Heat your oven to 180 degrees celsius. (360 Fahrenheit).
Line and or grease a loaf tin. I use a silicone loaf tin for this chocolate banana bread recipe
Start with the dry ingredients. Whisk or sift, or even fork together the flour, cocoa, and cinnamon.
Now for the wet ingredients. In a second bowl, mash your bananas.
Add the oil, vanilla extract and brown sugar to the bananas, mix until combined.
Mix the baking soda with 2 Tablespoons of hot water. Add this to the wet ingredients and stir well.
Add the wet ingredients to your dry ingredients. Combine them gently and fold through the chocolate chips.
Spoon the chocolate banana bread batter into a loaf tin. Bake at 180 degrees celsius for 40 mins, Or until the loaf has risen and when a skewer is inserted into the centre of the banana bread it comes out clean.
Cool on a rack before removing from the tin.
Notes
Once cooled this recipe can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Wrap in cling film or place in an airtight container and freeze for up to four months.
Ingredient notes and substitutions
Cinnamon: This can be left out
Ripe bananas: Very ripe bananas are the key, if your bananas aren't super ripe the banana bread won't be nice and sweet.
Mild olive oil: Be sure to use a mild flavoured oil, coconut oil or rice bran oil would work too. You can also substitute for melted butter if you don't need this recipe to be vegan.
Brown sugar: I love the flavour brown sugar adds to banana bread, but white sugar will work just fine too.
Dark chocolate drops: Most dark chocolate drops and chips are dairy free, but always check the label. Or if you don't need this recipe to be dairy free you can use your favourite chocolate drops (milk, dark or white)