✔ Updated · fixed card, bundt and loaf-pan timings, moisture tips
This banana bread is inspired by Chrissy Teigen's famous recipe: a ridiculously moist bundt loaded with ripe banana, coconut and dark chocolate. A box of vanilla pudding mix is the trick, and it's the most-requested bake in my kitchen.
At a glance
The one tip that matters: Use bananas that are almost black and don't skip the pudding mix. Together they're why this loaf stays soft and moist for days.
Why You'll Love This Banana Bread
- Ultra-moist thanks to oil, very ripe bananas and instant pudding mix.
- Coconut and dark chocolate in every slice, with a caramelized crust.
- Big enough to share: one bundt feeds a crowd and freezes beautifully.
What Makes This Banana Bread So Moist?
This banana bread is famous for one unusual ingredient: a box of instant vanilla pudding mix. Combined with oil instead of butter and a generous 2 cups of very ripe banana, it makes a bread that's closer to a soft bundt cake, with toasty coconut and pockets of dark chocolate.
I first made it for a friend's brunch and came home with an empty cake stand. My test for any famous recipe is simple: does a home cook get the same result every time? With ripe bananas and a well-greased pan, yes.
Step-by-Step Photos
Here's how it comes together. Exact amounts, times and temperatures are in the recipe card below.
Tips for Success
- The uglier the banana, the better. Almost-black bananas are sweeter and wetter, which is where the moist texture and toffee flavor come from.
- Instant pudding, not cook-and-serve. The instant mix adds moisture and a soft, almost cakey crumb. Vanilla is classic; banana cream pudding mix is fun too.
- Coat the pan well. Butter every crevice of the bundt, then dust with sugar or coconut. It gives a crunchy, caramelized crust and helps it release cleanly.
- Fold gently. Stop as soon as the flour disappears. Overmixing makes banana bread tough and tunneled.
- Loaf pans work too. Divide between two 9 x 5-inch pans and start checking at 50 minutes. I make one to eat and freeze the other.
Chrissy Teigen-Style Banana Bread
12
slices15
minutes1
hour5
minutes470
kcal1
hour50
minutesBanana bread inspired by Chrissy Teigen’s famous recipe: very ripe bananas, eggs, oil and sugar with a box of instant vanilla pudding for an ultra-moist crumb, plus shredded coconut and chopped dark chocolate, baked in a bundt pan at 350°F.
Ingredients
- For the Banana Bread
2 cups very ripe bananas, mashed (about 4 large)
4 large eggs
2/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1 box instant vanilla pudding mix (one 3.4 oz box)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
4 oz dark chocolate, roughly chopped
- For the Pan
softened butter and a little extra sugar or coconut, for coating the pan
Directions
- Mix
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter a 10- to 12-cup bundt pan generously, then sprinkle it with a little sugar or coconut so the crust caramelizes and releases easily.
- Whisk the mashed bananas, eggs, oil and sugar in a large bowl until smooth.
- In another bowl, whisk the flour, pudding mix, baking soda and salt. Add to the banana mixture and fold just until no dry streaks remain.
- Fold in the coconut and three-quarters of the chocolate.
- Bake
- Scrape the batter into the pan, smooth the top and scatter the remaining chocolate over it.
- Bake 60 to 70 minutes, until a skewer in the thickest part comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If the top browns too fast, tent with foil after 45 minutes.
- Cool in the pan 15 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool at least 30 minutes more before slicing.
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Variations
- Nutty: swap the coconut for chopped toasted walnuts or pecans.
- Banana cream: use banana cream instant pudding instead of vanilla.
- Muffins: fill 24 lined muffin cups two-thirds full and bake 20 to 24 minutes.
- Less sweet: cut the sugar to 1 1/2 cups; the pudding mix still keeps it moist.
More Banana Recipes
Got more ripe bananas? Try our copycat Starbucks banana bread, Bisquick banana bread and Bisquick banana muffins, or browse our list of banana desserts.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is in Chrissy Teigen's banana bread?
Her well-known banana bread from the Cravings cookbook is known for ripe bananas, eggs, oil, sugar, flour, a box of instant vanilla pudding mix, shredded coconut and dark chocolate, baked in a bundt pan. This version uses those same ingredients.
Why add pudding mix to banana bread?
Instant pudding mix adds starch, sugar and flavor that help the crumb hold moisture, so the bread stays soft and tender for days. It also gives a subtle vanilla flavor that pairs perfectly with banana and chocolate.
Can I make it without coconut?
Yes. Leave the coconut out, or swap it for 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans or extra chocolate. The texture stays just as moist, and the bake time is about the same.
Can I bake it in a loaf pan?
Yes. Split the batter between two greased 9 x 5-inch loaf pans and bake at 350°F for 50 to 60 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean. One loaf pan is too small for this amount of batter.
How do I store and freeze it?
Once completely cool, wrap well and keep at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to a week. Freeze slices or the whole cake, wrapped in plastic and foil, for up to 3 months.
