Do you know what happens when you put banana bread and brownies together? Magic! A decadent, chocolatey brownie batter is swirled through a brown butter chocolate chip banana bread batter to create this beautiful marble loaf. The result is a rich, moist and soft banana bread with a strong banana flavor and pockets of fudgy, gooey brownie throughout. It is genuinely a treat for both the eyes and mouth!

2 batters in this banana bread
As the name suggests, this banana bread is made of two batters:
- Banana bread batter: This is my favorite banana bread recipe made with brown butter and chocolate chips. It has a generous amount of mashed bananas, the perfect amount of sugar, and greek yogurt for added moisture
- Brownie batter. Swirled inside the banana bread is my easy, cocoa powder only brownie batter. It comes together in 5 minutes in one bowl with no mixer needed, and has a rich chocolatey flavor and gooey texture

Step by step photos
Let's quickly go over the steps with photos to help you visualize this recipe!
1. Make the banana bread batter






2. Prepare the brownie batter




3. Assemble and bake


That's it! Top with some chocolate chips, bake, serve and enjoy!

Achieving the perfect swirl
Here's how you get the perfect swirl in this banana bread:
- Make the banana bread batter first! Brownie batter gets thick really quickly, which makes it harder to spread/swirl it. So you want to assemble the loaf as soon as the brownie batter is done
- Control the amount of marbling. How you achieve the marbling is very flexible. You can scoop the 2 batters in alternate dollops or use my technique of piping the brownie batter in stripes. Then use a skewer to swirl them together. If you swirl less, there will be larger pockets of brownie batter (which is how I like it as the batter is more fudgy that way!) - if you swirl more, the two batters will have thinner layers
- Keep the brownie batter towards the middle of the loaf. Regardless of your swirling technique, you want to avoid getting the brownie batter on the bottom or sides of the pan. This is because brownie batter cooks and burns faster than banana bread batter!

Zoha's tips to perfect this banana bread
- Measure with a weighing scale for accuracy. This is especially important for flour, as measuring cups can easily over-measure it resulting in a dry texture
- Make sure your bananas are extra ripe! The more brown spots, the stronger the flavor. If in a pinch, bake the bananas at 350F for 5-8 minutes to caramelize them first
- Use a light colored loaf pan. A dark pan will brown and cook the edges too fast
- Get the baking time right. Use a toothpick inserted in the middle to test for doneness, it should have moist crumbs but no wet batter. Underbaking will cause the bread to sink!
- Let it fully cool down. This banana bread will fall apart if you try to slice it while it's warm.
Brownie Swirl Banana Bread Recipe
- Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings
Description
A decadent and chocolatey marble banana bread made with fudgy brownie batter and brown butter chocolate chip banana batter.
Ingredients
Banana bread batter:
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter (75g)
- 4 tsp vegetable oil (12g)
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed (100g)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ½ tsp instant coffee + ½ teaspoon hot water
- 3 medium extra ripe bananas, mashed (about 290g)
- ¼ cup Greek yogurt (60g) - can substitute with sour cream
- 1 ¼ cups all purpose flour (162g)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup chocolate chips of choice (100g)
Brownie batter:
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar (133g)
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter, melted (75g)
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ cup all purpose flour (43g)
- ¼ cup Dutch processed cocoa powder (25g)
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup chocolate chips of choice (100g)
Instructions
Banana bread batter:
- Before starting, pre-heat your oven to 340F (conventional) and line a light colored 8.5"x4.5" or 9x4" loaf pan with parchment paper and butter/oil. The parchment should rise to the edges on both sides to create "flaps" that can be used to lift the banana bread out of the pan once baked
- Start by browning the butter. Add the unsalted butter to a saucepan. Place on medium low heat, and cook and stir for ~5-8 minutes until the butter has browned. It will melt first, then become bubbly and foamy before you see brown specks on the bottom and smell a lovely caramel-y scent. It will also stop sputtering once brown. Be sure not to overcook, as it can burn quickly after browning
- Add the brown butter to a bowl. Add the oil and brown sugar, and whisk for 1-2 minutes. If the mixture feels too hot, wait 5 minutes before proceeding. It's ok if it's grainy!
- Add the eggs, vanilla, and instant coffee dissolved in water. Whisk for 1-2 minutes until the mixture becomes smooth and lighter in color
- Add the mashed bananas and greek yogurt, and whisk until combined
- Sift in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Gently whisk until the dry ingredients are combined and no lumps or streaks of flour remain
- Lastly, fold in the chocolate chips. Do not over-mix
Brownie batter:
- For the brownie batter, melt the butter in the microwave in 15 second increments. Add the melted butter and sugar to a bowl. Whisk with a hand whisk for about 60 seconds or until the mixture looks smooth
- Add the egg and whisk again until the mixture looks smooth
- Now sift in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt directly into the bowl
- Gently mix in the dry ingredients using slow folding motions until just combined. Do not over-mix to prevent gluten formation
- Lastly, add in chocolate chips and fold until evenly dispersed
Assembly and baking:
- To assemble, transfer the brownie batter into a piping bag and cut a ½" hole at the tip. You can also use a cookie scoop or spoon instead of a piping bag to add the batter in dollops if you like!
- Add a third of the banana bread batter to the bottom of the prepared loaf pan and spread it out. Then pipe on two thick strips of the brownie batter. Cover with another third of the banana bread batter and 2 more strips of brownie batter, making sure the brownie batter doesn't touch the edges of the pan. Add the last third of the banana bread batter, and pipe the remaining brownie batter in one strip in the middle
- Use a skewer to swirl the layers of batters together - I don't like to swirl too much because I like having big pockets of brownie batter
- Optionally, you can cut some butter into very thin strips and arrange them in a line down the middle of the pan. This helps guide the crack of the banana bread as it bakes. You can also sprinkle over some more chocolate chips
- Bake in the pre-heated oven for ~65-70 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the banana bread comes out with light, moist crumbs (no wet batter)
- Let the banana bread cool down in the pan for at least 30 minutes before removing, slicing and serving!
Video tutorial:
Notes
- Make ahead & storing: You can make this brownie banana bread beforehand and store it in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days (or in the fridge for up to 5 days). I recommend reheating each slice in the microwave before serving!
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 65 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American






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