This chocolate olive oil banana bread is made with whole wheat flour, extra virgin olive oil and only ½-cup of sugar. It’s gooey and chocolately and oh so easy to whip up anytime you want something sweet.
This post was originally published June 6, 2013. It has been updated with more content and new photos.
I have always loved banana bread. When I was a student at the University of Arizona, every morning I would cut through the cafeteria and grab a slice to eat on my way to my morning class. Any baked goods with my morning tea is the right way to start the day, in my book.
Of course, now I’m more careful about the baked goods I make and eat. I lower the sugar to the least amount as possible, and sneak in as much healthy stuff to not be noticed by the family. I’ve made many a variety of banana bread, and frankly this version is my favorite.
But why it is called a “bread” has always baffled me. Obviously they don’t have yeast. Quick breads, muffins and scones are sweeter – most of the time much too sweet for my taste.
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Recipe highlights
- Easy to make: This is a super easy recipe to make. My teenage daughter loves whipping up a batch of banana bread whenever she craves it.
- Adaptable: You can make this recipe as is, or easily make the suggested swaps to make it vegan friendly. I have tested this recipe for both options. You can also add nuts for some crunch.
- Healthier: This recipe uses whole wheat flour, only ½ cup sugar and extra virgin olive oil. I do add chocolate chips, but I prefer my less sweet dark chocolate chips, and you can even reduce the amount further by using less.
- Chocolatey goodness: If you like it fudgy, bake it for 45 minutes. And if you bake it for the full hour, it is still chocolatey and moist. Even with the healthy add ins, this banana bread is incredible and perfect for chocolate-holics!
Ingredients needed
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- Over-ripe bananas: I like to store my ripe bananas in the freezer, even if they are already over ripe. I find that their flavor intensifies. Once thawed, add them and the juices to your banana bread.
- Whole wheat flour: I like both Bob’s Red Mill and King’s Flour brands of whole wheat flour. Both are excellent choices and bake beautifully.
- Unsweetened cocoa powder: You can use regular or dark cocoa powder.
- Extra virgin olive oil: If you’ve read my blog before, then you learned your lesson on how to bake with olive oil. Your baked goods are only as good as the ingredients you put into it. Choose a mild tasting olive oil for this quick bread recipe, not a peppery one.
- Milk: I use whatever milk I have on hand, whether it is whole milk or 2%. I have also tested this recipe with almond milk, for a dairy-free option.
- Eggs: Large eggs are the standard in baking. For an egg-free option, I have tested this recipe with a flax egg (1 tablespoon of flax meal mixed with 2 ½ tablespoons of water)
- Chocolate chips: Depending on your personal preference, you can use semi-sweet, bitter-sweet or dark chocolate chips. I have also used dairy free chocolate chips.
- Nuts: I don’t have nuts in the recipe, but you can easily add in ¼ cup of chopped walnuts, pecans or almonds for some protein and crunch!
- Pantry staples: Granulated sugar, vanilla extract, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Step by step directions
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- Combine wet ingredients. Whisk together the sugar and oil until it looks like wet sand. Mix in the milk, egg and vanilla until combined then mix in the bananas.
- Combine dry ingredients. whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Finish batter. Add dry ingredients into wet, making sure everything is evenly distributed. Stir in chocolate chips. The batter will be thick. If using nuts, stir them in with the chocolate chips.
- Bake the bread. Pour batter into a greased loaf pan lined with parchment paper. Bake in oven for 45 minutes if you want it a little fudgy in the center. Otherwise bake for 1 hour. Let the bread rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack to cool completely, about 1 hour.
Expert tips and recipe FAQs
So call it a cake or bread, or whatever. It’s lightly sweet, with enough chocolate to not notice the healthy stuff packed inside! And try some of more of my unique quick bread recipes:
- Whole Wheat Pomegranate Banana Bread with Pistachios
- Whole Wheat Banana Bread with Olive Oil and Blueberries
- Olive Oil Beet Bread with Walnuts
- Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread
- Mango Bread with Whole Wheat Flour and Protein Powder
Storing/Freezing Instructions
TO STORE: Store any leftover banana bread in foil on the counter for up to 4 days or refrigerate for up to 1 week.
TO FREEZE: You can also freeze banana bread. I wrap slices or a whole loaf tightly in foil freeze for up to 4 months.
Whole wheat flour needs more moisture than regular flour so an equal swap is not always recommended. But, you can swap out half of a recipe’s regular flour with whole wheat flour without affecting the texture much.
Whole wheat flour has more of the wheat shell than regular all purpose flour. This husk offers you fiber, which is great for your digestive system. But whole wheat flour has a lot of the husk removed, which is why I like to add a little wheat bran to my recipes for a little nuttiness and the extra fiber.
Chocolate Olive Oil Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 cup cocoa powder unsweetened
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup over-ripe bananas mashed
- ½ cup milk low-fat
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 egg large
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup chocolate chips bittersweet
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ºF.
- Whisk together the sugar and oil until it looks like wet sand. Mix in the milk, egg and vanilla until combined then mix in the bananas.
- In a medium bowl whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Add dry ingredients into wet, making sure everything is evenly distributed.
- Reserve 1-tablespoon from the chocolate chips for topping, then hand stir in remaining chocolate chips into the batter. The batter will be thick.
- Apply non-stick spray to a 9" x 5" loaf pan and line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Pour batter into prepared pan. Top batter with reserved chocolate chips.
- Bake in oven for 45 minutes if you want it a little fudgy in the center. Otherwise bake for 1 hour. Let the bread rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack to cool completely, about 1 hour.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
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Written by Laura Bashar
Hi, I’m Laura, a certified professional cook and cookbook author living in San Diego. I have been sharing my family’s favorite recipes inspired from all over the world since 2008. Let’s cook up something fun!
I’ve been very curious about the names for a long time too! Japan has more European influence than American in terms of baked goods, and cupcakes are not common in Japan (we have muffins though). When I came here, I wasn’t sure why certain things are called cupcakes and bread when they are all “sweet” in my taste. Your banana bread looks so good – chocolate is always winner in my house!
Bread or cake, this is what I need in my life. now.
I have also often wondered why it is called bread – maybe just because it is traditionally baked in a bread loaf. It is definitely a cake.
I love the look of this – you can just tell how rich and chocolate-y it’s going to be. I would notcare what you call it, so long as I get some 🙂
I always thought the same. A bread can actually only be called bread when it includes yeast. Anyway bread or savory cake, I d go crazy for yours. Less sweetness is my kind of things, I am more for the rich banana and dark chocolate flavors and soon our banana tree should be giving fruits so now I know what I ll transform them into. Have a nice weekend!
Love adding almond butter to banana bread! This looks delish.