Brownie Banana Bread
Ingredients
For the brownies
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons natural unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
For the brownie banana bread
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter
- 3 medium very ripe bananas, peeled
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Instructions
- 1
Preheat the oven to 325°F.
- 2
Line the bottom of an 8x8-inch square pan with parchment or foil, leaving a few inches of excess hanging on either side to create flaps. Grease the pan; if using foil, grease the foil, too.
- 3
Melt the butter: In a medium-high-sided skillet or large saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Swirl the pan from time to time so the butter melts evenly.
- 4
Make the batter: Remove the pan from heat. Add the cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the sugar and salt; the mixture will be a lumpy, stiff mess, but that's fine. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time. Put some muscle into it. The mixture should now be very smooth. Whisk in the vanilla. Add the flour all at once. Switch to a spatula and vigorously beat in the flour, beating for 50 strokes to create a smooth batter. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- 5
Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the pan comes out with no wet streaks, about 25 minutes.
25 min - 6
Cool completely on a wire rack, then cover with foil and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
240 min - 7
Use the parchment or foil handles to lift the cold, uncut brownie out of the pan onto a cutting board. Cut in half; set the other half aside.
- 8
Cut the chilled half-brownie into 1/2-inch chunks. This is what goes into the banana bread. You should have about 290 grams, or 2 to 2 1/2 cups of chunks.
- 9
The remaining brownies you can just eat or save for later.
- 10
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 or 9 x 5-inch loaf pan.
- 11
Melt the butter: In a small saucepan or skillet, melt the butter over low heat. Set aside.
- 12
Make the banana bread batter: In a large bowl, mash the bananas as best you can using a whisk. Add the sugar and whisk vigorously; the sugar should help the bananas break down. Whisk in the egg, vanilla, and salt, then the melted butter. Switch to a spatula and fold in the flour and baking soda just until combined. If the batter is thick like cement, add a few tablespoons of water to thin it out.
- 13
Fold in the brownie chunks just enough to distribute them throughout the batter. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan.
- 14
Bake the loaf until the center of the top springs back when you gently press it with your fingertip, about 1 hour.
60 min - 15
Set the pan on a cooling rack and let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Turn the bread out of the pan and cool completely.
10 min - 16
Store: Well wrapped, the bread will keep on the countertop for about 3 days. It also freezes beautifully.
Bake the brownies
Cut the brownie chunks
Bake the banana bread
Nutrition
Per serving (based on 10 servings)



