Chocolate and bananas are - to me - a match made in heaven. My family loves banana bread so how could they not love it with the double addition of chocolate? The kitchen was filled with glorious scents, the loaf was cooled just enough, my boys came home from school and refused to even eat a slice. To them, it was simply awful to add chocolate to banana bread and I was crazy to even think it would be good, let alone delicious.
Well, I had to slice into to take the picture so of course I tried the loaf. It is fantastic. So, I begged for them to just give it a try. Nope. Not happening. Clearly I did not need nor want to consume the entire loaf and in a fit of frustration sent a text to a friend that my delicious double chocolate banana bread was going into the trash. The family was willing to rescue the loaf.
I am happy to report they agreed with my assessment - it's a really good combination.
DOUBLE CHOCOLATE BANANA BREAD
Recipe courtesy of King Arthur Flour.
1 cup of all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 T Dutch-process cocoa
1/2 cup unsalted, softened butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup mashed banana (about 2 medium bananas)
1/2 cup cold sour cream
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips - regular or mini-sized
Preheat oven to 350 degrees; lightly grease 9" x 5" loaf pan. Combine flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa. In separate bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and creamy. Beat in egg; then stir in vanilla, banana and sour cream. Gently mix in the dry ingredients and chocolate chips until well incorporated.
Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 50-60 minutes, until cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. When finished allow to rest in pan 10 minutes. Turn the bread out onto a rack to cool completely.