Sunday, January 27, 2013

Chocolate Banana Bread



When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.  When life gives you ripe bananas, make banana bread.  When you want to kick up banana bread, add chocolate.  Chocolate Banana Bread is both savory and slightly sweet, yet hardy and satisfying – a perfect bite of baked goodness.

I purchase bananas with the intention to eat one each day along with my Greek yogurt which I take to the office each day.  However, there are some weeks where blueberries rule the roost and the lonely banana sits in the basket on the counter wondering why he didn’t go to work with me that morning.  Then the weekend rolls around and 3 or 4 bananas are at the stage of perfection for making banana bread.

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A couple weeks ago that was the scenario.  Growing up my Mom would make her special banana bread every few months and it was always a treat.  Since life a few weeks ago brought me ripe bananas, I wanted to use her recipe but push it up a level by incorporating chocolate.  Sometimes I enjoy breads with nuts but for this one, I opted to leave them out and keep it to a pure chocolate and banana flavored quick bread.

The result was pure chocolate and banana heaven.  No butter required just pure decadence.  A rich, hot cup of coffee accompanied my slice of chocolate banana bread that simply cooled for ten minutes.  A great way to launch the weekend off right!


Chocolate Banana Bread

½ Cup Butter, softened
¾ Cup Sugar
2 t. Baking Powder
¼ t. Baking Soda
¾ t. Salt
2 Eggs
3 Ripe Bananas, mashed
¼ Cup Cocoa Powder
¼ Cup Milk
1 t. Grated Orange Peel
2 Cups Flour

In a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar.  Add the eggs, milk and bananas and mix well.  Next add the orange peel, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cocoa powder and mix until combined.  Slowly add the flour until combined.

Use a greased 9 x 5 inch loaf pan and transfer the mixture to it.

Bake at 350 degrees for 55 to 65 minutes or until a sharp knife inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool for 10 to 12 minutes before removing from the pan to a wire rack.


19 comments:

  1. Sounds amazing LIsa, I'm glad the blueberries ruled the roost so this could be invented!

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  2. Chocolate and banana are meant to be together. I like your version using cocoa powder. I usually just throw in chocolate chips, but this is a great way to amp up the chocolate factor.

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  3. i'm craving a slice right now for my Sunday afternoon snack! :)

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  4. This looks totally amazing...I love banana bread...what could be better than adding chocolate?! :)

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  5. I love chocolate banana bread one of my favorite treats! Yours looks wonderful :)

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  6. Your chocolate banana bread looks like the perfect baked weekend offering-love the photos too;-)

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  7. I have always been a HUGE banana bread fan but I have never had chocolate banana bread. I will definitely be trying this. Thanks for sharing!

    Sincerely,
    Happy Valley Chow

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  8. Seriously, that bread looks perfect! I can't seem to make a perfect loaf like this! But who cares? Chocolate and banana combination is a winner! Love the addition of orange peel as well.

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  9. I am probably one of the few people who have never made banana bread... but with chocolate in it, jeez, I'm sold! Looks seriously scrumptious!

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  10. Lisa, Your bread looks heavenly! I love the magic that really ripe bananas work in a baking recipe. All that natural sugar and creaminess. Yum.
    And I like that you added a bit of citrus zest.
    Wishing you a good week!
    xxoo
    E

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  11. Yeah, but what do I make when life gives me a new neighbor with a barking dog? A cute barking dog... GREG

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  12. What a perfect name for this bread, Lisa! It looks absolutely sublime!!!

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  13. Yummy Lisa, I never thought of adding anything else to my banana cakes, not even chocolate. Brilliant idea!

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  14. I always buy more bananas than I can eat so I end up throwing in a banana or two in most of my baked goods. Banana bread is the best use for them, though, and adding chocolate is always okay by me. :)

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  15. I made this ystday and it turned out to be perfectly yummy . Thanks.

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    1. Thank you for letting me know! Glad you liked it! Happy Sunday!!!

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  16. If I don't have orange, should I just leave it out, or use lemon instead (Iemons and limes are always in the fruit basket).

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    1. If you have dried orange peel in the jar, that would work too. You could use lemon - just depends if you like that combination. Or simply leave it out. Smile.

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