Hot Chocolate Banana Bread
The best Hot Chocolate Banana Bread recipe for the holidays! Made with hot cocoa mix and topped with a 2-ingredient whipped ganache and crushed peppermint. A fun, easy way to use leftover candy canes!
Ingredients
Hot Chocolate Banana Bread
- 4 bananas mashed
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup butter melted
- 3/4 cup white granulated sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup hot chocolate mix (I used 2 1oz. packets)
- 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Whipped Chocolate Ganache
- 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips or bar
Toppings (optional)
- 6 mini candy canes or 2 regular sized candy canes crushed
Instructions
Hot Chocolate Banana Bread
- Preheat oven to 350℉.
- Grease a loaf pan and set aside.
- In a medium sized bowl, combine all the ingredients and mix together.
- Pour the batter into the greased loaf pan and bake for 50-60 minutes, depending on your oven. Check it at 50 minutes, if a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out wet, keep baking for an additional 10 minutes.
- While the banana bread bakes, begin making the chocolate ganache
- Remove the banana bread from the oven once done and allow to cool slightly before taking the loaf out of the pan to finish cooling.
Whipped Chocolate Ganache
- Place the chocolate chips or chopped chocolate bar into a heat resistant bowl (glass or metal) and set aside. In a saucepan over medium-high heat, warm the heavy whipping cream until it just starts to simmer. You do not want it to boil! When you see small bubbles starting to form around the edge and a soft simmer starting in the middle, you can remove from the heat. When it's reached this point, pour the cream into your bowl of chocolate, cover it with foil, and let it sit for ~2 minutes.
- Whisk the chocolate and heavy cream mixture together until it’s uniform in consistency and there are no bits of chocolate left on your whisk. Cover the surface of the ganache with a piece of plastic wrap and refrigerate until the ganache is slightly chilled. I wait between 1 and 2 hours.
- Use a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or a hand mixer to whip the ganache on medium-high speed just until it lightens in color and creates a peak (similar to the consistency of buttercream frosting), about 2-3 minutes. *Do not over whip, the ganache may curdle if you do
- Immediately spread the whipped ganache on top of the cooled banana bread. Top with crushed candy pieces if you wish, slice and enjoy! Be sure to store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. It will stay fresh for 3-5 days.