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Espresso Banana Bread with Dark Chocolate

Filed Under: baked goods, chocolate, recipe, sweet treats Written By Leanne May 27, 2019

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This espresso banana bread laced with rich coffee flavor and chunks of 70% dark chocolate is perfectly sweet and indulgent while still providing a solid amount of fiber from the whole grain flour and flax. Disclosure: this is an entry for a contest hosted by Manitoba Milling Co. Flax. I was not compensated for the post, but I received free product for participating. As always, all opinions shared are my own.

banana bread sliced on a plate

I don’t know about you guys, but for me banana bread is total comfort food. It’s quite possible this is because the house smells amazing during baking, but at the end of the day who cares as long as there is BANANA BREAD in the house.

Earlier this month, one of my favorite brands (Manitoba Milling Co.) announced a recipe contest and I immediately knew I wanted to put a fun twist on banana bread. You know how I roll, I can’t just make something the normal way and call it good. This had to be special, but also have some sort of redeeming nutritional qualities too. Luckily when working with flax, this is a simple thing to accomplish!

Flax Facts & Nutrition Information

Flaxseed Meal vs. Ground Flaxseed

Before we get into the recipe, I wanted to share some more information on flax and highlight some of the nutrition qualities since it’s a total staple in my kitchen.

First, did you know there’s actually a difference between flaxseed meal and ground or milled flax? Up until recently I didn’t. The terms tend to be used interchangeably and most stores only carry 1-2 brands so I’ve never thought to compare.

Flaxseed meal is a byproduct of making flaxseed oil. Because the oil has been extracted, the seeds lose the heart-healthy fats.

Whole-milled flaxseed refers to flaxseeds that are instead ground into a powder. Because nothing is extracted, it still contains those beneficial ALA fats. The texture is also a lot lighter and fluffier with less grittiness. This is the type of flaxseed that Manitoba Milling Co. produces.

banana bread with flax seed

Nutrition Benefits of Flax

From a nutrition perspective, flax is an easy way to add a “boost” to things you already eat on a regular basis. Overnight oats, smoothies, and baked goods all come to mind, but the options are endless. Here are a few of the most notable nutrition benefits:

  • Rich in essential omega-3 fatty acids (ALA). In fact, flax is the richest in ALA of any whole-food source! ALA is considered “essential” because the body does not synthesize it and it must be consumed through food.
  • Contains heart-healthy fiber, both soluble and insoluble (4 grams per serving)
  • Richest dietary source of precursor lignan, a type of polyphenol found in plants which may aid in the prevention of several chronic diseases.
ingredients flat lay

Noteworthy Banana Bread Ingredients

Now let’s get to the part where your mouth starts to water. For this espresso banana bread, I used a few key ingredients in addition to the flax to make it indulgent while still packing a bit of extra nutrition punch.

Here are a few of the noteworthy ingredients:

  • White whole wheat flour. My go-to flour for most baked goods because it’s light like all-purpose flour but has the nutritional benefit of being whole grain. Win/win.
  • Brown bananas. The bananas pictured above were the perfect level of ripeness. It might be tempting to use a less ripe banana because it’s what you have on hand, but this makes a big difference in the level of moisture/sweetness so I recommend waiting.
  • Instant espresso powder. Besides using it to make an actual espresso, this works beautifully in recipes because it has a superfine texture and an intense flavor.
  • Flax “egg”. For this banana bread, I used what’s referred to as a “flax egg” instead of real eggs. Just mix flax into liquid (1:2 ratio), then let it sit for a few minutes. The result is a cohesive, gel-like substance that acts similarly to an egg! It’s a great option for vegan baking, or when you run out of the real thing.
  • Dark Chocolate (70%). I used a 3 oz bar instead of a bag of chips/chunks here for two reasons. 1) I prefer it chopped into irregular-sized pieces, and 2) the chocolate is higher quality and you can find more variety in cocoa content.
sliced banana bread on plate

It took a couple of tests to get right, but I love everything about the way this espresso banana bread turned out. It’s perfectly moist and has a rich and complex flavor. I also kept the ingredients plant-based as long as you’re mindful of the chocolate you choose. Enjoy this fun twist on a classic!

You might also like:

  • Double Chocolate Almond Flour Banana Muffins
  • Crunchy Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola
  • Peanut Butter Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
Print

Espresso Banana Bread with Dark Chocolate

sliced banana bread on plate
Print Recipe

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5 from 1 review

Whole grain banana bread laced with notes of espresso and dark chocolate.

  • Author: Leanne Ray, MS, RDN
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 60 minutes
  • Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
  • Yield: 12 slices 1x
  • Category: Sweet
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/4 cup (24 grams) whole-milled flax 
  • 1/2 cup (119 grams) preferred milk alternative
  • 1 1/2 cups (200 grams) white whole wheat flour
  • 1/4 cup (10 grams) instant espresso powder
  • 1 tsp (5 grams) baking soda
  • 3/4 tsp (5 grams) sea salt
  • 1 tsp (3 grams) ground cinnamon
  • 3 small-medium (270 grams) overripe bananas 
  • 1/2 cup (100 grams) melted coconut oil
  • 2/3 cup (160 grams) cane sugar
  • 2 tsp (10 grams) vanilla extract
  • 3 oz (85 grams) dark chocolate bar, chopped

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9X5 loaf pan and line with parchment paper.
  2. In a small dish, combine flax with milk and stir well. Let sit at least 5 minutes.
  3. In another small bowl, whisk together the flour, espresso powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.
  4. In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork (or whip using stand mixer). Add flax/milk mixture, melted coconut oil, cane sugar, and vanilla extract. Stir until well combined.
  5. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just combined (be careful not to over mix!). Fold in the chocolate chunks.
  6. Transfer batter to loaf pan and bake for 60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the loaf comes out clean.
  7. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before slicing/storing.

Equipment

instant espresso powder

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measuring cups

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mixing bowls

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Notes

  • Feel free to sub chocolate chips for the chocolate bar if preferred. 

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1/2″ slice
  • Calories: 258 calories
  • Fat: 13 grams
  • Carbohydrates: 33 grams
  • Fiber: 4 grams
  • Protein: 3 grams

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Hannah Flack says

    May 18, 2020 at 4:08 am

    This is one of the best chicken recipes ever. It’s very tasteful and beautiful to play. Thanks for the recipe.
    A crock pot white chicken chili? That sounds great, I’ll be looking forward to that recipe! The chicken hoisin rice bowls also sound amazing. I love getting recipe ideas from you!!

    Reply
  2. Bernadette DiRenzo says

    April 24, 2020 at 3:25 pm

    Do you happen to have the nutritional, or at least caloric, content per serving? I made this and wow it is delicious……..thank you!

    Reply
    • Leanne says

      April 27, 2020 at 8:53 pm

      I am so happy to hear this Bernadette! I went ahead and added the nutrition info to the recipe card. Thanks for pointing this out as this is something I started providing on newer recipes but I hadn’t gone back and updated this one yet. Hope it’s helpful for you!

      Reply
  3. Rose Martine says

    January 20, 2020 at 4:50 am

    I so enjoy your site and your recipes. Would you please consider adding a print option so we can enjoy your recipes a little more easily. Thank you.

    Reply
    • Leanne says

      January 20, 2020 at 11:16 pm

      Hi Rose! So glad to hear that you enjoy my recipes. The print option is in the upper right hand corner of the recipe card near the bottom of the post. Hope that helps! Enjoy!

      Reply
  4. Jyo says

    December 9, 2019 at 5:11 pm

    Hi 🙂 This recipe looks amazing and I would love to give it a go.. I don’t have instant espresso powder however. I only have ground coffee (we use it to make espressos in our coffee machine). Would this work? Or can I make an espresso with it and use that? If yes, how many tables/shots of espresso should I use? And would I need to add more dry ingredients to balance the extra liquid? Sorry for so many questions!

    Reply
    • Leanne says

      December 19, 2019 at 3:14 pm

      Hi Jyo. I wouldn’t use regular coffee/espresso because I think the flavor would be too bitter and I’m not sure how much to use as the espresso powder is very concentrated. You might try to sub instant coffee since that is easier to find in stores and similar, but again I haven’t tried it so I’m not sure how it would turn out! If using liquid espresso, you should cut back on the milk (as much espresso as you add, cut back on the milk that same amount).

      Sorry I can’t be of more help with specifics! Please report back if you try any of these modifications. Thanks for reading and commenting!

      Reply
  5. Anoia says

    July 16, 2019 at 2:17 pm

    I’d love to try this but is there anything I can use instead of the flax?

    Reply
    • Leanne says

      July 16, 2019 at 7:44 pm

      Hi Anoia! The flax is pretty integral in this recipe, but you could try replace the flax + milk with two eggs for a similar swap. Let me know if you give it a go! Hope you love it.

      Reply
  6. Tatyana says

    May 31, 2019 at 4:35 pm

    The best banana bread I’ve ever had!!! The espresso gave it the richest flavor, and the chocolate chunks instead of chips was a very fancy and delicious.

    Reply

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