Soft and luscious Chocolate Banana Bread sweetened with pure maple is studded with toasted pecans throughout. For any chocolate banana lover, this is the perfect sweet escape.
In a recent poll posted to Facebook and Instagram, when asked which you preferred with maple: walnuts or pecans, pecans won the majority vote by 80%! Because of that, this maple pecan double chocolate banana bread was born.
Swapping walnuts out that’s typically used in my banana breads for pecans, does not disappoint. This recipe uses a full cup of toasted chopped pecans within the bread and even more sprinkled over the top. The surprising part is using pure maple to sweeten the loaf instead of cane sugar!
In the breakfast aisle of my local grocer, I stumbled across jars of maple butter. If you’ve been around a while, you know I’m OBSESSED with butters; pumpkin butter and apple butter, to name a few. Maple butter was yet another I needed. If you haven’t tried a butter of this kind, imagine the flavor but INTENSIFIED! It doesn’t take much to add full flavor to what you’re baking and it can add a substantial amount of moistness to the recipe.
The downside of maple butter is that it can be a pretty penny to purchase. Need not to worry, I also tested this recipe using 1 cup of maple syrup and it delivers the same sweetness as using 1/2 cup of maple butter. However, maple butter tastes absolutely delicious as a spread on a slice. Definitely worth giving it a try at least once. And if you want to experiment even further, you can make maple butter from home! Here’s a how-to video I bumped into if you’re interested.
Note that you’ll want to stir the maple butter and/or leave the jar out on the counter for about 15 minutes to allow it to soften and become spreadable. Avoid heating maple butter in the microwave. Make this mistake and it will instantly seize within seconds.
On a separate note, if you prefer the flavor and darker appearance of your chocolate banana bread that results from using Dutch processed cocoa powder, you are free to substitute the natural cocoa. Not all recipes allow for an easy swap however, in this case, you can.
Don’t forget to check out my latest Instagram reel on this loaf HERE!
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Maple Pecan Double Chocolate Banana Bread
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 9x5 inch loaf 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Soft and luscious Chocolate Banana Bread sweetened with pure maple is studded with toasted pecans throughout. For any chocolate banana lover, this is the perfect sweet escape.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups (210 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup (37 grams) ground flaxseed, optional
- 1/4 cup (20 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (8 grams) baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup (152 grams) maple butter or 1 cup (240 grams) maple syrup
- 2 large eggs (100 grams)
- 1 1/2 cups (255 grams) 3 medium ripe bananas, mashed
- 1/2 cup (125 grams) buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon (5 grams) pure vanilla extract
- 6 oz (170 grams) semisweet chocolate, melted and divided
- 1 1/4 cups (140 grams) chopped pecans, toasted and divided
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Coat the bottom and sides of a 9×5 inch (23×13 cm) loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray with flour. Line the pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil with extra overhang over the long edge; set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, flaxseed (optional), cocoa, baking soda and salt; set aside.
- In a large bowl of a stand mixer, using the paddle attachment or an electric mixer on low to medium speed, beat butter and maple until just combined. It should resemble a light cream color and texture. Add eggs one at a time and continue to beat until well combined. Mix in banana, buttermilk and vanilla until just combined. Note the batter will appear lumpy; no need to overmix. Stir in 4 oz (113 grams) of melted chocolate.
- Reduce the speed of the mixer to low and gradually add the flour mixture and continue to mix until just combined. Stir in 1 cup (112 grams) of chopped pecans. Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan.
- Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour or until a wooden skewer inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean or with a few dry crumbs. Tip: to ensure doneness, insert a clean skewer in 2 to 3 different areas around the center of the loaf. Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes before carefully removing it onto a wire rack for further cooling.
- Drizzle the remaining melted chocolate over the top of the bread and sprinkle with the remaining chopped pecans. Best served warm with a smear of salted butter or maple butter. ENJOY!
Notes
- To toast pecans, first ensure they’re chopped to the desired size. Set the oven to 200°F (93°C) and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Evenly spread pecans across the prepared baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Bread
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: maple butter in banana bread, chocolate banana bread, double chocolate banana bread, maple pecan banana bread, maple syrup in banana bread
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