CHOCOLATE!!!

I’m not going to lie, chocolate is my weak spot. Chocolate in general, chocolate baked into things, chocolate flavored things, all of it! That being said, when I came across this recipe you know I had to check it out for myself. Banana bread is delicious all on its own, but adding chocolate to it, in two forms, makes it even better!!

Before I post a picture and you start to scratch you head, the picture is of only 1/2 the recipe! I was running low on bananas but I wanted to make the recipe anyways so I just did 1/2. If you do the full amount, it will completely fill the loaf pan and make a full sized loaf!

Ingredients

• 1 c flour
• 1/2 c dutch processed cocoa
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 lg. ripe bananas
• 1/4 c unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• 1/4 c vegetable oil
• 3/4 c brown sugar
• 1 egg, at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 c chocolate chips

If you are trying to restrain yourself and want to make only a mini loaf then use…

• 1/2 c flour
• 1/4 c dutch processed cocoa
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1.5 lg. bananas
• 1/8 c butter, melted and cooled
• 1/8 c vegetable oil (2 tbsp, if your measuring glass doesn’t have 1/8 c)
• 6 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 egg, at room temperature
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 c chocolate chips (or more if you like it super chocolatey)

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease a 9×5 loaf pan.
   • I recommend taking your egg out now so that you don’t forget about it.
2. Place the butter in a small dish and allow it to melt in the microwave and then allow it to cool back to room temperature.
3. While butter is cooling, in a small-medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside for now.
4. In a medium-large sized bowl, mash your bananas.
5. Add the now cooled butter and the vegetable oil to the mashed bananas.
6. Stir the brown sugar, egg and vanilla into the banana mixture.
   • If you are only making half of the recipe, when it comes to adding half an egg, crack the egg into its own bowl and whisk it together. Once it is whisked, pour half of the egg in and discard the remaining half.
7. Slowly stir in the dry ingredients, ensuring that it gets combined completely.
8. Add about 1/2-3/4 c of chocolate chips to the mixture.
9. Pour the banana mixture into your greased loaf pan. Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on top.
10. Bake for 60-65 minutes, checking and rotating it half way through.
    • I like to start by cooking it on the top shelf and then after 30 minutes moving it to the bottom shelf to finish baking.
    • I also like to slightly under bake my banana bread; I take it out even if there is a little sticking to the knife when I pull it out. I feel that once it cools it stays nice and soft longer when I bake it that way.
11. When it is finished baking, allow the bread to cool in the loaf pan for 10 minutes before removing it and allowing for it to cool completely on a wire rack.

Tip from the “Unofficial Taste Tester”

The Unofficial Taste Tester of this blog believes that this banana bread tastes best after it sits for a day. He says that once it is allowed to cool completely and sit (wrapped in tin foil) for a day it tastes exceptional. When you bite into it, the bread is so dense and delicious! You can’t eat it too quickly, but you want to so bad. I chase it down with a nice cold glass of milk; really hits the spot.

He also states that this is his favorite recipe, out of all of the things that I have made, which is saying a lot since I have made quite a few treats for him over the past five years!

Test Kitchen: Opinions and Changes

This is another one of those recipes that is already Test Kitchen Approved. I found this recipe over a year ago and have been making it ever since! I’m not going to lie, it might be too much chocolate for some people, but if you just having one slice, you’ll be fine. If you’re a chocoholic though, you’ll be right in you happy place when you take a big ol’ bite of this.

I found this recipe on Two Peas & Their Pod. In terms of ingredients, I did not make any changes. I do suggest under cooking it slightly, while they do not and I also find that it stays good for about a week or a little longer when I keep it wrapped in tin foil on the counter. They suggest plastic wrap, but it only lasts 4 days for them. They also have a vegan/gluten-free version of this same recipe if you would like to check that out.

Thanks for checking out this recipe. Let me know if you have ever tried it before and what your favorite banana bread recipe is!

Happy Baking!