Banana Bread Brownies with Vanilla Caramel Glaze – Perfect for those times you want chocolate but need to use up your ripe bananas, make these. Not cakey, very fudgy, and extremely moist.
Sometimes I make a recipe according to the lavish ideas I have rolling around inside my head and get so excited when I’m about to pull my newest creation from the oven, only to discover it didn’t go quite like I planned. Or worse, I have a cake-tastrophe.
In the case of these brownies, I didn’t get what I planned. I got more than I planned, in the best way.
I intended to make chocolate banana bread, baked in a 9-by-9-inch pan, so that it would take on a banana bread meets banana bars meets chocolate cake quality.
What emerged from the oven was much more like brownies with a hint of banana than chocolate banana bread. Although the brownies have banana undertones, chocolate steals the thunder. I love happy chocolate accidents.
Chocolate steals the show because it’s used in three ways, and one of those ways does not include using chocolate chips or melted chocolate. I won’t make you do chocolate math and I’ll just spill the cocoa beans how I did it.
First, I used cocoa powder. Ordinarily, I don’t use cocoa powder in brownies because I find it tends to dry them out and prefer to use melted chocolate. Here, however, the bananas kept the brownies gooey and moist and counteracted any drying effects that cocoa powder tends to have.
Secondly, I used chocolate Greek yogurt which tenderized the crumb and boosted the chocolate intensity level.
Baked goods made with yogurt, sour cream, or buttermilk stay especially moist and soft and the chocolate yogurt worked according to plan and the brownies are soft and springy, tender, and chocolaty.
The third chocolate use came via a box of packet of instant chocolate pudding mix tossed into the batter. Although the pudding mix can be omitted, I think of it as moisture and softness insurance in powder packet form. I’ll likely never bake banana bread again without it because it does magical things.
However, if you choose to omit it, I recommend increasing the amounts of both cocoa powder and granulated sugar, about 2 extra tablespoons of cocoa powder and 2 to 4 extra tablespoons of granulated sugar. Unfortunately, you won’t be able to recreate the softness, depth of flavor, moisture, and just a certain x-factor the pudding provides.
I glazed the brownies with my favorite frosting, Vanilla Caramel Glaze, which I used on the Spiced Apple and Banana Bundt Cake. I want to bake things just as an excuse just to have that glaze. It’s buttery, rich, very caramely, smooth, and it has great flavor depth, which is surprising considering how few ingredients are used.
I want to dig my fork into the luscious caramel-vanilla ribbons over and over. I made extra glaze just to have around midnight, when my strongest want-a-spoonful cravings come on, from homemade peanut butter to frosting and glaze. I never crave celery sticks at that hour.
Although the brownies have some springiness and sponginess to them, they are not cakey, which is a good thing because I hate cakey brownies. They’re springy and bouncy in the way that a chocolate cake-mix-cake is. However, they’re not just a chocolate cake with some banana throw in; nor are they banana bread with some cocoa powder added. They’re fudgy and brownie-like.
So although I intended to create chocolate banana bread for Week 6 of Banana Bread Fest I’m so pleased these didn’t come out according to plan. Long live good kitchen karma.
Pin This Recipe
Enjoy AverieCooks.com Without Ads! 🆕
Go Ad Free
Banana Bread Brownies with Vanilla Caramel Glaze
Ingredients
Brownies
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted (one stick)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg
- 6 ounces chocolate, vanilla, or plain Greek yogurt (one standard-sized small container; or sour cream may be substituted; I use Chobani Vanilla Chocolate Chunk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup mashed ripe bananas, about 1 1/2 large or 2 small bananas
- one 3.9-ounce box chocolate instant pudding mix, not Cook ‘n Serve
- ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon unsweetened natural cocoa powder
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt, optional and to taste
- Vanilla Caramel Glaze
Vanilla Caramel Glaze
- Makes about 1 cup glaze, enough to generously glaze the brownies
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted (half of 1 stick)
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons cream or milk
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ to 2 cups+ confectioners’ sugar, sifted (must be sifted)
Instructions
Brownies
- Preheat oven to 350F, line a 9-by-9-inch pan with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray or grease and flour the pan; set aside.
- In a large microwave-safe mixing bowl, melt the butter, about 1 minute. To the melted butter, add the granulated sugar (may be reduced to 3/4 cup if you like more bitter brownies), brown sugar, egg, yogurt, vanilla, and whisk to combine. Add the bananas and stir to incorporate.
- Add the dry pudding mix, cocoa powder, and stir or whisk to combine; batter will appear lumpy because of the bananas. (Note: You are not making pudding; simply add the mix as a dry ingredient. It may be omitted and add slightly more cocoa powder, flour, and granulated sugar may instead be added, to taste. I recommend using the pudding because it softens, tenderizes, and flavors the brownies)
- Add the flour, baking soda, salt, and stir until just combined, taking care not to over-mix or brownies will be tougher as the gluten will over-develop. The batter is quite thick and dense, and is fluffier than typical brownie batter. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for about 40 to 44 minutes, or until top is set and edges have pulled away slightly from sides of the pan. A toothpick inserted in the center will not come out completely clean because these are gooey, dense, and fudgy. Allow brownies to cool in pan for at least 30 minutes before slicing and serving. While brownies cool, make the glaze.
- Vanilla Caramel Glaze
- Note – This is a fast moving recipe; have everything in place before you begin.
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. To the melted butter, add the brown sugar and bring to a boil, stirring nearly continuously. Allow the mixture to boil quite rapidly for 2 minutes, stirring nearly continuously. Remove the pan from the burner, allow it to cool for about 1 minute, and add the cream, taking caution because the mixture could bubble vigorously. Whisk aggressively to incorporate the cream and calm the bubbling.
- After the bubbling has subsided, add the vanilla and whisk to combine, using caution because the alcohol in the extract could cause the mixture to bubble up again. Add the confectioners’ sugar one-half cup at a time, until desired sauce consistency is reached (I absolutely recommend using sifted sugar so the glaze whisks up smooth, silky, and free from lumps). Drizzle glaze over brownies with a spoon for a drizzly speckled effect with the white on black; or pour it over the entire top surface for a uniform thin layer of glaze (if you are using the drizzle approach, you may have excess glaze and it can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 month for a future baking project). Allow glaze to set up for a few minutes if desired; or slice and serve immediately. Unglazed brownies will keep for up to 5 days in an airtight container at room temperature. Glazed brownies should be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container and will keep for up to 1 week, or can be frozen for up to 3 months. I prefer these brownies chilled and store them in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
©averiecooks.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
Related Recipes
Banana Bread with Vanilla Browned Butter Glaze – Week 1 of Banana Bread Fest
Zucchini Banana Bread with Browned Butter Cream Cheese Frosting – Week 2 of Banana Bread Fest
Pumpkin Banana Bread with Browned Butter Cream Cheese Glaze – Week 3 of Banana Bread Fest
Spiced Apple Banana Bundt Cake with Vanilla Caramel Glaze – Week 4 Banana Bread Fest
Carrot Pineapple Banana Bread with Browned Butter Cream Cheese Frosting – Week 5 Banana Bread Fest
Fudgy Nutella Brownies with Cream Cheese Frosting – My go-to brownie recipe and it’s the base I use for all other brownie recipes. Made in one bowl with a whisk and it’s a 5-minute easy batter to make, just as easy as a mix
Chocolate Cake with Chocoalte Ganche – The best homemade chocolate cake recipe, no mixer required. Better, easier, and faster than a box and the ganache can be made in the microwave in minutes
If you had to pick banana bread or brownies, which would it be?
This is such a hard call because at times I want chocolate, and nothing else will do, so brownies it is.
However, when it’s done right, very little can trump a perfect slice of banana bread. I adore it – in case you hadn’t noticed with 6 weeks of banana bread, banana cake, or banana something.
Do you have a great recipe for banana bread or for brownies?
Between melting butter or creaming it, melted chocolate or cocoa powder and how much, how many bananas and whether to whip them or mash them; how much flour, baking soda or baking powder or a combo of them, how many eggs, or eggs plus a yolk, how long to bake, size of pans…Other than chocolate chip cookies, no other two recipes seem to have more variations and methods than banana bread or brownies and everyone has their favorites.
This recipe is my jumping off place for banana bread and the inspiration for the subsequent weeks of Banana Bread Fest. This was week 6 and I have week 7’s recipe already made.
This recipe is my foolproof one-bowl brownie recipe upon which all other brownie creations are derived. It’s as easy and fast as a boxed mix, no mixer required, and the resulting brownies are much richer, more intense, uber-fudgy, not at all cakey, and yo’ll never need boxed brownie mix again.
Feel free to link up your favorite recipes for either banana bread or brownies and have a great week!
Reminder that these giveaways are still going on:
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies + KitchenAid Stand Mixer + $200 Williams-Sonoma Gift Card Giveaway (through Monday 10/8 – winner announced next post)
Grill On Morningstar Farms Giveaway (until Tuesday 10/9)
Muir Glen Gift Basket Giveaway (until Tuesday 10/9)
When it comes to baking, I kind of love the fact that we never really know what to expect when trying something new.
These brownies are mouth-watering! That texture is sheer perfection. :D
It was a happy accident. Thank god it wasn’t a ohmigodwhatnow kind of accident :) Thanks for the Pin, too!
Two of my favorite flavors…wow. Well done!!!
Whooaaaaaa. Using chocolate yogurt. Totally good idea! I never think about yogurt because I don’t like it plain, but I’ve always liked what it does to baked goods, this is a brilliant idea. I wonder if coffee flavored yogurt could be put to use too…
Coffee flavored yogurt I think would be great in straight up brownies or choc cake or anything you want to throw a dollop of it into for tenderness. I worry slightly about bananas + coffee flavor. Then again, it could work!
I agree that coffee flavor would excel in a chocolate dessert-however i had an old cookbook(an old cooking light maybe?) that had a stellar recipe for banana bread that actually had coffee in it, though you did not really end up tasting coffee, but it was good so maybe it would work?
I think that a banana-coffee frappucino could be good under the right circumstances, so why not in dessert. Sounds like something Top Chef or Christina Tosi would do and combine!
two amazing baked goods in one – genius!
yum! looks so moist and fudgy!
Wow. You really are a baking genius. Banana brownies are just what this world needs right now!! Seriously, between the texture and flavor, I can’t WAIT to try these!! And don’t even get me started on that Vanilla Caramel Glaze (I LOVE that you say that it’s a fast-moving recipe at the outset – making caramel is serious business!) :)
And I don’t bother with thermometers or any of that business…just keep stirring and eyeball it, ya know. But that old mise en place thing of having things in place, yeah, that. Do it with caramel-making as you well know! And I seriously love that you’re a HWeen person and into it!
Wow, never would have thought to use bananas for brownies but it makes total sense! And any time pudding mix is involved, baked good typically turn out 100 times better. I love the Greek yogurt add, although I still can’t find the chocolate chunk CHO anywhere! :(
Ive seen it at my local Ralph’s (part of the Kroger family) and also Vons (Safeway)…however, San Diego gets ‘good’ groceries. When Ive lived in certain parts of the country, we got…’iffy’ selection. Ugh.
Next time you have a happy chocolate accident, do you mind popping the whole batch into a package and sending it via snail mail my way? I would hate for you to have an accident that scrumptious sitting around your kitchen–it could be hazardous, you know ;) thanks for sharing, Averie
I have so much food here at all times – my husband’s coworkers, friends, neighbors, teachers, etc…everyone is well supplied :)
I have no words…except yes please!
as always, thanks for the Pin love!
Oh my! Love this chocolate accident! I can’t wait to try it out :)
Man oh man! You are the bread baking queen lately. They all look so darn good and are on my list for fall baking. Once soccer is over (3 weeks), then I will have my life back and be able to spend more time in the kitchen. Right now, I only get one day a week to really cook up a storm and I’m spending most of that day preparing make-ahead-meals.
Have a great Monday girl!
xoxo,
Jackie
I hate those weeks where you know your time is extremely limited in the kitchen. And of course that day it’s like cloudy and you can’t shoot. I try to pre-bake at night in the wee hours and then get up do a.m. photography. There are times I’m baking at 2am!
Never would have thought to do something like this. They look awesome. Thanks for the recipe!
I love a happy accident :-)
Banana bread brownies… this is an inspired idea! What a beautiful treat!
Jen I have been looking at your oatmeal cream pies/Little Debbie knockoff cookies…and I totally want to make them!
Hooray for happy kitchen accidents that look this fudgey and delicious!!! I would be eating it all night long if I had this in front of me. That glaze gets me every single time!!!!
It gets me every time, too. I wish I didn’t love it so much! lol
to die for! I could grab one off the screen! Hope you had a fabulous weekend! I love you and one day we are going to meet! xoxoxoox