Prep:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9×5-inch loaf pan, or line it with parchment paper for easy removal.
2. Mash the bananas in a large bowl using a fork or potato masher until smooth, with only a few lumps remaining. The more ripe your bananas are, the sweeter and moister your bread will be!

Mixing:

3. Mix wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, combine the melted butter, both sugars, eggs, and vanilla extract. Stir well to blend.
4. Combine dry ingredients: In another bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt.
5. Combine wet and dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring gently. Once combined, pour in the mashed bananas and milk, and mix until just incorporated. Do not overmix! This keeps the bread light and fluffy.
6. Add chocolate chips: If desired, fold in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the batter.

Baking:

7. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Smooth the top with a spatula.
8. Bake for 55-65 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs. Check the bread around 50 minutes; if the top is getting too dark, cover loosely with foil and continue baking.
9. Cool: Once done, remove from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes. Then, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.