This marble banana bread bakes up moist and tender and is topped with chocolate chip streusel and a chocolate ganache drizzle.
It’s so good that now I’m wondering why I don’t top all my desserts with streusel!!
How to Make Marble Banana Bread
To make sure this recipe turns out as amazing as possible, let’s walk through each step together! I’ve also included a video tutorial of the process below.
I figured it might be helpful to know what tools I use too, so I’ve shared a list below.
Not all of these are mandatory, but they make the process a lot easier. If you don’t have all these things on hand, feel free to improvise and work with what you have.
- 8.5×4.5-in loaf pan
- Parchment paper
- Whisk or electric hand mixer
Step 1: Make the Chocolate Chip Streusel Topping
Make the chocolate chip streusel first by whisking all the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Add in the melted butter and gently stir together with a fork to make some nice, big crumbles.
You should end up with a bowl of what looks like wet sand with some pea-sized chunks. Be careful not to over-mix! You want to leave some of those buttery chunks intact. Set aside.
Step 2: Make the Marble Banana Bread Batter
Next, make the banana bread batter following the recipe card below. Alternate spoonfuls of regular and chocolate batter into the prepared pan.
Then gently swirl the batter together with a butter knife or scribe.
Cover the top of the batter with an even layer of chocolate chip streusel.
Step 3: Bake the Banana Bread
Bake on the middle baking rack for 60-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Rotate the pan halfway through to make sure it bakes evenly.
If you notice the streusel on top of the loaf is over-browning when you rotate it, cover the loaf pan with a foil tent to prevent it from over-browning.
Remove the loaf from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Then carefully lift the loaf out of the pan with the parchment paper sling and place it on a wire rack to finish cooling.
Step 4: Make the Chocolate Ganache and Decorate the Marble Banana Bread
While the banana bread bakes and cools, make the chocolate ganache.
Place the semi-sweet chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl and set aside.
Heat the heavy cream in a heatproof bowl in the microwave for 45 seconds to 1 minute, until it’s steaming and just starting to bubble.
If you don’t have a microwave or prefer to use the stovetop, heat the cream over medium heat in a pan until it begins to simmer. Remove from heat.
Gently pour the heavy cream over the chocolate. Make sure the chocolate is fully covered by the cream. Let the mixture sit for 1-2 minutes.
Stir the mixture together until the cream and chocolate are combined and the mixture is smooth.
If you make this in advance, it can be refrigerated for up to a month. Heat it in the microwave in 5-10 second intervals, stirring between until it reaches a more fluid consistency.
Drizzle with warm chocolate ganache, then enjoy!
Substitutions and Swaps – Marble Banana Bread
While I love this marble banana bread recipe just the way it is, I know some of you might not have all these ingredients on hand.
Below are some swaps and substitutions that can be made in this recipe:
- Oil – Using oil in this recipe helps it bake up nice and moist. You can use any flavorless oil in this recipe, like canola, sunflower, etc. You can also use softened, unsalted butter in place of the oil if needed.
- Granulated Sugar – This recipe turns out best with granulated sugar. I don’t recommend changing the type or amount of sugar, as it will change the texture of the banana bread.
- Eggs – If you don’t have eggs on hand or you can’t eat eggs, you can try using 1 1/2 flaxseed eggs.
- All-Purpose Flour – This recipe turns out best with AP flour, but you can use a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend in its place if needed.
- Buttermilk – You can also use full-fat yogurt, Greek yogurt, sour cream, or alternative yogurt or milk (almond, soy, oat) if you’re dairy free.
- Overripe Bananas – If you don’t have overripe bananas on hand, bake your bananas at 300 F for about 15 minutes or until the skins of the bananas are black.
- Cocoa Powder – Any type of unsweetened baking cocoa will work in this recipe. You can also use Dutch-processed or dark cocoa powder.
- Chocolate Chips – I prefer to use semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips to make the streusel and ganache. However, you can also use milk chocolate.
- Heavy Cream – Heavy whipping cream or heavy cream work great in this recipe. Do not swap in milk, you need a high fat % to give the ganache the right consistency.
Why is it Better to Use Overripe Bananas to Make Banana Bread?
Most banana recipes insist on using only the ripest bananas, including this one. But why are overripe bananas better to bake with?
There are actually several reasons! The first is that as a banana ripens, more of its starch is converted into sugar. This creates sweeter, more tender baked goods.
Another benefit of baking with super-ripe bananas is that they’re super easy to mash up. This ensures your banana bread will have a uniform, even texture without any unexpected chunks of banana.
Overripe bananas are also more aromatic and give baked goods a more intense banana flavor than yellow bananas.
The final and best reason (in my opinion) is that it uses up overripe fruit that would otherwise go to waste!
With all that in mind, this recipe will still turn out if you use yellow bananas. It just won’t have as intense of a banana flavor.
Baking Hack: How to Quickly Ripen Bananas
If you only have yellow bananas and want that intense banana flavor, don’t worry!
You can easily turn yellow bananas brown in a matter of minutes. Preheat your oven to 300 F / 150 C and place the unpeeled bananas on a foil-lined baking sheet.
Bake them for about 15 minutes, or until the banana skin is uniformly dark in color.
Let them cool on the pan for 10 minutes, then carefully peel and mash them.
I use this hack all the time and it works like a charm.
Making This Banana Bread in Advance
You can make this banana bread in advance. It can last for a few days at room temperature, up to a week in the fridge, or up to a month in the freezer.
Store the banana bread in an airtight container or Ziplock bag to keep it moist.
This banana bread freezes extremely well, so don’t be afraid to make a double batch and freeze one for later.
Just wait to add the cookie butter drizzle until you thaw it. Wrap the banana bread in a layer of plastic wrap, then a layer of foil to lock in all the moisture.
When you’re ready to enjoy one of the frozen loaves, move it from the freezer to the fridge the night before.
Then set it out at room temperature to let it thaw for a few hours before adding the cookie butter drizzle.
Tips for Making the Best Marble Banana Bread
- Line the bread pan with a parchment paper sling so that you can easily remove the banana bread once it’s baked without messing up the streusel topping.
- Use super-ripe bananas! If you don’t have any on hand, see my tip above on how to quickly ripen your bananas in the oven.
- Properly measure your flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level) or use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
- Ingredients at room temp mix together better. Set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
- DO NOT OVER-MIX THE BATTER! It can make your banana bread dense and chewy. Once you start to mix in the flour, mix the batter JUST until it’s combined.
Let Me Know What You Think!
If you try this marble banana bread recipe, I’d love to hear what you think of it! Please leave a rating and comment below.
And don’t forget to tag me @chelsweets so that I can see your delicious baking on social media!
Other Recipes You Might Like:
Marble Banana Bread
This marble banana bread bakes up moist and tender and is topped with chocolate chip streusel and a chocolate ganache drizzle.
Ingredients
Chocolate Chip Streusel Topping
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (65g)
- 1/2 cup roughly chopped chocolate chips or mini chocolate chips (85g)
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar (50g)
- 3 Tbsp granulated sugar (40g)
- 1/4 tsp fine salt
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled (56g)
Marble Banana Bread
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temp (56g)
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (100g)
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil (56g)
- 1 large egg plus one large egg white, room temp (86g)
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (160g)
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 1/2 cup buttermilk, room temp (120g)
- 1 cup mashed bananas, about 2 large bananas (250g)
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (25g)
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (30g)
Chocolate Ganache Glaze
- 1/3 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate (60g)
- 1/3 cup heavy cream (80g)
Instructions
Chocolate Chip Streusel Topping
- In a large bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup flour, 1/2 cup roughly chopped chocolate chips, 1/4 cup packed brown sugar, 3 Tbsp granulated sugar, and 1/4 tsp salt.
- Pour 1/4 cup of melted and cooled butter into the dry ingredients and gently stir together with a fork to make some nice, big crumbles. You should end up with a bowl of what looks like wet sand with some pea-sized chunks. Be careful not to over-mix! You want to leave some of those buttery chunks intact. Set aside.
Marble Banana Bread
- Preheat oven to 350 F / 175 C and grease an 8.5 in x 4.5 in loaf pan with non-stick spray or butter and line with a sling of parchment paper.
- Add 1/4 cup unsalted butter and 1/2 cup granulated sugar into a large bowl. Beat on a medium-high speed for a couple of minutes with either a hand mixer or a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Beat until the mixture becomes lighter in color and looks fluffier.
- Mix in 1/4 cup vegetable oil and 1 large, whole egg + 1 egg white on a medium speed. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula.
- Add 1 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda, and 1/2 tsp salt. Mix on a low speed until just combined. Pour in 1/2 cup of buttermilk and mix on a low speed until incorporated.
- Mash 2 large, overripe bananas and mix 1 cup of mashed bananas into the batter on a low speed until just combined.
- Divide the batter evenly between two bowls (about 400g per bowl). Mix 1/4 cup of cocoa powder into one bowl, and 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour into the other bowl. Stir until just combined.
- Alternate spoonfuls of regular and chocolate batter into the prepared pan, then gently swirl the batter together with a butter knife. Cover the top of the batter with an even layer of chocolate chip streusel.
- Bake on the middle baking rack for 60-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Rotate the pan halfway through to make sure it bakes evenly. If you notice the streusel on top of the loaf is over-browning when you rotate it, cover the loaf pan with a foil tent to prevent it from over-browning.
Chocolate Ganache Drizzle
- While the banana bread bakes and cools, make the chocolate ganache. Place 1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips in a heatproof bowl and set aside.
- Heat 1/3 cup heavy cream in a heatproof bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds, until it's steaming and just starting to bubble. If you don’t have a microwave or prefer to use the stovetop, heat the cream over medium heat in a pan until it begins to simmer. Remove from heat.
- Gently pour the heavy cream over the chocolate. Make sure the chocolate is fully covered by the cream. Let the mixture sit for 1-2 minutes.
- Stir the mixture together until the cream and chocolate are combined and the mixture is smooth. If you make this in advance, it can be refrigerated for up to a month. Heat it in the microwave in 5-10 second intervals, stirring between until it reaches a more fluid consistency.
Decorating This Marble Banana Bread
- Remove the loaf from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 30 minutes. Then carefully lift the loaf out of the pan with the parchment paper sling and place it on a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Drizzle with warm chocolate ganache, then enjoy!
Notes
Ingredient Swaps & Substitutions
For a detailed list of ingredient swaps and substitutions that can be made in each component of this recipe, please refer to the "swaps and substitutions" section above.
Tips for Making the Best Marble Banana Bread
- Line the bread pan with a parchment paper sling so that you can easily remove the banana bread once it's baked without messing up the streusel topping.
- Use super-ripe bananas! If you don't have any on hand, see my tip above on how to quickly ripen your bananas in the oven.
- Properly measure your flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level) or use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
- Ingredients at room temp mix together better. Set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
- DO NOT OVER-MIX THE BATTER! It can make your banana bread dense and chewy. Once you start to mix in the flour, mix the batter JUST until it's combined.
Making This Marble Banana Bread in Advance & Storage Tips
You can make this marble banana bread in advance! It can last for a few days at room temperature, up to a week in the fridge, or up to a month in the freezer. Store the banana bread in an airtight container to keep it moist.
If you plan to immediately freeze it, I recommend waiting to make the glaze until you thaw it and plan to eat it.
This banana bread freezes extremely well, so don't be afraid to make a double batch and freeze one for later! I like to wrap the banana bread in a layer of plastic wrap, then a layer of foil to lock in all the moisture.
When I'm ready to enjoy one of the frozen loaves, I move it from the freezer to the fridge the night before. Then I set it out at room temperature to let it thaw for a few hours before adding the glaze.
Different Batch Sizes
This recipe can be doubled to make two loaves.
This recipe can also be used to make marble banana bread muffins. Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full and bake at 350 F / 175 C for 15-20 minutes (bake time will vary based on the size of your liners & pan).
Nutrition Information
Yield
8Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 751Total Fat 37gSaturated Fat 18gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 17gCholesterol 77mgSodium 455mgCarbohydrates 102gFiber 7gSugar 63gProtein 10g
steph
Monday 4th of March 2024
this was delicious! i made it without the ganache as i didnt have heavy cream but it was still perfect. my family ate almost the whole thing in one night and are asking me to make it again next time we have overripe bananas!
Chelsweets
Tuesday 5th of March 2024
Hi Steph,
So happy to hear you loved this recipe :) Thank you for sharing!!
Ipshita
Thursday 14th of December 2023
Hi, This is a cake of a recipe for a bread, but I want to desperately try it. Since I am allergic to gluten, can you suggest a sub for the AP flour? Do you think almond flour work well? Or should I use 1to1 GF flour?
Chelsweets
Sunday 17th of December 2023
This recipe turns out best with AP flour, but you can use a gluten-free baking flour blend in its place and it should still turn out great! I would not recommend using almond flour though. Hope that helps, happy baking!
Idalia
Thursday 28th of September 2023
I was looking for a banana bread recipe and came upon this recipe and oh my word! It's so good!! The best i've ever had!! I especially love the crumbl!!
Chelsweets
Sunday 1st of October 2023
So happy to hear that Idalia!! Thank you for sharing :)
Jasmine
Friday 8th of September 2023
Followed to a T. The cake came out beautiful. I let it rest in the pan and it sank right away. The dome is gone. I’m so sad.
Chelsweets
Thursday 14th of September 2023
Hi Jasmine,
So sorry to hear that!! Usually that means it might need a few more minutes in the oven! That should help prevent that in the future. Hope that helps for next time, happy baking!
Shylli
Tuesday 1st of August 2023
I used the recipe and made mini cup cakes. Topped them up chocolate buttercream. Turned out soo good!!
Chelsweets
Thursday 17th of August 2023
Hi Shylli,
Love that, so happy they turned out great!! :) Thank you for sharing!