Let me break it down for you, real quick: banana + dark chocolate = ah-mazing.

But, banana + dark chocolate + coconut = heaven!

Seriously, this banana bread is quite the treat.

Have you ever had a frozen chocolate-covered banana?

I sure hope you said,  “duh”.

This totally reminds me of those treasures, except just imagine that it was dipped in a layer of coconut.

Besides the shredded coconut, the coconut oil is a key player in this recipe. It adds such great coconut flavor and it’s a healthier oil for our bodies. That’s a win-win right there.

We like the Gold Label Virgin Coconut Oil from Tropical Traditions, and buy it in bulk for a better price than at the grocery store.

Also, don’t forget the melted dark chocolate swirl. Yea, I said it.

Pour the melted chocolate over top of the batter. Then, drag a knife through the batter, to swirl the chocolate throughout the top and the bottom.

Since it’s chocolate on chocolate, you won’t get to see the pretty marbling, but you will surly get to taste the fruits of your labor.

After it’s done baking, try your hardest to allow the loaf to cool before cutting into it.

Cleaner slices will be the result for your patience. But no judgments either way.

Look closely, you can see where the dark melted chocolate swirl was baked right into the loaf. You can bet your bottom dollar that I opted for the top portion of each slice .

Dark Chocolate Banana Bread {with coconut}

Print Recipe!

Makes 1 Loaf, serves 10-12

Ingredients:

3 oz. dark chocolate, melted
1 3/4 cups white whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 large eggs
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup Greek yogurt
1/3 cup coconut oil, melted
3 medium overripe bananas, mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)
3/4 cup shredded coconut, unsweetened, plus 3 Tbsps more for the top
1 Tbsp turbinado sugar, for the top

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly grease a 9x5x3 pan. Finely chop the chocolate and melt over a double-boiler in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between until melted; set aside.

In a medium bowl, sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon; set aside. In the stand mixing bowl, beat the eggs and sugar on medium speed for about 30 seconds. Add the yogurt, coconut oil, bananas and mix until well combined. While mixing on low, slowly add the flour until it’s just incorporated. Fold in the coconut.

Pour the batter into the greased pan and spread evenly. Pour the melted dark chocolate over the top, dragging a knife back and forth several times, until the chocolate is swirled throughout the entire loaf. Sprinkle the top with some shredded coconut with turbinado sugar. Bake about 50-60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. If the coconut on top looks like it is browning quickly, loosely place a piece a foil over the top to slow toasting. Let cool 10 minutes in the pan. Carefully, remove from pan and transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling before cutting into the loaf.

From the Little Yellow Kitchen,

Chrissy

Posted on Monday, February 18th, 2013 at 10:57 pm in Bread, Breakfast, Dessert, Recipes   |  RSS feed |  Respond  |  Trackback URL