Sweet, tender, and topped with ganache, making Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Without Baking Soda has never been tastier! Learn how to make this simple quickbread recipe using baking powder as a leavener for the next time that yellow box of Arm & Hammer runs dry!
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About This Recipe
I often turn to various types of banana bread or cake when I have a few brown-spotted fruits languishing on the counter. My Raspberry Banana Sour Cream Muffins, Banana Cake with Brown Butter Buttercream, and Coconut Banana Bread Cupcakes are just a few of my favorites!
But what’s a girl to do when she’s fresh out of baking soda? Why, make my chocolate chip banana bread with no baking soda, of course! Swapping in baking powder and using the creaming method means this gorgeous loaf gets nice and lofty, all without the soda bicarbonate most recipes call for. How great is that?
While you will need more than one bowl, this easy chocolate chip banana bread recipe comes together in a snap. With just about 10 minutes of prep work, you’ll have the batter ready for baking. Make a loaf this weekend and enjoy a sweet treat for breakfast all week long!
Ingredients & Substitutions
You don’t need much for this banana bread recipe without baking soda. Here’s your list:
- All-Purpose Flour - A go-to ingredient in this kitchen!
- Baking Powder - Oftentimes, it is inadvisable to swap baking powder for baking soda. To get the same amount of loft from your baked goods, you need 2-4x as much baking powder as soda, which can sometimes impart a bit of a bitter flavor in your baked goods. Luckily, this sweet banana bread is a perfect spot for the swap to work.
- Sea Salt - If you’re working with a different type of salt (e.g. kosher), you’ll want to reference this salt conversion chart for proper measurement.
- Ripe Bananas - The spottier, the better! You can also swap in mashed sweet potato or pumpkin purée in the fall. YUM!
- Unsalted Butter - Look for butter that is grass-fed, cultured, and/or organic for the best flavor.
- Brown Sugar - I love the sweet, caramelly notes that brown sugar imparts on this simple banana bread recipe. Feel free to use either light or dark, or swap in plain granulated sugar in a pinch.
- Eggs - Let them come to room temperature for easier mixing.
- Milk - Feel free to use dairy or plant-based milk here. Allow it to come to room temperature to keep the batter from seizing.
- Vanilla Extract - You can also use vanilla paste or powder.
- Chocolate Chips - I’m a semisweet Guittard chocolate chip kinda gal, but feel free to swap in your own favorites here. You can also swap in chopped toasted nuts if you prefer!
Equipment
This easy banana bread without baking soda really only requires two pieces of specialty equipment:
- Hand- or Stand-Mixer - Since we aren’t getting a rise out of baking soda in this chocolate chip banana bread, we are going to use the creaming method where sugar is beaten into butter, creating tiny air pockets. Make your life easier by getting a little electrical assistance!
- Standard Loaf Tin - Either 9x5” or 8.5x4.5” will work here. Just note that you’ll need a bit longer bake time with the smaller tin! To get the crisp, square edges you see below, I've used a pullman loaf pan.
How To Make Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Without Baking Soda
You’ll love how easy this chocolate chip banana bread recipe is to make. Here’s how it’s done:
Step 1: Prep. Preheat the oven to 350F. Prepare loaf tin by spraying it with non-stick cooking spray.
Step 2: Dry Ingredients. In a medium bowl add the flour, baking powder and salt and whisk together to combine.
Step 3: Mash Bananas. In a separate bowl add the bananas and vanilla extract and use a fork or potato masher to mash.
Step 4: Cream Butter & Sugar. Place the butter and sugar into the bowl of a standing mixer, and cream together using a paddle attachment until light and fluffy. This should take about 4 minutes – then add eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl between additions.
Step 5: Add Bananas. Add the bananas and vanilla extract, mixing until combined.
Step 6: Add Dries & Milk. Finally, add the dries and milk in two separate stages, mixing gently before finally folding in the chocolate chips.
Step 7: Bake & Cool. Bake for about 60-65 minutes or until you’ve checked for doneness with a toothpick and it comes out with little to no crumbs. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 25 minutes before carefully transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 8: Garnish & Enjoy! Top with ganache and chocolate chips if desired. Serve with a mug of coffee, tea, or milk for breakfast, brunch, or an after-school snack!
Optional Variations
I’m pretty sweet on this chocolate chip banana bread just the way it is, but there’s always room for customization! Here are a few of my favorite variations:
- Make Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins. Line a muffin tin with 12 paper liners and equally divvy your banana bread batter into muffins or cupcakes for easy sharing. Bake at 375F for about 30 minutes!
- Swap the chocolate chips for a different mix-in. Toasted nuts like walnuts or pecans make for a very tasty banana bread indeed.
- Make it dairy-free. Use plant-based butter and milk to keep your lactose intolerant friends happy!
Expert Tips
- Don’t skip the creaming step. Creaming sugar into butter helps to create air pockets, which helps to give this banana bread with no baking soda the right amount of lift.
- Check your baking powder. Baking powder tends to lose its lifting power more quickly than baking soda, so you’ll want to test it if its been sitting in your pantry for awhile. Add a small amount of baking powder to a small bowl and add a small amount of water. If it starts bubbling and foaming, it’s still good. If it doesn’t, you’re sadly out of luck.
- Allow to cool in the pan first. This banana bread recipe yields a wonderfully tender loaf, which is a delight to eat, but can pose a threat to its structural integrity. Give it a chance to cool for at least 25 minutes in the pan first to help give it time to firm up.
- If you aren’t topping with ganache, save a handful of chocolate chips to scatter on top. Saving a few chips for the top means you’ll have quite a lovely loaf!
- Pre-heat the oven before you get started. Baking powder starts acting as soon as it hits liquid, so be sure to preheat your oven first or you’ll lose out on some of the lifting power before it goes in the oven.
Frequently Asked Questions
No baking soda? No problem! This recipe for banana bread uses baking powder and the creaming method to get a perfectly risen chocolate-flecked loaf of deliciousness.
Placing your bunch in a paper bag and shutting it tightly will help to trap the ethylene gas that causes bananas to ripen. Using this method, you can get your bananas nice and spotty in just 24 hours. If you need bananas to ripen even faster, preheat your oven to 400F. Place bananas on a parchment-lined baking tray (for easy clean up), then bake for 5-10 minutes (or until brown).
If kept well sealed and refrigerated, it should last for a week. Otherwise, pop it in the freezer for up to a month.
Sure! Use non-dairy butter and milk, then swap in flax eggs. 1 Flax Egg = 1 Tablespoon Flaxseeds + 3 Tablespoons Water + Stir + 5 Minute Rest.
More Banana Bread Recipes
As always, I love seeing your creations and hearing from you! If you try the recipe for this Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Without Baking Soda, please leave a review or share your creation with me on social media! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Youtube and Pinterest - for more delicious recipes sent straight to your inbox, sign up for my newsletter!
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Without Baking Soda
Equipment
- Bowl
- Whisk
- Spatula
- 9x5 Pullman Loaf Pan
- Cooling Rack
Ingredients
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
- 250 g (2 cups) All Purpose Flour
- 3 teaspoon Baking Powder
- ¾ teaspoon Sea Salt
- 215 g (About 2 bananas) Ripe Bananas
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
- 150 g (⅔ cup) Unsalted butter, room temperature
- 185 g (¾ cup + 2 Tablespoons) Brown sugar
- 2 Eggs, large, room temperature
- 100 g (⅓ cup + 2 tablespoons) Whole Milk
- 250 g (1 ⅓ cups) Semisweet Chocolate chips
Ganache Topping (optional)
- 80 g (⅓ cup) Heavy Cream
- 100 g (⅔ cup) Dark Chocolate , melted
- Mini Chocolate Chips
Instructions
Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl add the flour, baking powder and salt and whisk together to combine.250 g All Purpose Flour, 3 teaspoon Baking Powder, ¾ teaspoon Sea Salt
- In a separate bowl add the bananas and vanilla extract and use a fork or potato masher to mash.215 g Ripe Bananas, 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
- Place the butter and sugar into the bowl of a standing mixer, and cream together using a paddle attachment until light and fluffy. This should take about 4 minutes – then add eggs one at a time, scraping the bowl between additions.150 g Unsalted butter, 185 g Brown sugar, 2 Eggs
- Add the bananas and vanilla extract, mixing until combined.
- Finally, add the dries and milk in two separate stages, mixing gently before finally folding in the chocolate chips.100 g Whole Milk, 250 g Semisweet Chocolate chips
- Bake for about 60-65 minutes or until you’ve checked for doneness with a toothpick and it comes out with little to no crumbs. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 25 minutes before carefully transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Ganache Topping (optional)
- Heat heavy cream in the microwave for about 30-45 seconds. Pour into the melted chocolate and stir until smooth. Add to the top of the cooled banana bread, sprinkle on a few chocolate chips if desired and enjoy!80 g Heavy Cream, 100 g Dark Chocolate, Mini Chocolate Chips
Notes
- Don’t skip the creaming step. Creaming sugar into butter helps to create air pockets, which helps to give this banana bread with no baking soda the right amount of lift.
- Check your baking powder. Baking powder tends to lose its lifting power more quickly than baking soda, so you’ll want to test it if it has been sitting in your pantry for a while. Add a small amount of baking powder to a small bowl and add a small amount of water. If it starts bubbling and foaming, it’s still good. If it doesn’t, you’re sadly out of luck.
- Allow to cool in the pan first. This banana bread recipe yields a wonderfully tender loaf, which is a delight to eat, but can pose a threat to its structural integrity. Give it a chance to cool for at least 25 minutes in the pan first to help give it time to firm up.
- If you aren’t topping with ganache, save a handful of chocolate chips to scatter on top. Saving a few chips for the top means you’ll have a prettier loaf!
- Pre-heat the oven before you get started. Baking powder starts acting as soon as it hits liquid, so be sure to preheat your oven first or you’ll lose out on some of the lifting power before it goes in the oven.
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