Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

I’ve made lots and lots of banana bread over the years and I literally use a different recipe every time.

The bread is always good, but never awesome.  I frequently get the, “It’s really good mom, but your chocolate chip pumpkin bread is still better.”

Well, nobody said that this time.

Finally, a banana bread that can hold it’s own place in the hearts of my bread loving family!

Ingredients List

Makes 1 loaf

• Spray oil
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 4 Tbsp butter, chilled
• 1 1/2 cups flour (I use 1/2 whole wheat and 1/2 unbleached white flour)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup mashed very ripe bananas (about 3 medium-sized bananas)
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Method

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Coat one, 8×4 inch, loaf pan with cooking spray.

Combine 1 Tablespoon of sugar and 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon in a small bowl or shaker. Sprinkle oiled pan with mixture.

In a food processor, pulse flour and sliced butter until butter pieces are small and crumbly.

In a separate medium-sized bowl, stir together sugar, eggs, baking soda, salt, mashed bananas,  sour cream, vanilla and cinnamon.

Add in flour and butter mixture and stir until moist.  Add in chocolate chips and stir again.

Pour batter into prepared loaf pan and bake for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Dark pans are usually done in 1 hour while glass pans can take up to 1 hour and 10 minutes.

Cool 10 minutes in pan on a wire rack.

Run a dinner knife around the edges of the loaf and invert to remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack.

As with most quick breads, this one is even better the next day. I recommend making it at night and then to serve warm in the morning, heat slices in microwave for 10-15 seconds.