Add Brownie Batter To Your Next Batch Of Banana Bread And Thank Us Later

Banana bread and brownies are delicious individually, but have you ever thought of combining the two into one glorious dessert? This is one tasty food mash-up that you don't want to miss out on. A classic pairing, chocolate and bananas taste amazing together, and chocolate chips are commonly added to banana bread to amp up its sweetness and lend layers of richness. You can take the tasty combo of chocolate and banana a step further, however, by combining decadent brownie batter with lighter, cakier banana bread batter. The result is a moist, chewy, and gooey treat that is impossible not to love. 

When you have a few bananas that have sat on the counter for too long, it's the perfect opportunity to make some extra moist banana bread. Ripe or overripe bananas (with lots of brown spots) are perfect for making banana bread batter since they'll be nice and mushy/easier to mash. With unsweetened baking chocolate (and basic baking ingredients), you're ready to mix up a batch of batter from the best chocolate brownies to swirl into your banana bread mixture. Try something new and switch up your classic chocolate chip banana bread recipe with some brownie batter instead.

Banana bread and brownie batters have overlapping ingredients like flour, baking powder, salt, butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla, so making one base batter in a single mixing bowl helps to simplify the whole process. That way, you can separate the base batter evenly into two bowls — one for your brownie batter, the other for your banana bread batter. Roughly chopped unsweetened baking chocolate works perfectly for the brownie batter, about 3 ounces for a typical batch. You can also toss in some cocoa powder for a more intense, chocolatey flavor. For your banana bread batter, simply stir in your mushy bananas, or zhuzh it up with a hint of cinnamon or a splash of vanilla extract. 

If you want the dual textures of banana bread and brownies, don't just mix the batters together — doing so will result in something like banana-flavored brownies. Instead, shoot for a marbled look by carefully spooning dollops of brownie batter into a foundation of banana bread batter and using a butter knife to create compelling swirls. If you crank your oven up to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, it will take around 45 to 55 minutes for your banana brownie bread to bake fully.

Alternatively, layer some of your brownie batter first, then all of your banana bread batter, and spoon/swirl the rest of the brownie batter on top. The brownie swirls will create an appealing marbled top and a split cross-section of brownie and banana bread in each square.

If you want your banana bread brownies to look more like bread than brownies, there are other ways to incorporate the brownie. For one, you can bake a pan of brownies, cut them into cubes, fold the chunks into your banana bread batter, and bake in a bread pan — resulting in a banana bread with brownie chunks. Keep in mind that this method will likely take longer since you have to bake the brownies separately first. 

For a faster way to make banana bread with a brownie flavor and texture, simply add bananas to boxed brownie mix and bake it in a bread tin. The result is a brownie-colored, pleasantly hefty loaf that tastes like a mixture of banana and brownie, with both sumptuous textures as well. 

Whether you swirl brownie batter into your banana bread batter or try other ways to incorporate brownies into your banana bread, make the tasty treat extra special with some add-ins or add-ons. For instance, stir in chopped walnuts or pecans for added crunch, sprinkle in some chocolate chips, swirl in a bit of peanut butter for extra gooeyness, or top them with a creamy frosting that will enhance both the chocolaty and fruity flavors. 

With all these delectable additions there's a good chance everyone will want more than one slice, but if there are leftovers, you can leave them on the counter for around five days in an airtight container, a few days longer if refrigerated.