Chocolate malted banana bread is moist with rich chocolate and roasty malted flavor. This more decadent take on banana bread isn’t overly sweet, but would make a wonderful sweet snack or dessert.
There exists a fine line between sweet foods that are acceptable to eat in the A.M. and those that are basically dessert masquerading in the form of breakfast or snacks. Chocolate chip pancakes seem to always get a pass for breakfast, however I wouldn’t think to serve myself a slice of this chocolate malted banana bread along with my morning coffee.
Not because I wouldn’t want to, but it’s more of a dessert banana bread, if that makes sense.
The usual suspects are all present: flour, leavening agents, overripe bananas, milk, butter, with a few twists to take this chocolate malted banana bread to the next level.
Let’s start with chocolate. I (loosely) based this one on my naturally sweetened banana bread, which continues to be my go-to banana bread recipe. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, right?
The chocolate aspect here comes from replacing a portion of the flour in my standard banana bread with unsweetened cocoa powder. Easy enough. Then there are the chocolate chips that are dotted throughout this loaf. While they’re technically optional, they solidify this chocolate malted banana bread as a serious treat.
Then there’s the malted milk powder. This was an impulse buy at the grocery store (I’m prone to those every now and then), but we’ve been loving it in easy milkshakes and experimenting with it in other dessert recipes. It adds an extra layer of roasty, earthy flavor to this banana bread.
It’s not as sweet or as crunchy (obviously) as popular malted milk treats like Whoppers/Maltesers, but you’ll definitely taste similar notes!
Recipe notes:
- I found malted milk powder in the powdered milk aisle at the grocery store, near the dry chocolate milk mixes. It’s just a few bucks and is a fun ingredient to play around with!
- Try and grease just the bottom and first inch-ish or so of the loaf pan. This allows this chocolate malted banana bread to get a good grip on the sides of the loaf pan as it rises and helps to prevent a sunken center.
Chocolate Malted Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup malted milk powder
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 2 large overripe bananas
- 2/3 cup milk use your preferred
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F, and grease the bottom and the bottom 1" (approx.) of a 9"x5" loaf pan. Set aside.
- Whisk together flour, unsweetened cocoa powder, malted milk powder, baking powder, salt, and baking soda in a medium mixing bowl.
- In a large mixing bowl, add bananas and milk and mix until the bananas are mashed and broken up with a hand (or stand) mixer. Add melted and slightly cooled butter, honey, and eggs and mix until light and creamy.
- Add dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet and mix until just combined.
- Stir in chocolate chips.
- Bake for 60-65 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean and the top springs back when pressed. Let chocolate malted banana bread cool in the loaf pan for 10-15 minutes, before loosening the sides with a knife and removing it to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.
Nancy says
Adding malted milk powder to dessert breads?? That is absolutely BRILLIANT!! Now why in the world did I never think of that……
Alyssa says
I’m having a hard time holding back from adding malted milk powder to all my baked goods. It’s fun to play around with!
Robin says
I love the addition of malt in this. It has got to be AMAZING!
Alyssa says
Thanks Robin!