Step 1: Prepare Your Environment

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and position the rack in the middle position for even heat distribution. Line a 9×5-inch loaf pan with parchment paper, leaving overhang on the sides for easy removal later. The parchment "sling" will become your best friend when it's time to lift the bread out cleanly.

Step 2: Prepare the Banana Mixture

In a large bowl, mash the overripe bananas until mostly smooth but with a few small chunks remaining for texture. The more speckled and dark your bananas, the more pronounced banana flavor your bread will have. If your bananas aren't quite ripe enough, a quick hack is to bake unpeeled bananas at 300°F for 15-20 minutes until the skins blacken.

Step 3: Combine Wet Ingredients

Add the melted butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract to the mashed bananas. Whisk together until the mixture is smooth and well-integrated. The melted butter should incorporate easily when warm (but not hot enough to cook the eggs). This wet mixture forms the moisture foundation of your chocolate banana bread.

Step 4: Mix Dry Ingredients Separately

In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt. This separate mixing ensures even distribution of the leavening agents and prevents cocoa clumps in your final batter. The cocoa powder adds not just chocolate flavor but contributes to the tender crumb structure.

Step 5: Combine Wet and Dry Mixtures

Gently fold the dry ingredients into the banana mixture, stirring just until combined. Overmixing develops gluten, which can make your bread tough, so use a folding motion with a spatula rather than aggressive stirring. Stop when you no longer see dry flour pockets but the batter still looks slightly lumpy.

Step 6: Add Chocolate Chips

Fold in ½ cup of the chocolate chips, reserving the remaining ¼ cup for topping. Coating the chips lightly in flour before adding them can help prevent sinking during baking, especially if using larger chocolate chunks instead of chips.

Step 7: Transfer to Pan and Top

Pour the batter into your prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Sprinkle the remaining ¼ cup of chocolate chips evenly over the surface. This creates an attractive top with pockets of melted chocolate that will entice your family or guests before they even taste it.

Step 8: Bake to Perfection

Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs (but no wet batter). Tent the bread with aluminum foil after 30 minutes if the top is browning too quickly. Your kitchen will fill with an irresistible chocolatey banana aroma as it bakes.

Step 9: Cool and Remove

Allow the bread to cool in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Then, using the parchment paper overhang, lift the bread out of the pan and let it cool completely on the rack before slicing. This patience-testing step is crucial—cutting too soon will result in a gummy texture rather than clean slices.