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This Red Velvet Banana Bread takes an ordinary banana bread and turns it into something special by folding in cocoa powder, red food coloring, and milk chocolate chips, then finishing it with a rich cream cheese icing. It has all the moist texture of your favorite banana bread with the eye-catching color and flavor of red velvet cake, and it has become one of the most requested *holiday brunch* treats in our house. If banana desserts are your favorite, our easy banana nut muffins are another quick treat worth trying.
A moist banana quick bread swirled with cocoa and red velvet color, studded with chocolate chips, and topped with cream cheese icing.
Red Velvet Banana Bread Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 65 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 75 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 12 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 451kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Rich, chocolatey, and lightly tangy from the cream cheese icing
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, similar effort to our banana bundt cake
Quick Answer
Cream softened butter and brown sugar together until smooth, then mix in vanilla extract and mashed bananas. Add the eggs one at a time, then mix in the sour cream. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder, saving back about a tablespoon of the dry mix to toss with the chocolate chips. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet batter until just combined, then mix in the red food coloring. Fold in the floured chocolate chips, pour the batter into a prepared 9×5 loaf pan, and bake at 350 degrees for 60 to 65 minutes. Cool completely, then top with cream cheese icing made from creamed cream cheese, powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla.
Jump to:
- Red Velvet Banana Bread Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Red Velvet Banana Bread
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Red Velvet Banana Bread FAQs
- Other Recommended Banana Desserts
- Chocolate Chip Red Velvet Banana Bread
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Ripe bananas keep the loaf moist. Using very ripe, well mashed bananas adds natural sweetness and moisture that keeps this bread tender for days.
- Cocoa powder and food coloring create the red velvet effect. A small amount of cocoa powder combined with red food coloring gives this loaf its classic red velvet color and subtle chocolate undertone.
- Sour cream adds richness. Folding in sour cream after the eggs gives the batter extra moisture and a slightly tangy richness similar to classic red velvet cake.
- Flouring the chocolate chips keeps them suspended. Tossing the chocolate chips in the reserved dry mix before folding them in keeps them from all sinking to the bottom of the loaf.
- A low, slow bake ensures even cooking. Baking at 350 degrees for a full hour lets the thick batter cook through evenly without burning the outside.
- Cream cheese icing balances the sweetness. The tangy cream cheese icing poured over the cooled loaf cuts through the sweetness for a perfectly balanced bite.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It transforms an everyday banana bread into a fun, red velvet inspired treat.
- The cream cheese icing makes it feel like a bakery-style dessert.
- It is just as rich as our best chocolate cream cheese frosting recipe.
Key Ingredients
A few pantry staples plus ripe bananas and a little food coloring create this fun twist on classic banana bread.
- Ripe mashed bananas: The base of this moist quick bread, about 2 large bananas.
- Cocoa powder and red food coloring: Give this loaf its signature red velvet color and flavor.
- Sour cream: Adds richness and a subtle tang similar to classic red velvet cake.
- Milk chocolate chips: Studded throughout the batter for pockets of melted chocolate.
- Cream cheese, powdered sugar, and milk: Whipped into a rich icing to finish the cooled loaf.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
This Red Velvet Banana Bread is easy to switch up depending on what you have on hand.
- Swap milk chocolate chips for white chocolate chips for a different flavor and color contrast.
- Skip the icing for a simpler loaf, similar to how we serve our banana nut muffins.
- Add a handful of chopped pecans or walnuts for extra crunch.
- Drizzle with extra icing like our chocolate cream cheese frosting for an even richer topping.
How to Make Red Velvet Banana Bread
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and grease a 9×5 loaf pan.
- Mix the butter and brown sugar with a hand mixer in a large bowl until smooth.
- Add in the vanilla and mashed bananas and mix until combined.
- Add in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Mix in the sour cream until everything is well combined.
- In a separate bowl, mix the flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder, saving about a tablespoon of the dry mix to toss with the chocolate chips.
- Slowly fold the dry mixture into the wet batter until there are no lumps.
- Add the red food coloring to the batter and mix well.
- Toss the chocolate chips in the reserved tablespoon of dry ingredients, then fold them into the batter.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top.
- Bake for 60 to 65 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the loaf cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then remove it from the pan and cool completely on the rack.
- While the bread cools, cream the cream cheese in a medium bowl until smooth.
- Add the powdered sugar a little at a time, then the milk and vanilla, and beat until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Once the bread is completely cooled, pour the cream cheese icing on top and serve.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Use very ripe, spotty bananas for the best natural sweetness and moisture in this loaf.
- Do not skip flouring the chocolate chips or they will sink straight to the bottom of the pan.
- Let the loaf cool completely before icing it, or the cream cheese icing will melt right off.
- Tent the loaf with foil if the top is browning too quickly before the center is done.
- Use gel food coloring rather than liquid for the most vibrant red velvet color without thinning the batter.
- Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to 5 days because of the cream cheese icing.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
This Red Velvet Banana Bread is delicious served slightly chilled or at room temperature with the cream cheese icing set.
Pair a slice with coffee for breakfast, or serve it as a dessert alongside our creamy tiramisu pie for a bigger spread.
Warm individual slices in the microwave for a few seconds for a gooey, melty chocolate chip bite.
Slice and wrap individual pieces for an easy grab-and-go breakfast treat.
Serve at a holiday brunch table since the red color makes it a fun seasonal centerpiece.
Red Velvet Banana Bread FAQs
Yes, simply leave out the red food coloring for a chocolate chip banana bread with a cocoa undertone instead of the classic red velvet color.
This usually happens if the loaf is underbaked or the oven door is opened too early, so bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean before removing it.
Yes, freeze the un-iced loaf tightly wrapped for up to 3 months, then thaw and add the cream cheese icing once it is time to serve.
No, the loaf is delicious on its own without icing if you prefer a simpler quick bread.
Sour cream gives the best moisture and slight tang, but plain yogurt can be substituted in a pinch.
Once iced, store it covered in the fridge for up to 5 days since the cream cheese icing needs to be refrigerated.
Tried this Chocolate Chip Red Velvet Banana Bread? I would love to hear how it turned out, leave a comment and a star rating below!
Chocolate Chip Red Velvet Banana Bread
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups mashed bananas about 2 large bananas
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup sour cream
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- 1 ounce gel no-taste red food coloring
- 1 cup milk chocolate chips
Cream Cheese Icing
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Mix the butter and brown sugar with a hand mixer in a large bowl until smooth.1/2 cup unsalted butter, 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- Add in the vanilla and bananas and mix until combined.1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 2 cups mashed bananas
- Add in the eggs one at a time.2 large eggs
- Last, add the sour cream until everything is well combined.1/3 cup sour cream
- Mix the flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa powder in a separate bowl.2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
- Slowly fold this into the wet mixture until there are no lumps, saving about one tablespoon of the dried mix.
- Add the food coloring to the batter and mix well.1 ounce gel no-taste red food coloring
- Toss the chocolate chips in the remaining dry ingredients and fold them into the batter.1 cup milk chocolate chips
- Spoon the mixture into a 9×5 prepared loaf pan and smooth out the top.
- Bake for 60-65 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Let cool on a wired rack for 10 minutes. Remove the bread from the loaf pan and set it directly on the rack to cool completely.
Cream Cheese Icing
- While the bread is cooling, make the icing by creaming the cream cheese in a medium-sized bowl with a hand or stand mixer until smooth.4 ounces cream cheese
- Add the powdered sugar a little at a time, then the milk and vanilla until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes.2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- When the bread is cooled, pour the icing on top and serve immediately.
Notes
- Use Overripe Bananas: The riper the bananas, the sweeter and more flavorful your bread will be.
- Don’t Overmix: When combining dry ingredients with wet, mix until just combined to keep the bread tender.
- Line Your Loaf Pan: Use parchment paper or cooking spray to prevent sticking.
- Test for Doneness: Insert a toothpick into the center; if it comes out clean, it’s ready.
- Cool Before Icing: Let the bread cool on a wire rack to prevent the icing from melting.
- Slice with a Sharp Knife: For perfect slices, use a serrated knife.
Nutrition
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