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Perfect Small Batch Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips

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A perfectly sized small-batch banana bread loaded with chocolate chips, ideal for one or two people. This recipe yields a moist, tender loaf with simple ingredients and a foolproof method.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ ripe bananas, mashed (about ½ cup / 120g)
  • ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted (½ stick / 57g)
  • ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
  • 1 large egg
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour (95g)
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (85g)

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Position the rack in the center. Line your 6-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving some overhang on the long sides. Lightly grease any exposed sides with butter or non-stick spray.
  2. Mash the bananas. In a medium bowl, mash the bananas with a fork until mostly smooth. A few small lumps are fine—they add texture. You should have about ½ cup of mashed banana. If you have a little more, that’s okay; if you have less, add a splash of milk to make up the difference.
  3. Mix the wet ingredients. To the mashed bananas, add the melted butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla extract. Whisk until everything is well combined and smooth. The mixture should look pale yellow and slightly thick. Don’t worry if it looks a little separated at first—keep whisking and it will come together.
  4. Combine the dry ingredients. In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. This ensures the baking soda is evenly distributed so your bread rises evenly.
  5. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet. Add the flour mixture to the banana mixture. Use a rubber spatula to fold gently—just until you no longer see streaks of flour. Overmixing at this stage develops gluten and makes the bread tough. A few lumps are totally fine. The batter should be thick but scoopable.
  6. Add the chocolate chips. Reserve about 1 tablespoon of chocolate chips for the top. Fold the rest into the batter gently. Don’t overmix here either—just a few turns to distribute them evenly.
  7. Transfer to the pan. Scrape the batter into your prepared loaf pan. Spread it evenly with the spatula. Sprinkle the reserved chocolate chips on top—this makes for a pretty presentation and gives you those melty chocolate bits on the crust.
  8. Bake. Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 40-45 minutes. At the 35-minute mark, start checking for doneness. The bread is done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter). The top should be golden brown and cracked in that beautiful banana bread way.
  9. Cool. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then use the parchment paper to lift it out and transfer to a wire rack. Let it cool completely before slicing—about 1 hour. I know it’s hard to wait, but slicing too early will give you a gummy, falling-apart mess.

Notes

Use really ripe bananas (heavily speckled with brown spots) for best flavor and moisture. Don’t overmix the batter to avoid tough bread. Measure flour correctly by spooning and leveling. Let the bread cool completely before slicing to prevent a gummy texture. If the top browns too quickly, tent with foil for the last 10 minutes of baking.

Nutrition

Keywords: small batch banana bread, chocolate chip banana bread, easy banana bread, moist banana bread, single loaf banana bread

Find it online: https://bakebeam.com/perfect-small-batch-banana-bread-with-chocolate-chips/