• Preheat your oven to 350°F. Prepare a 9-inch loaf pan by greasing it with butter and lining it with parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on both sides to make removing the bread easier later. Set the pan aside.
• In a mixing bowl fitted with a stand mixer or using a hand mixer, beat the softened butter and sugar together at medium speed until the mixture becomes fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, and continue mixing at medium speed until just blended. Stir in the mashed bananas and vanilla extract, mixing until combined.
• In a separate large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing at low speed until just incorporated. Avoid overmixing, as the batter should remain slightly lumpy. Gently fold in ¾ cup of the chocolate chips using a spatula.
• Transfer the batter into the prepared loaf pan, smoothing the top with the spatula. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of chocolate chips evenly over the surface.
• Bake the loaf in the preheated oven for 55–65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. Once baked, allow the bread to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Carefully lift the bread out using the parchment paper overhang and transfer it to a wire rack to finish cooling. You can serve it warm or at room temperature.

Pro Tips & Tricks

• For the best flavor and sweetness, use bananas that are very ripe, with peels that have started to brown.
• If your bananas aren’t ripe enough, you can speed up the process by placing them on a foil-lined baking sheet and baking at 300°F for about 30 minutes, until the skins are dark and the fruit is softened.