Your Cooking Coach
Show MenuHide Menu

Tag: walnut

Banana Chocolate Walnut Bread

banana-chocolate-breadI 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.