Chocolate chunk banana bread with espresso mascarpone – rich and comforting, with a creamy coffee-laced mascarpone and berries. Jump to Recipe
The ultimate comfort food – banana bread.
Finally. It is one of the basic, fill-the-tins morning tea recipes that emerges from our oven most frequently, so I can’t believe it has taken a year to make it up here. It actually came down to a deadline thing – one of my friends has been dying for the recipe, and threw down the ultimatum that it needs to be available for her perusal by the time she goes home for the summer – in two weeks time.
It is something I make whenever the bananas in the fruit bowl have been ignored for just that little bit too long – the spots appear first, and then at a certain stage we realise no one will eat them and the fruit flies begin to circle, so they get put in the fridge at eye level, skins slowly turning black and just begging to be transformed into mouthfuls of goodness to go with your coffee. We are a house of (mostly) perfectly yellow banana eaters (or at least I am) – the first sign of a spot and the banana is destined for the oven. I still don’t understand spotty banana lovers – something about the texture and flavour is irrevocably changed for me at that transition. However, spotty, blackened bananas are the BEST for banana loaf like this- sweeter, a softer crumb, stronger banana flavour, and just all round better.
But I couldn’t stick with plain banana bread, as good as plain banana bread is. Gooey chunks of dark chocolate found their way in, along with a whole heap of brown sugar for that rich, caramelised flavour. And being a newfound coffee fiend, the perfect partner for the warm, straight-from-the-oven banana bread was espresso mascarpone. Creamy, tangy and rich with strong espresso flavour, it balanced the sweetness of the loaf, mingling with those dark chocolate chunks. With new season strawberries around, I couldn’t help but use them and raspberries to top it off for a layer of fresh fruitiness.
And coffee + berries + bananas = breakfast. Yes, this can definitely be breakfast.
Unfortunately my time is up and I have to return to the books (being gastrointestinal physiology – I mean, why would I want to know what happens to food once it passes my mouth? I truly don’t).
Do give this loaf a go, especially with the espresso mascarpone for a treat. You won’t regret it, I promise.
- 250 grams plain flour (2 cups)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 125 grams softened butter
- 235 grams dark or regular brown sugar (1 cup + 2 tablespoons, tightly packed) (I used regular brown sugar and it turned out beautifully, but would use dark or muscovado if you have it!)
- 3 to 4 ripe bananas (400g), roughly mashed (there should still be lumps left)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 100 grams dark chocolate , roughly chopped
- 250 g Italian mascarpone cheese
- 4-5 tablespoons espresso coffee (cooled, or placed in the freezer for 5 minutes beforehand just so it isn’t super hot)
- 3-5 tablespoons sifted icing sugar (adjust to taste)
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Heat the oven to 180°C. Line a standard-sized (23 x 13cm) loaf tin with baking paper.
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In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat the eggs into the butter and sugar one at a time until fully incorporated.
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Fold the vanilla extract, mashed bananas and roughly chopped chocolate into the butter and sugar mixture.
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Sift the flour and baking powder over the top and gently fold it in until just combined.
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Scrape the batter into the lined loaf tin and bake for 40-50 minutes until a skewer inserted into the center comes out just clean ( a bit of chocolate is fine). If it starts to get too dark before it is cooked, cover it with a piece of tin foil.
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Remove from the oven and leave to cool for 15 minutes. Then, using the baking paper as a sling, remove the banana loaf from the tin.
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Gently mix together the mascarpone, espresso and icing sugar. Adjust to taste (just don’t add too much espresso or it will get too liquidy).
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Cover and put in fridge until ready to serve
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Slice the banana bread with a serrated knife and serve with dollops of the espresso mascarpone and a few berries.
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If serving the next day, toast or microwave the banana bread briefly if warm, gooey chocolate is your thing. Otherwise, eat it straight from the container - that is fine too!
Hi Claudia! I couldn’t agree more with you! The minute the spots start to appear, they are used for desserts! I like the texture of the spotted bananas more in desserts than just eating it by itself! I am LOVING the espresso + mascaporne cream. It looks so luscious, it is making me salivate. I am loving how the juices from the raspberry have seeped on to the cream and stained it pink. I hear my stomach rumble now! Your photos are so absolutely stunning!!! And good luck with the studying! 🙂
Hahah I am glad we are on the same page on spotty banana uses! And I didn’t really notice the raspberry juice swirls – you have a good eye, girl! Thank you so much Samina, so lovely to hear from you. Just 2 practical exams to go now, can’t wait to be finished!! <3
Hi Claudia, this bread looks amazing! I would love to try to make it when I have banana too.
Thanks Shihoko! <3
I have periods in my life when banana bread needs to be available all the time, I buy extra bananas just so I can make one loaf after the other. This version looks great, but the winner here is espresso mascarpone, it sounds delicious.
Thats sounds like a genius idea – constantly having ripe bananas ready to transform into bread. I might have to adopt that! Thank you so much Kristina <3
This banana bread = seriously perfect. Also, espresso mascarpone??! Such an easy and delicious way to make this bread a little bit fancier. Dammit lady, your baking is always so flawless!
Aw thanks Hannah!! Although I love making main meals, I definitely still consider myself a ‘baker’ I suppose – I started with cookies and chocolate muffins and still have such a huge sweet tooth haha! <3
omg. you got me at marscapone. This looks so divine <3.
<3 <3 thanks Betty!
Banana bread is definitely my favourite comfort food! I love it so much, especially with chocolate chunks! This looks so delicious Claudia, and I love the sound of the espresso marscapone! Amazing recipe. Pinned!
Wow! Gooey chunks of melted chocolate?! And espresso mascarpone?! I’m so excited right now. I love how you took the flavors of breakfast and somehow made them even more alluring. This is amazing, my friend! Well done, and those pictures are insane!
xx Sydney
Thanks Harriet! Espresso and chocolate go so well together, it wasn’t a stretch to add bananas into the mix <3 <3 and perfect with a big cup of coffee too!
claudia your photography takes my breath away one hundred times and over again – you bring your recipes to life so beautifully! i agree whole heartedly with your banana bread sentiments – it’s hands down one of my favorites. this is an incredibly romantic recipe and seductive breakfast idea. ♥
aw thank you so much Danielle, that means a lot – both on the photography (which is one of those things I am still a bit unsure of!!) and the banana bread – I am glad it is one of your favourites too. I think it gets written off as boring far too often! <3
Yaahhhsss! I have a weird obsession with banana bread. Whenever I eat it, I think of my grandmother and it just makes me feel all warm n cozy inside! I am loooving yours, girlfriend! It looks moist and seriously delicious! But that espresso mascarpone though! OMG! I neeeeeed that! So YUM! Cheers! <3
oh I LOVE those foods that remind you of memories and general coziness – and I agree that banana bread is one of those (and any obsession with it is not weird at ALL in my book – way too good!!). Thanks so much Cheyanne! <3
This is some DREAMY banana bread! You added all of the bells and whistles to make this seriously amazing, and your pictures are beyond incredible. Love!
Aw thank you Rachel! You are way too kind! <3 <3
Claudia, this sounds and looks fantastic! To be honest, banana bread was always kind of boring-sounding to me, but you totally knocked it out of the park with the mascarpone and the berries. Lush!
Also, I love the old, spotted bananas best for eating! 😉
Thanks Bita! I agree- I love jazzing up banana bread, whether it is by toasting it with butter or by adding chocolate chunks, berries & mascarpone…you name it! And see, I knew some people out there would be spotty banana fans! 🙂
This looks truly DIVINE. nothing else to say!!
<3 <3 thank you Dani!!
I can totally relate, Claudia. Banana bread is my go-to when the bananas seem to be on the verge of rotting. But I love that you made this decadent espresso mascarpone frosting to go with it because it transform banana bread into a seriously lovely treat rather than just the typical coffee shop loaf. Your bread looks absolutely fantastic, and those strawberries are just heavenly!
Thanks Beeta! I KNOW – I put so many bananas in banana bread that I would never ever touch if wanting to eat them fresh haha – so blackened! Strawberries are in season around here (and it is only for a short couple of months) so I seriously just put them with almost everything I can! xx
I love making quick breads and banana bread is one of our favorites. I don’t usually add chocolate, but I think I need to. I have some really ripe bananas sitting on my counter right now…better get baking this bread!
I do love banana bread without chocolate too, but dark chocolate chunks just add that bit of extra decadence that sometimes I just need! Would love to know what you think if you give it a go, thanks Kathy! <3
This banana bread looks phenomenal! It truly is the ultimate comfort food!
Thanks Jen!! So perfect for rainy days <3
Oh my, I love everything about this! The bananas, the chocolate, and that espresso mascarpone – talk about a party in my mouth… which is seriously watering right now! Another fabulous dish, Claudia!
Aw thank you Kathleen!! Responding to this has really made me wish I had a piece in front of me right now too haha. <3 <
Sometimes I buy bananas just so I can neglect them and have an excuse to make banana bread. And now that I’ve seen this recipe, I think I may need to head to the grocery store!
hahah I do the exact same thing.. I just love banana bread so much more than the banana themselves! Thanks Claire <3
This looks sooooo yummy! I can’t wait to try making it! All my favorite flavors combined!
– Cielo
Mermaid in Heels
Thank you Cielo, would love to know what you think if you give it a go!
I highly approve of you not sticking to “plain old banana bread”!!! 😉
hahah me too! Plain old banana bread is great and everything, but if you have the option of espresso mascarpone… <3
My banana bread never looks this appealing. Every time I tried it so far I ended up with a dense, weird looking blob of batter. So seeing your recipe lights up a spark for banana bread again – definitely need to try this, especially with the extra bits of flavor. Well done!
Aw thank you Oana! I would definitely give it another go – banana bread can be SO good. Lovely to here from you! 🙂
A perfect cup of coffee is needed with that amazing slice of banana bread, now you make me drool!
Thanks Raymund! and yes it goes perfectly with coffee!
I love banana bread and you are making me wish that there was one baking in the oven right now!
Thanks Nicole!! <3
Wow this looks absolutely delicious!! The bread so moist and the mascarpone to be the perfect shade and texture compliment. Yum!! Your pictures are beautiful.
Thanks Julia! The mascarpone was the perfect accompaniment, I agree – made it again this morning with our overripe bananas and it was even better than I remembered! x
Claudia! Your beautiful photos and recipes are tempting me to break my wedding dress eating habits! All I can think about is this banana bread!! 🙂
Thanks Lynnette! Surely a little slice wouldn’t hurt… 🙂 xx
Ahhh you’ve done it again Claudia!!
this sounds like just what i need tomorrow morning to get me out of bed! especially with those chocolate chunks and espresso mascarpone 😛
Those dark bananas are destined for the beauty of banana bread! almost like the ugly duckling to beautiful swan story… but then not really… haaha
hope you’re having a great week!
xx
Aw thank you so much Bec! The perfect reason to get out of bed – I actually just got back to Auckland for the summer to find a whole heap of black bananas in the fruit bowl… no prizes for guessing what I made for morning tea haha!! The rest of the family were pretty stoked too. Kind of like the ugly duckling to the beautiful swan, I can see that!
Hope you are having a great weekend too x
Hi Claudia I just happened to find your blog and that is great! I think this might be the best ever Banana bread ,seriously! I wish I was living closer to you so I could beg you to make me a loaf or 2 🙂
Thanks Peter! Let me know how it goes if you give it a try – my family certainly loves it!! 🙂
This banana bread looks absolutely perfect and it’s making me hungry now!! 😀
Thanks Lili! It’s still my favourite recipe, though I must admit that Violet Bakery’s buttermilk banana bread is right up there at the moment too haha! x