Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
  • 1 1/2 cups mashed very ripe bananas (about 3-4 large)
  • 1 cup semi-sweet/dark chocolate chips (reserve 2 tablespoons for topping)

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C. Grease and lightly flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan, or line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang 'sling'.
  2. Mash the very ripe bananas roughly in a small bowl until they have some texture remaining (do not purée entirely). Set aside.
  3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon until thoroughly combined.
  4. In the large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).
  5. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
  6. Add the mashed bananas to the butter mixture and gently stir until almost combined.
  7. Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet mixture in two batches. Mix only until no streaks of flour remain. Crucially, do not overmix.
  8. Gently fold in the chocolate chips (reserving the 2 tablespoons for topping) using a spatula.
  9. Scrape the batter into the prepared loaf pan and sprinkle the reserved chocolate chips over the top.
  10. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes. If the top browns too quickly (usually around the 30-minute mark), loosely tent the loaf with aluminium foil.
  11. The bread is done when a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached.
  12. Allow the loaf to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before using the parchment sling to lift it out. Transfer the bread to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before slicing.