Did we mention how it’s World Chocolate Day this month? There’s quite a bit happening in July actually, including Bastille Day, World Snake Day, World Emoji Day, etc. July 1st is International Joke Day, the 2nd is World UFO Day and the 3rd is International Drop A Rock Day. We don’t even know what that is. The 4th is Alice in Wonderland Day, the 6th is International Kissing Day and the 7th is not only the chocolate day but Global Forgiveness Day too. Which is kind of convenient because it means you can go seek forgiveness with a chocolate offering and celebrate two birds with one stone. As in – “Here. I’m sorry. Have a Freddo Frog.” If that doesn’t work for you, then maybe wait for July 24th which is World Self Care Day. Which sounds to us like the perfect licence to retire to the couch with a Pick & Mix Lindt Hamper and eat our way into a creamy, melty stupor in front of Netflix. Sugar-fuelled inactivity is our idea of self-care but you might prefer to take your creamy meltiness to the day spa, gym or sauna… whatever floats your boat. 

Anyway. Chocolate. We think just about everything is better with a whack of cocoa and here’s our latest obsession; chocolate banana bread. 

MAKES 1 x 23 x 13cm LOAF

225g (1½ cups) plain flour

55g (½ cup) Dutch process cocoa

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

85g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra, for greasing

140g (⅔ cup) caster sugar, plus extra, for sprinkling

1 large egg

1½ tsp vanilla extract

4 very ripe bananas, mashed

125g (½ cup) sour cream

2 firm, ripe bananas, sliced lengthways

Preheat the oven to 180 ˚C.

Generously grease the base and sides of a 23 x 13cm loaf tin with butter. Sprinkle all over with caster sugar, shaking out the excess. 

Sift the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt into a bowl. 

Using electric beaters, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla, beating to combine well. Add the flour mixture, mashed banana and sour cream, then using a large, metal spoon, stir to mix well. Spoon the mixture into the loaf tin, smoothing the top even. Lightly press the sliced banana into the mixture, scatter over a little caster sugar, then bake for 1 ½-1 ¾ hours or until a cake tester withdraws clean. Cool the bread in the tin for 25 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool.