Brownie Banana Bread

Has an idea ever lodged itself in your head enough that the only way to move on was to make the thing real? That’s how this brownie banana bread came to be. Inspiration struck: why not bake bits of brownie in banana bread? To verify the brilliance of this concept, I launched into a flurry of baking. It was worth it. If you love clever twists on old favorites, I hope this recipe triggers the same response for you. 

Brownie banana bread delivers the same comforting satisfaction of banana bread, but with the excitement of ample chunks of fudgy brownies. The banana bread batter acts as an insulator, keeping the brownies from drying out during their second stint in the oven. It’s a flavor explosion and a textural adventure that’s well within a beginner baker’s reach. 

Two Treats in One Dessert

There’s a strong precedent of desserts-within-desserts that savvy bakers have paved long before me. Baking doyenne Maida Heatter’s cookbooks offer recipes for cheesecake dotted with brownie chunks, as well as brownies baked with whole peppermint patties. And Jessie Moore of the dessert blog CakeSpy likewise has a whole subcategory of desserts in desserts, including mini cupcakes baked in regular cupcakes. 

Start With Brownies

This is not a complicated recipe, but it is best done over two days. The secret to multi-day baking projects is it breaks the cleanup into smaller sessions, as well as builds anticipation. 

You’ll bake the brownies first so they can set and cool. I even put the entire uncut pan in the fridge to chill before cutting so I get neat cubes that’ll hold their shape once I fold them into the banana bread batter.

I’ve rarely met a brownie I didn’t like, but my preference is for dense and fudgy ones. I started with our Best Chocolate Brownies recipe, which relies on pantry staples like cocoa powder to deliver extra-fudgy and intense results. It’s nice to have intensely chocolatey brownies for this recipe to ensure maximum impact once they’re cubed and baked into the banana bread.

Mixing the Banana Bread

Our banana bread recipe has been beloved by readers for over a decade, and for good reason. It’s a breeze to whip up and delivers every single time. 

For a moist and flavorful bread, I prefer to use three bananas–the super-duper ripe ones that look frightful. I often buy spotty bananas on sale at the grocery store and freeze them whole so I always have some on deck to indulge banana bread whims. Freeze them right in their peels and thaw them on the counter for a few hours (set them in a bowl to catch the liquid that comes out as they thaw).

Swaps and Subs

• You can replace the butter in both the brownies and the banana bread with vegetable oil. I sometimes use fruity olive oil in the banana bread, but would not recommend it for the brownies.
• For a gluten-free version, use the same amount of gluten-free baking flour blend (such as Bob’s Red Mill) for the all-purpose flour in both the brownies and the banana bread. Do not use almond flour, which will not work in either recipe.  
• My preference is for natural cocoa powder, but Dutch-processed will work just fine in the brownies.
• Don’t be tempted to gild the lily by adding extra nuts or mix-ins to the banana bread batter. It’s already packed with brownie chunks and adding more stuff will make it spill out over the edges of the pan.
• My brownies don’t call for chopped nuts or chocolate chips, but it’s fine if you’d like to add those to your brownies, as long as you add no more than 2 1/2 cups of brownie chunks to the banana bread.

More Heavenly Takes on Banana Bread

• Cream Cheese Banana Bread
• Rum Raisin Banana Bread
• Chocolate Banana Bread
• Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
• Almond Flour Banana Bread