James Beard Style Double Chocolate Banana Bread

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a standard 9x5-inch loaf pan with butter or non-stick spray and line with parchment paper for easy removal.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the 1/2 cup melted butter and 3/4 cup brown sugar until smooth. Add the 1 large egg and 1 tsp vanilla extract, whisking vigorously until combined.

Stir in the 1 1/2 cups of mashed bananas until fully incorporated into the wet mixture.

In a separate medium bowl, sift together the 1 cup flour, 1/2 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder, 1 tsp baking soda, and 1/4 tsp salt to remove any lumps.

Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients using a spatula. Stop mixing as soon as no streaks of flour remain to ensure the bread stays tender. Do not overmix.

Fold in 3/4 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips, reserving a small handful to sprinkle on top if desired.

Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs (not wet batter).

Allow the bread to cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.