Banana Chocolate Walnut Bread
I have been baking this bread for many years now. I got the original recipe from food television but have tweaked it over time. One of the things I changed was the sugar. I have stopped using white sugar and have switched to sugar made out of evaporated cane juice. The raw version of that is turbinado sugar. It brings a crunch and a nutty flavor to the bread. I also substituted all-purpose flour to white whole-wheat flour. This definitely darkens the color of the bread and again it adds nuttiness to it. I also added chocolate to it! Now anything with chocolate is usually very good- including this bread. I guarantee this will be the best banana bread you will taste! It is simply delicious!! I am curious to know if any of you have a favorite banana bread recipe. My daughter absolutely loves it and likes to take some to school for an after lunch dessert. I don’t mind as I am happy about the healthy ingredients in it. It is good for breakfast, snack or dessert!
- 1¼ cups unbleached white whole-wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for preparing the pan
- 1 cup turbinado sugar
- 3 very ripe bananas, peeled, and mashed with a fork (about 1 cup)
- ½ cup toasted walnut pieces
- ½ cup milk or dark chocolate, chips or grated
Sift the flour, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl, set aside. Whisk the eggs and vanilla together in a liquid measuring cup with a spout, set aside. Lightly brush a 9X5X3 inches loaf pan with butter. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
In a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually pour the egg mixture into the butter while mixing until incorporated. Add the bananas (the mixture will appear to be curdled), and remove the bowl from the mixer.
With a rubber spatula, mix in the flour mixture until just incorporated. Fold in the nuts and chocolate pieces and transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake for 55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean. Cool the bread in the pan for 5 minutes before taking it out. Cool completely before serving.
I will post a veggie bread also.. how about a Zucchini bread? Will come up with a recipe…
just watned to let you know i made the banana bread last nite. Was very good…however the color did not come out as chocolatey as yours is in the picture. I added the chips with the almonds….you can tast the chips…but the rich chocolate color that you had wasnt there. i had a regular banana bread color….but was very good!…
The reason you didn’t get the same color is because I essentially added grated or shaved chocolate to the bread. The chips add great flavor but remain intact in the bread so their color doesn’t bleed into it. If you want that color next time, use a block of chocolate! Glad you liked it!
The kids also couldn’t get enought of it.I like that it came out sturdy and not so soggy like most breads. Why doesn’t it need baking powder??
Monica: First of all, I LOVE your blog!! Second, this was quite a tease to get early in the morning! Made me very hungry. Had to run out and get a cafe mocha!! Since my daughter is allergic to nuts, I will leave them out. But, since she is a horrible fruit eater, this will get more fruit into her diet!! How about a veggie bread??