 minutes to cook through.
- Banana bread will last for up to 3 days at room temperature or up to 1 week when stored in an airtight container.
Mmm, I made this over the weekend for breakfasts throughout the week!
Do you think I could substitute coconut oil for the butter?
Yes, that would work swell.